It’s not a good day to travel through Montreal.
A massive computer system failure at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) has left travellers stuck in long lines and frustrated as they try to make their flights.
According to a statement posted by the airport on X just before 7 a.m., connectivity issues are impacting multiple computer systems across the terminal. As a result, key operations like security checks and boarding processes have slowed to a crawl.
Airport officials activated a contingency plan to maintain some level of functionality, but delays are still significant. Every airline and destination is affected, and the airport, along with carriers like Air Canada, is advising passengers to arrive earlier than usual to account for extra wait times.
Photos and videos shared on social media show massive queues stretching well beyond usual security checkpoints.
“Arrive [three or more hours] early! The lines are long. Boarding has already started and we haven’t even gone through security,” wrote a passenger in reply to the statement. “What great crisis management!!”
“One computer and three people to serve a queue of 1000+ people. No separate lines for families with infants or people [in wheelchairs]. What a preparation by you to tackle this situation,” another traveller chimed in.
“Montreal is always the worst place to fly out of,” someone else added.
The airport provided an update on the slowdown around 9:20 a.m., revealing that the situation has not been resolved and that online flight schedules are not being updated.
“The situation is still ongoing, which is considerably slowing down passenger processing, particularly at check-in. Flight schedules on our website are not being updated, so please make sure to validate your departure or arrival information on your airline’s website,” YUL’s latest X post states. “Our teams are currently working with our supplier’s team to rectify the situation.”
Back in 2022, a study by Hawaiian Islands ranked Montreal’s YUL Airport as one of the most stressful airports in North America, placing it alongside some of the most notoriously unpleasant travel experiences for Canadians.
