Halifax airport delays, lineups abating

Long lineups and delays at Halifax's Stanfield International Airport appear to have subsided following the recent increase in airport security.

On Saturday, passengers at the Halifax airport encountered queues and delays after security measures were stepped up following an attempted Dec. 25 attack on a Detroit-bound flight.

But on Monday, passenger and flight traffic appeared to be moving smoothly in Halifax.

According to the airport website, the vast majority of flight arrivals and departures were on schedule.

Airport lineups for travellers seeking to fly into the U.S. appeared to ease at a number of airports across the country.

Early Monday morning, thousands of people slowly manoeuvred through lineups at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, with some waiting for hours because of new screening measures.

But Trish Krale, a spokeswoman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, said the consolidation of some flights onto larger planes has helped ease the crunch.

New restrictions

Travellers heading to the U.S. are now subject to secondary searches, with carry-on luggage searched by hand.

Baggage allowance has been changed as well. Passengers are now restricted to one carry-on item. Extra bags will cost passengers $30 for U.S. flights, $50 for overseas flights, and passengers will not be allowed to leave their seats one hour prior to landing.

Transport Canada mandated the security crackdown, in conjunction with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, after a man tried to light an explosive device on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam as it was about to land in Detroit on Friday.

On Saturday, the U.S. Justice Department charged a 23-year-old Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, with several counts including attempting to destroy an airplane with a destructive device.

Passengers flying to the U.S. are being told to arrive at the airport up to three hours before departure time.