A new policy at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport includes penalties for contractors that fail to meet service standards, including baggage handling.

During last summer’s travel surge, baggage halls overflowed at Pearson and passengers were often stuck on the tarmac for more than an hour. A September poll by J.D. Power found Pearson ranked among the lowest in customer satisfaction when compared to other airports of a similar size in Canada and the United States.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), which runs Pearson, updated its rules and regulations for contractors on May 6. It has begun issuing fines for non-compliance, GTAA chief executive Deborah Flint told The Globe and Mail.

“We’re looking to change behaviour,” Flint said, adding that the airport has issued $100,000 in fines thus far. The fines are calculated on the level of impact the company’s delays are having on the system, she said.

The GTAA’s rules for contractors set time limits for how long it should take to deliver baggage either to connecting flights or to the carousel for passenger pick-up. The time ranges from 30–50 minutes depending on the size of the flight and other factors.

The rules do allow for extenuating circumstances, such as emergency events or delays beyond the contractor’s control.

GTAA also announced in May that it has bolstered staffing and made technological improvements ahead of this summer’s rush.

Pearson has about 10,000 new employees, an increase of 22 percent since last summer. That includes the hiring of 130 new staff in May to help with baggage handling, busing, and terminal operations.

Artificial intelligence is now helping with baggage at Pearson as well. An AI system detects potential breakdowns in the baggage system before they occur.

GTAA says biometric e-gates are expediting customs clearance.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.