Travellers at Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga are facing major disruptions as a severe snowstorm sweeps through the region, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations.
Environment Canada’s winter storm warning has already led to significant travel disruptions, with 422 flight delays and 85 cancellations recorded as of 5:30 p.m. Saturday, according to FlightAware.com. Of these, 182 delays and 39 cancellations affected flights within, into, or out of the United States.
Toronto Pearson, one of Canada’s busiest airports, is experiencing an average departure delay of 56 minutes, with some flights delayed over two hours and 24 minutes. Arrival delays have also been fluctuating, averaging 35 minutes for incoming flights.
Pearson Airport officials took to social media early Saturday to warn passengers of potential travel interruptions, urging travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
“With more than 128,000 travellers on board around 930 flights, we are actively monitoring the forecast and working to keep operations running,” Pearson Airport stated.
Maintenance teams are clearing over five million square metres of surface area, equivalent to 3,300 NHL hockey rinks, in an effort to maintain safe travel conditions. However, continuous snowfall is making the task challenging.
The disruptions may continue into Sunday, with another 25 cm or more of snow expected across southern Ontario. If conditions worsen, more delays and cancellations are likely.
Travellers are advised to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and prepare for potential delays. Live updates on flights can be found on Pearson’s website.