Toronto’s Pearson airport prepares for thousands of March break travellers

With March break starting next week for most students in Ontario, Toronto Pearson International Airport is preparing for an influx of travellers.

“Between today and March 22, we’re expecting up to 1.7 million passengers to come through the airport. About 160,000 on some of the busiest days. Over the next week we will make sure, across the airport, that we have the staffing in place to handle the influx of people that will be here,” said Sean Davidson, spokesperson for Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Some people are travelling to popular destinations like Cancun, while others are staying within the country to spots in British Columbia or New Brunswick.

“Gonna have many pina coladas. Virgin, of course,” said one young girl at the airport.

That’s the vibe among kids going on vacation – excited for a break from school.

“Going to the Amazon and climbing Machu Picchu … I don’t like school,” said another child.

Whether you like school or not, some are still going to be soaking up knowledge on their break.

“This time we’re going with an art history teacher that I had in Grade 9, so getting some of his knowledge on some of the stuff that I’ve already seen could be really cool I think,” said another student leaving for March break.

And adults are looking forward to the time off as well.

“I’m very, very excited. Been planning for two years. Just visiting a different culture and trying to blend in,” said a lady leaving for vacation.

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Pearson is teaming up with Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to share top travel tips to know during March break, including packing best practices and how to get through the airport efficiently.

The airport posts airline wait times online, to help travellers plan better, but those general reminders remain in place when it comes to arriving at the airport to get to planned flights on time.

It is suggested to arrive at least an hour, or an hour and a half before a domestic flight, and two to three hours before an international one.

“The liquids, aerosol and gel restrictions are still in place — you want to make sure your containers are below 100 mL and they all fit in 1 litre clear resealable bags, to make sure all your containers fit in there,” said Lawrence Xavier, a CATSA manager. “Anything over that will be asked to either be checked into your checked luggage, or you’d have to discard them at the checkpoint.”

CBSA officer Tamara Lopez reminds travellers to have all relevant documents handy, especially when travelling with children.

“We know this time of year during March break, that the kids want to get out of school and they’re very excited to go on vacation, but sometimes we do have situations where there are single parents or single guardians,” said Lopez. “Ensure you have the authorization letter or proof that says you have sole custody.”

Pearson also has a number of March break-themed entertainment for families, including live performances, magic shows and giveaways.

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