Two Airports Pay Millions for Longer Wait Times
CBC published an article about how wait times for passengers at airport security have grown so long that at least two major airports, Toronto (YYZ) and Vancouver (YVR), are paying millions of dollars for extra officers to help reduce the lineups. The article goes on to say that the current Canadian government cut another $10 million to the passenger screening budget.
Basically, what I am understanding is that either the government has to pay for extra security, or the airports need to pay the government to hire extra security, because the officers come from the government. I am suspecting that some overtime pay may come into play if there is not enough staff to go around.
According to this logic, it would make sense for the federal government to cut their budget.
I think what it comes down to is that airport traffic is going to keep going up, and someone needs to pay for it. Either the government or the airport. At the end of the day, the money comes from either the taxpayers or the passengers. It be fair, it may make more sense for the passengers to pay for airport security, as they are the ones using it.
Why should the government pay for an ever growing bill? What are your thoughts on this matter?
The concern for me – as stated in the CBC article – is how the security surcharge that we pay on every ticket does not actually go to CATSA, but rather goes to the government’s general coffers.
If we are directly paying for security as passengers, we should get what we pay for.
True. Also another reason why the government will have no problem cutting funding, it actually benefits them.