“Yesterday was just awful, and it was a really brutal experience for our passengers.”
This is how Robyn McVicker, vice president of Vancouver International Airport’s (YVR) Passenger Journey department, described the long line-ups travellers experienced Sunday, Aug. 28 because of security screening staff shortages.
YVR found out around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning that a number of Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) screening officers, who were scheduled to work, did not show up, McVicker explained.
CATSA, which manages passenger security screening at Canadian airports, contracts security services through Allied Universal, a third-party company, at YVR airport.
While staff can “book off” work when they are sick or for other reasons, she added, a “very unexpected number” of workers did not come in.
“It significantly impacted screening and didn’t allow us to open a number of screening points necessary to support the 70,000 passengers that were coming through YVR yesterday,” said McVicker.
Only one domestic checkpoint was open due to CATSA staff shortage, resulting in international travellers being diverted to the domestic checkpoint as well, she added.
Screening officers at YVR are part of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW).
They have been having rallies outside YVR airport throughout the summer calling for better pay and less stressful working conditions.
IAMAW is at the bargaining table and are hoping CATSA to hold third-party-like Allied Universal accountable to raising wages and creating a better work environment.
Despite many travellers arriving early and “doing everything they could and were recommended" on Sunday, some passengers missed their flights and had to be rebooked on flights for Monday.
McVicker said frontline team members at YVR were giving priority for those with reduced mobility or young babies at the security checkpoint. Food, drinks and other support were given to everyone else who patiently waited in line.
“The reality was that it was tough for people waiting to go through screening.”
Today’s wait times and line-ups were still impacted by the staff shortage from yesterday, however, they are at more “manageable levels” today.
YVR has been working closely with CATSA, Transport Canada and all agencies to avoid the same “big horrible” delay the airport experienced in April, according to McVicker.
But she said it was “super disappointing” to see it happen again.
“We are absolutely working with our partners to ensure that no further interruptions will be happening.”
The News has reached out to CATSA and the union that manages security screening employees at YVR for comment. It did not hear back by time of publication.
