Extreme weather causing delays, cancellations at Canada's busiest airports

Over 100 flights across Canada were either delayed or cancelled on Friday, Jan. 12 as extreme cold weather swept across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Extreme cold temperatures are affecting Canada's busiest airports, with many experiencing delays and dozens of cancellations.

According to Toronto's Pearson International Airport, as of 5 p.m. EST, 30 departure flights and 39 arrivals were cancelled between Friday and Saturday, with scores of flights also delayed.

Severe weather events like a nationwide snow storm shrink the number of safe landings an airport can handle. While cancellations can cause their own frustrations for airlines and travellers, delays can lead to a bottleneck in outgoing flights, leaving passengers and staff stranded in airports for hours.

"While no one can control the weather, we can control our response to it," said Sean Davidson, a senior advisor in communications and media relations for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA). "We have spent the last year purchasing new high-tech snow removal equipment making improvements to our de-icing facility, and ensuring we are fully staffed to handle the complexities of winter operations."

Several Canadian airlines are navigating how to handle delays that are expected to bleed into the weekend.

"Out of an abundance of caution for safety, we are limiting the amount of time our crews and ground partners are working outside," WestJet said in a statement on Friday. "WestJet is proactively managing its operations and has implemented several cancellations as required."

WestJet announced it had 87 flights cancelled on Thursday and 86 cancelled on Friday.

Sunwing Airlines said it is monitoring the weather forecast closely, but travellers with flight departures between Friday and Saturday are encouraged to sign up for flight alerts and check their flight status before travelling.

In the nation's capital, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport saw 23 incoming and outgoing flights cancelled between Friday and Saturday, while in Montreal, 34 different flights were cancelled between Friday and Saturday.

Winnipeg Richardson International Airport only had a handful of total flights cancelled on Friday. Out west at Calgary International Airport, 35 incoming and outgoing flights were cancelled on Friday, while at Edmonton International Airport, 25 incoming and outgoing flights were cancelled between Friday and Saturday, with dozens more delayed.

"As a winter airport, we plan and practise for different situations to ensure safety and efficiency for our passengers and staff," said Megan Hall, senior communications advisor for Edmonton International Airport. "As we are currently experiencing flight impacts due to weather, we encourage people to check their flight status before arriving at the airport and leave extra time to get here."

Vancouver International Airport saw 18 flights cancelled, with nearly 40 delayed throughout the day.

"We are seeing continued delays and cancellations on flights arriving into Vancouver today, as severe winter weather conditions continue to have an impact across Canada and the United States," said Adriana Unger, communications specialist for Vancouver Airport Authority. "We continue to advise travellers to check with their airline before coming to the airport."

In the U.S., the winter weather is causing major disruptions for air travel, with nearly 2,000 flight cancellations Friday morning, the highest number since July 2023. While most of the delays are due to a winter storm pounding the Midwest, as more than 650 flights were cancelled at Chicago O'Hare International Airport alone, cancellations due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 9 planes are also contributing to the totals.

Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have been marred by hundreds of flight cancellations this week after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded more than 150 of the 737 Max 9 planes. The FAA's decision came after a piece of the fuselage blew off an Alaska Airlines flight last Friday, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane that ripped headrests off seats as the plane flew at 16,000 feet shortly after talking off from Portland, Ore., carrying 177 people.

Alaska Airlines said in a statement Wednesday that it cancelled all flights on 737 Max 9 aircraft through Saturday – about 110-150 flights per day.

None of Canada's airlines operate the 737 Max 9 aircraft.

With files from CNN