As of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, more than 50 flights had already been canceled at the Vancouver airport. (new window) A short time later, the airport announced that it had suspended all flights.
Snow storms and weather caused damage Unprecedented
Airport Authority said in a statement. As a result, all flights were canceled overnight, which has a significant impact on Tuesday morning, and we expect cancellations and delays for the day and week.
Can you study there?
At 7:20 a.m., management confirmed that the airport had not left the airport to allow passengers and staff to disembark as they were busy clearing snow and ice covering the airport and planes.
The airport authority has asked the public not to come to the airport unless it is essential.
Sleep on the tarmac
Several flights carrying passengers from Vancouver Airport spent hours, some overnight, on the tarmac due to bad weather.
Several flights and their passengers were grounded on the tarmac at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) for several hours due to the blizzard.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Ben Nelms
It’s a psychological challenge, like physical exhaustion, Jeff Bryant said. By 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, he had spent more than 10 hours on the tarmac on his flight to Toronto.
Another couple from New Zealand said they were traveling with a baby and their baby had no formula after spending 11 hours on the tarmac.
Anne-Julie Têtu, a weather anchor for Radio-Canada British Columbia, was about to board a flight to Quebec when she witnessed the chaos at the Vancouver airport.
There are people everywhere, people of all ages sleeping on the floor, suitcases everywhere, the line to get on the skytrain is too long, the line to talk to someone is too long.
And avoid confusion
Airport authorities are asking people to avoid going to the airport only if absolutely necessary and to check their flight status before moving.
While inside the airport, the floors are filled with suitcases and tired passengers trying to sleep or standing in line for help, outside, the staff are busy removing snow and ice from the airport and the aircraft are closed to ensure safe flights resume.
Travelers passing through Vancouver Airport aren’t the only ones experiencing disruption to their travel plans.
Kelowna International Airport said 90% of its flights were affected by the unusual rain. At Victoria Airport, most flights scheduled for Tuesday morning have also been cancelled.
Affected across the country
The snow, crippling traffic in southern British Columbia, affected airports across the country, including Montreal-Trudeau, Ottawa and Toronto. Airport boards show multiple delays.
Many flights to Vancouver have been canceled and passengers still don’t know when they will arrive.
Fifteen centimeters of snow fell overnight in the Vancouver area and nearly 25 centimeters on southern Vancouver Island. Environment Canada is predicting an additional 5 to 10 centimeters of snow in most areas by the end of the day.
