Anyone headed to Toronto's Pearson International Airport for a trip knows by now to anticipate giant lineups and hours-long waits at every turn due to how hectic the airport has been lately.

Most might think that the worst case scenario is a flight delay, cancelled flight or missing a flight — all very real potentials amid the low staffing levels, high demand and other issues at the hub — but a few travellers have had even some less expected experiences that proved no less, or even more, stressful.

Same thing last night on a flight from Calgary 3 hour delay and a total of 31 lost bags all from the same flight. Landed at 8:30pm and left Pearson at 12:30am with no bags.

— Jeffrey Hendriks (@thejephh) June 26, 2022

One Toronto woman, for example, was left to wonder where her dog was for hours this weekend after it failed to arrive in the baggage area after her flight. Upon her inquiry, airport personnel told her they couldn't find the crate in question, and sent her home for the night.

The poor pup — a rescue that the woman was bringing from the Domincan Republic — was locked in his cage and lost in a corner among the hundreds of suitcases perpetually packing the airport's baggage area for a total of 21 hours by the end of the ordeal.

Traumatized, he'd had no access to food, water or any attention, and had, of course, soiled himself overnight.

Did you fly through Pearson? A guy I work with had his luggage lost there and was told that there are thousands and thousands of unclaimed bags there now.

— Mike 🇨🇦 (@mhoskins76) June 29, 2022

A lost pet is, of course, far worse than losing any ol' luggage, but that appears to be happening a ton lately too, with one man telling CP24 that he was asked to check his luggage last-minute at the gate free of charge, but hasn't seen it since despite arriving 16 days ago.

He waited a whopping three hours at the baggage carousel post-flight before giving up and heading home. After three additional trips to the airport to try and wade through the constant glut of unclaimed baggage to recover his suitcase, he still hasn't found it, and though he said customer service has been "helpful," they have no idea where it might be.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which runs Pearson, has blamed ongoing staffing shortages, flight delays and cancellations, and even mechanical issues with the baggage system for such cases.

We saw our bag in a news picture of rows of lost luggage at Pearson - a week ago. Why is it so hard to get it back? Should we drive the five hours there to search? Where is the plan to fix this? Where’s the accountability?

— ERL 131 (@cdgmom24601) July 3, 2022

Basically, at this point, if you're travelling through the city's main airport, assume that you're going to end up absolutely screwed by massive lines, cancelled flights, lost baggage and more — and if you're lucky, you may be pleasantly surprised when only one of those things actually happens.