Around 350 Flights Cancelled and Delayed in Canada as Air Canada, WestJet, British, Jazz, United, American, Air France, Qantas, Turkish, All Nippon, Alaska, Lufthansa and More Airlines Face New Disruptions at Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver Airports Due to Severe Weather Conditions

Around 350 flights were cancelled and delayed across Canada as Air Canada, WestJet, British Airways, Jazz, United Airlines, American Airlines, Air France, Qantas, Turkish Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Alaska Airlines, Lufthansa, and more carriers faced widespread disruptions at Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver airports due to severe weather conditions involving thunderstorms, strong winds, and poor visibility. With each of Canada’s major hubs affected, flight schedules unraveled throughout the day, grounding both domestic and international services and leaving thousands of travelers stranded or delayed as airlines struggled to cope with cascading delays and operational backlogs.

Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)

Montreal faced significant disruptions as 88 flights were delayed and 6 were cancelled, many of them scheduled for cross-border and long-haul routes. Thunderstorms rolled in early in the day, forcing ground handling delays and causing cascading effects throughout afternoon departures.

Air Canada, Montreal’s primary operator, was hit with 19 delays and 2 cancellations, affecting both domestic and international service. Jazz Aviation, a regional Air Canada affiliate, dealt with 22 delays and 2 cancellations, making it one of the most impacted airlines at this hub.

International flights also suffered setbacks. Air France, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and Turkish Airlines each reported at least one delayed flight, while Lufthansa, French Bee, and Envoy Air were delayed by inbound turbulence or tarmac constraints. Smaller carriers like Air Creebec, PAL Airlines, and Porter Airlines also saw minor disruptions.

Passengers reported long waits at boarding gates, while crews scrambled to juggle aircraft swaps and staffing shortages due to weather-imposed schedule shifts.

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

Toronto Pearson, Canada’s largest airport, experienced the highest volume of disruptions with 156 delays and 11 cancellations. With dozens of airlines operating transatlantic, transborder, and domestic flights from this hub, the effects were far-reaching.

Air Canada absorbed the brunt of delays with 45 flights impacted and 2 cancellations, while Jazz faced 25 delays and 7 cancellations — many linked to storm activity near Toronto and upstream at other eastern airports.

Major global airlines were also caught in the chaos:

• British Airways, Lufthansa, and BermudAir experienced schedule shifts.
• Turkish Airlines, Qantas, All Nippon Airways (ANA), and ITA Airways each saw half or more of their scheduled flights delayed.
• American Airlines faced 3 delays and 2 cancellations.
• United Airlines and Delta Air Lines also logged multiple delays, as flights bound for the U.S. faced longer hold times.

Regional players such as Porter Airlines (12 delays), Flair Airlines, and Air North Charter also felt the strain. Aircraft were held at gates due to lightning risk, and airport taxiways temporarily shut down as wind gusts exceeded safe thresholds.

Despite the disruptions, airlines implemented flexible rebooking options, with most waiving change fees for affected routes.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Out west, Vancouver logged 88 delays and 9 cancellations, with poor visibility and shifting wind patterns causing takeoff and landing delays throughout the day.

Pacific Coastal Airlines topped local disruption charts with 12 delays and 4 cancellations. Air Canada followed closely, reporting 18 delays and 3 cancellations, while WestJet Encore was affected by 5 delays and 2 cancellations.

International carriers at Vancouver also took a hit:

• Lufthansa, Edelweiss Air, and EVA Air saw up to 50% of flights delayed.
• All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, Qantas, Icelandair, Cathay Pacific, and Hong Kong Airlines reported significant operational delays, mostly during peak afternoon and evening hours.
• Alaska Airlines experienced two full flight delays during the weather window.

Meanwhile, United Airlines (5 delays), Jazz (10 delays), Porter (2 delays), and American Airlines (4 delays) also felt the impact on regional connections and long-haul routes alike.

Vancouver’s westward-facing runways were particularly affected by strong gusts and crosswinds, prompting holding patterns and air traffic control-induced spacing between flights.

Travelers Stuck, Airlines Respond

Throughout the day, frustrated travelers across all three airports dealt with long lines, rebooking hassles, and missed international connections. In Toronto and Montreal, some passengers waited on tarmacs for up to an hour during ground stoppages.

In response, airlines such as Air Canada, WestJet, and American Airlines issued flight change waivers. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and United advised travelers to check real-time flight status before arriving at the terminal.

Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)

• Total Delays: 88
• Total Cancellations: 6
• Delays and Cancellations Within/To/From U.S.: 33 delays, 2 cancellations
• Notable Airlines Affected:
  • Air Canada: 19 delays, 2 cancellations
  • Jazz Aviation: 22 delays, 2 cancellations
  • Air Canada Rouge: 6 delays
  • WestJet: 6 delays
  • American Airlines: 2 delays
  • United (via SkyWest/Envoy): 2 delays
  • Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Air France: 1 delay each
  • Other airlines with delays: Porter, PAL Airlines, French Bee, PSA Airlines, Air Creebec

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

• Total Delays: 156
• Total Cancellations: 11
• Delays and Cancellations Within/To/From U.S.: 68 delays, 6 cancellations
• Notable Airlines Affected:
  • Air Canada: 45 delays, 2 cancellations
  • Jazz Aviation: 25 delays, 7 cancellations
  • Air Canada Rouge: 18 delays
  • WestJet: 5 delays
  • Porter Airlines: 12 delays
  • American Airlines: 3 delays, 1 cancellation
  • United: 3 delays
  • Lufthansa: 1 cancellation
  • British Airways, Air France, ITA Airways, Qantas, Turkish Airlines, ANA: Delays reported
  • Other affected airlines: Flair, BermudAir, Arajet, Delta, Republic, SkyWest, PSA Airlines

Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

• Total Delays: 88
• Total Cancellations: 9
• Delays and Cancellations Within/To/From U.S.: 25 delays, 0 cancellations
• Notable Airlines Affected:
  • Air Canada: 18 delays, 3 cancellations
  • Pacific Coastal Airlines: 12 delays, 4 cancellations
  • WestJet Encore: 5 delays, 2 cancellations
  • Jazz Aviation: 10 delays
  • American Airlines: 4 delays
  • United Airlines: 5 delays
  • Lufthansa: 2 delays
  • Qantas, All Nippon Airways, Edelweiss, EVA Air, Alaska Airlines, Icelandair, Hong Kong Airlines, China Airlines, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific: Multiple long-haul delays
  • Other regional airlines: Flair Airlines, Horizon, Porter, Cargojet, Air North Charter

Around 350 flights were cancelled and delayed across Canada as Air Canada, WestJet, British Airways, Jazz, United, American, Air France, Qantas, Turkish, All Nippon, Alaska Airlines, Lufthansa, and more faced major disruptions at Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver airports due to severe weather conditions including storms, strong winds, and low visibility.

Weather Outlook: More Delays Possible

With forecasts predicting additional thunderstorms over Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia in the coming days, Transport Canada has urged passengers to plan for possible schedule changes. Airport staff and airlines continue to work overtime to recover from the backlog and minimize disruption ahead of weekend travel surges.