Air travel across Canada ran into major trouble today, with 75 flights cancelled and 864 more running late at airports stretching from Toronto to Kelowna. Travel Tour & World
Major flight delays spread across Canada today as airports in several provinces faced severe slowdowns. Cancellations and late departures grew through the day and created long waits for travellers. Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver faced the heaviest pressure, but delays also hit Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, and Kelowna. The disruptions reached 75 cancellations and 864 delays nationwide. Thousands of passengers changed plans, missed connections, and faced long lines at terminals.
The impact stretched across both Canadian and foreign airlines. WestJet, Air Canada, Envoy Air, and SkyWest were among the carriers reporting large totals.
Toronto Sees the Most Severe Backlogs
Toronto Pearson carried the biggest burden. The airport logged 32 cancellations and 368 delays, the highest totals in the country. Travellers filled waiting areas as departure boards shifted throughout the afternoon. The huge slowdown showed how much strain the airport faced during the busy travel period.
Montreal–Trudeau also struggled. Staff there reported 14 cancellations and 151 delays, which caused bottlenecks at security and check-in gates. Vancouver International handled 13 cancellations and 143 delays, making the West Coast one of the worst affected areas of the day.
Regional Airports Also Under Pressure
Calgary recorded 4 cancellations and 92 delays, placing it among the hardest-hit mid-sized airports. Ottawa logged 4 cancellations and 54 delays, causing setbacks for business travellers and government staff.
Edmonton recorded 2 cancellations and 25 delays.
Kelowna saw 6 cancellations and 31 delays, making it one of the most affected regional airports on the West Coast.
The reach of the disruption showed that no part of the national network avoided delays.
Airlines Record Heavy Totals
Air Canada and Jazz Aviation reported some of the highest counts. Together, they logged 26 cancellations and 319 delays. Toronto Pearson reported the greatest concentration for the group, including 8 cancellations and 107 delays for Air Canada mainline and 5 cancellations and 48 delays for Jazz Aviation. Montreal and Vancouver also saw dozens of late flights for both carriers.
WestJet and WestJet Encore faced a combined 27 cancellations and 110 delays. Toronto recorded the largest block of WestJet setbacks, followed by Vancouver. Kelowna’s six cancellations were all connected to WestJet Encore.
International and smaller domestic carriers also struggled. Envoy Air reported 8 cancellations. Porter Airlines logged 4 cancellations and 43 delays across Montreal and Ottawa. Other airlines with multiple delays included United, American, Endeavor, PAL Airlines, Pacific Coastal Airlines, and SkyWest.
The wide mix of carriers involved underlined how broad the slowdown became.
Tourism and Local Travel Face a Ripple Effect
The interruptions raised concern for tourism operators. Many travellers planned hotel stays, events, and holiday activities in major cities. Late arrivals may lead to missed bookings, lost revenue, and reduced visitor spending.
Delays in Calgary and Edmonton could affect tourists heading to mountain parks.
Kelowna’s flight problems may disrupt travel plans for wine-region visitors.
In Ottawa and Montreal, delays pose challenges for business meetings and conferences.
Tourism groups monitor days like this closely, as large disruptions can leave long-term effects on travel patterns.
What Travellers Should Do Now
Travellers affected by delays or cancellations must keep all documents related to their trip. This includes boarding passes, booking confirmations, and emails explaining the disruption. Such records help support any compensation claim.
Passengers should use official airline channels for rebooking. Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, American, and other carriers provide online tools and phone support to help travellers secure new flights. People travelling through Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, or Ottawa should continue checking airline apps for gate changes or new departure times.
