The woes for travellers stranded by heavy snow at Vancouver’s airport are spreading across the country and Toronto Pearson International Airport is now advising of an approaching storm that could derail things further.
Hundreds of Air Canada flights have already been cancelled as a result of the bad weather in recent days, the airline said.
A statement from Vancouver International Airport says it has halted international arrivals for about 48 hours to deal with “congestion” caused by 27 cm. of snow Tuesday.
The restriction, affecting 17 airlines and approximately 30 flights, is to lift at 5 a.m. Friday.
Vancouver airport officials issued another statement later Tuesday, saying improved weather and work by crews clearing runways has allowed an increase in takeoffs and landings. But delays and cancellations are expected to continue, it said.
At Pearson, officials are advising travellers to check with their airline because airport operations could be affected by a storm forecast to arrive Thursday and potentially cause a flash freeze or blizzard conditions the next day.
That would add to ripple effects from the disruptions in Vancouver and extreme cold in Alberta that have already created challenges for holiday season travellers in airports across Canada.
Officials at the Saskatoon airport said flights are departing and arriving, but “compounding issues from weather-related events this week in other parts of the country, notably Vancouver and Calgary,” have led to delays and cancellations.
Airlines are also facing ongoing challenges with crew and aircraft availability, it said, adding passengers are advised to check their flight status directly with the airline.
A statement from Air Canada suggests nearly 600 flights haven’t been completed over the last five days.
About 935 Air Canada flights depart every day worldwide, it said, with a flight completion rate “well above” 98% since the beginning of December.
But over the past five days, the rate dropped to 87.25%, the statement said, citing storms in Ontario and BC.
Air Canada said travellers should rebook online if their flight is scrubbed, while WestJet is offering full refunds to passengers choosing to cancel proactively.
A statement from WestJet shows 86 flights have so far been cancelled Wednesday, a number that’s expected to rise throughout the day. It said 240 flights were grounded Tuesday due to disruptions in Vancouver along with frigid temperatures in Calgary and Edmonton, while 250 flights were cancelled Sunday and Monday.
The statement from Vancouver International Airport acknowledges that halting international arrivals until two days before Christmas will come as a blow.
“We fully recognize the impact this will have on individuals and families over the holiday season. However, the congestion caused by Tuesday’s storm events makes this action necessary,” it said.
A significant number of planes remain at the airport, causing congestion at its airfield, airport officials said in their subsequent statement.
Meanwhile, the International Civil Aviation Organization said two runways at Victoria International Airport are to remain shut until 6 p.m. due to snow. The airport was one of the hardest hit by Tuesday’s storm, receiving 36 cm. of snow.