Overview: Another CBSA kiosk outage disrupts international travel in Canada
Travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport and other Canadian hubs are bracing for longer lines after a second outage this week hit the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) inspection kiosks. The disruption began around 10:20 a.m. local time and has forced airports to switch to manual processing at primary inspection lines. The outage comes just days after a similar problem affected multiple airports from coast to coast.
What happened and where
CBSA confirmed that the outage affected several international gateways across the country, though officials did not name every airport impacted. At Pearson, passengers were warned of “longer than normal wait times,” with terminals 1 and 3 specifically affected as the automated kiosks went offline. Travelers are now being redirected to primary inspection lines for manual processing while technicians investigate the cause and work to restore connectivity.
Official statements
“We are investigating the cause of the outage and we are working to restore connectivity as quickly as possible,” CBSA spokesperson Luke Reimer said in an email. He added that border services officers would continue to uphold safety and security standards, verifying identities, collecting declarations, and conducting any additional screening as warranted by individual circumstances.
A CBSA spokesperson had previously attributed the earlier outage to an “unforeseen technical issue during routine systems maintenance,” offering a similar assurance of ongoing work to restore normal operations.
Impact on travellers
The outages have triggered hours-long delays for passengers checking in for international flights and, in some cases, for Canada-bound itineraries. In Sunday’s disruption, airline staff were forced to contact Canadian authorities to verify both domestic and foreign passports, illustrating the breadth of the effect beyond mere kiosk malfunction.
At Pearson, the airport advised passengers there would be longer wait times and encouraged travelers to allow extra time for security and border checks. The move to manual processing inevitably slows throughput, increases queue lengths, and can affect flight connections and onward travel plans.
Why this matters for travelers and airports
CBSA kiosks are designed to speed up identity verification and declaration collection for international arrivals. When they fail, the burden shifts to human officers at primary inspection lines, which, while thorough, is slower and more labor-intensive. The weekend outage underscores the fragility of automated border-control systems and the cascading effects on airline operations and passenger experience across Canada’s major airports.
What travelers should know
1) Expect longer lines at terminals where kiosks are out of service. 2) Be prepared for manual verification of passports and declarations. 3) Expect potential delays impacting flight arrivals and connections. 4) Monitor airport and airline updates as technicians continue restoration work.
What to do if you’re flying soon
If you have upcoming travel through Pearson or other Canadian airports, plan for extra time at arrival and check-in. Stay updated via the airport’s social channels or your airline’s app for real-time information about border-check procedures and possible delays. If you’re traveling with children or elderly passengers, consider arriving even earlier to accommodate longer wait times and ensure smooth connections.
Looking ahead
While authorities work to diagnose and fix the outage, the CBSA has reiterated its commitment to maintaining security and accuracy in border processing. The current situation serves as a reminder that even routine maintenance can yield unexpected disruptions, and travel plans should account for potential delays during peak travel periods.
