A WestJet flight from Cancun was redirected to Waterloo Region Airport early Thursday morning because of fog at Toronto Pearson. CTV
Passengers on a WestJet flight from Cancun had a rough start to their Thursday after their flight was diverted to the Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) due to thick fog at Toronto Pearson Airport. What was meant to be a routine flight home quickly turned into a frustrating ordeal that saw travelers stuck onboard for more than eight hours.
Unexpected Diversion Due to Weather
The flight, which was initially scheduled to land at Toronto Pearson, touched down at YKF just after 1:15 a.m. Thursday. As the plane neared Toronto, passengers noticed something unusual. Trevor Lester, an Orillia resident traveling with a group, described the situation as they approached the city.
“We were approaching the Toronto airport, very foggy. And all of a sudden, we’re doing left and right turns and going around the airport,” Lester said. Soon after, the pilot announced the unexpected detour, explaining they could not land at Toronto due to the poor visibility and would instead be landing at Waterloo.
The plane was able to land with the help of Toronto-based air traffic controllers since YKF’s control tower operates until 11 p.m. After the plane landed, passengers were informed that customs clearance, which wasn’t available overnight at YKF, would need to be arranged before they could leave the aircraft.
Frustration Grows Among Passengers
The passengers spent the next several hours trapped onboard the plane while airport officials worked to set up the necessary customs procedures. As the delay dragged on, frustration began to mount among the passengers. "Let us off!" chants and the sound of crying children filled the cabin as the hours passed without any clear answers.
Lester noted the challenge faced by families with young children, saying, “In the middle of the night, they were crying. You know, we felt so much empathy for these kids.”
The airline confirmed that the diversion was due to reduced visibility caused by fog at Toronto Pearson. Since the flight arrived from an international destination, customs clearance was required before passengers could disembark. As a result, everyone was forced to stay onboard until customs officers could arrive.
No Food, but Water Provided
For the majority of the long wait, no food was provided to the passengers. However, water was eventually handed out as the hours dragged on. Passengers were left feeling the strain of the long wait, especially as many were eager to continue their journey home.
Once customs officers arrived, passengers were able to leave the plane, clear Canadian customs, retrieve their luggage, and re-board the plane for the short trip to Toronto. The aircraft finally took off for Toronto around 10:10 a.m., nearly nine hours after initially landing in Waterloo.
A Long Journey Home
The diversion caused a ripple effect for many travelers, with some still attempting to get home well into the day. Lester, who was traveling back to Orillia, said, "We all work. But we didn’t think it was going to take 14 hours coming home from Cancun."
Some passengers also expressed concern about the duty-free items they had bought in Cancun. They were initially told they couldn’t bring their purchases back onto the plane, but later were allowed to keep them, bringing a bit of relief after the long ordeal.
