We can all agree that getting out of the city during the Christmas holidays can often feel chaotic. And while most Torontonians have grown accustomed to the usual travel woes — long lineups, an occasional flight delay or a missing bag — some unlucky travelers who dared to venture out this holiday season experienced the sort of system meltdowns that some have described as “nightmarish.”
From planes to trains, here is a collection of Tweets from some very unlucky travelers.
Luggage Delays
A number of passengers traveling out of Toronto Pearson waited for days for luggage to show up to their destinations.
One Twitter user was left without her anxiety medication for at least two days.
When we left Kitchener on Sunday our flight was full so I did the nice thing and checked my carryon that had our medications in it. It’s day 2 without my anxiety meds and day 3 of wearing the same pants because @WestJet has yet to even register our bags as being off of the plane.
— Alanna Schwartz (She/Her) (@alannadschwartz) December 20, 2022
“It would appear the demon clutches of Toronto Pearson have our luggage. Over 100 people from our plane have arrived in Vancouver while their luggage sits in Toronto. Never. Again. Screw you YYZ. Without fail. The worst airport in Canada,” wrote another Twitter user who clearly will never leave a positive review for Toronto’s airport.
It would appear the demon clutches of Toronto Pearson have our luggage. Over 100 people from our plane have arrived in Vancouver while their luggage sits in Toronto. Never. Again. Screw you YYZ. Without fail. The worst airport in Canada.
— Brett Mineer (@MineerBrett) December 27, 2022
Cancelled Sunwing Flights
Some Toronto residents who had traveled to Mexico were left stranded after winter storms disrupted operations.
“Stuck in Cancun international airport. Trying to get back to Toronto Aren’t letting people leave Some have been here for 3 days. No food or water being provided. Flying from Sunwing. Inhumane treatment,” tweeted Noah Calbery on Christmas day.
Stuck in Cancun international airport. Trying to get back to Toronto. Aren’t letting people leave. Some have been here for 3 days. No food or water being provided.Flying with Sunwing. Inhumane treatment. @CP24 @SunwingVacay @TorontoNewsMail @TorontoPearson pic.twitter.com/t1bc9PPzbS
— Noah Calberry (@NCalberry) December 25, 2022
Stranded Via Rail Trains
Just before Christmas, hundreds of Via Rail customers trying to get home for the holidays were left stranded, some without food after a winter storm wreaked havoc, rendering the train tracks “unsafe.” Along with cancellations, nine trains were trapped after trees fell on the tracks and on a train.
A young man and his diabetic grandmother haven’t slept on their journey from Kingston to Toronto via Rail. She’s 75 years old and hasn’t eaten proper food for hours. She’s shaking and hyperventilating. pic.twitter.com/yXWQA3XrW8
— Ahmar Khan (@AhmarSKhan) December 24, 2022
Some passengers were also unable to sleep on the stranded trains as well when train lights remained on…for over ten hours
Just been told we have to wait yet another 1.5 hours for #viarail engineers to arrive to address the delay from the fallen tree on top of the 10 hours we’ve already waited. No food or water in hours. Lights won’t be turned off. @cp24 @CBCToronto @CTVToronto
— Robbie (@RobbieRobbie818) December 24, 2022
For information related to Via Rail’s train schedule, click here.