Passengers line up to speak to a Porter airlines gate agent at the departures level of the Ottawa/Macdonald–Cartier International Airport in Ottawa on Thursday.Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail
Canada’s air-traffic control agency says service is gradually resuming at major airports across the country where bomb threats early Thursday led to evacuations and ground stop orders.
Travellers were asked earlier in the morning to check with their airlines for flight-schedule disruptions, after Nav Canada said it was responding to threats made to its facilities at airports across the country.
Nav Canada later said on X that service is “gradually resuming” at affected sites after evacuation and “subsequent threat assessment by authorities.”
In an earlier social media post, the agency said six Canadian airports were affected.
“Early this morning, Nav Canada was made aware of bomb threats affecting facilities in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver,” the agency said on X.
“Employees at impacted locations are safe, and a temporary ground stop has been implemented at the affected airports. We are collaborating with authorities to address the situation and ensure the safety of all personnel and passengers. Travellers are advised to check directly with their airline for the latest updates, as delays may occur.”
The Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport said on X that it was investigating a security incident and warned that operations may be disrupted, urging travellers to check their flight status.
The Ottawa Police Service also said on X that it was investigating a security incident at the airport.
The airport and police department gave no details on what caused the ground stoppage.
Officials at the Montreal airport were not immediately available for comment.
Canada’s largest airport was unaffected by the threats. “Operations at Toronto Pearson continue to function without interruption,” said Erica Vella of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.
Spokespeople for Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver’s international airports confirmed a “security incident” had briefly affected their facilities, but had minimal impact on operations.
According to the airports’ websites, most flights were delayed at mid-morning in Calgary, Montreal and Ottawa on Thursday, with a handful of cancelled departures in Ottawa.
According to FlightRadar24, the average delay at Ottawa’s airport on Thursday morning is 70 minutes, compared with 26 minutes in Montreal and 38 minutes in Quebec City.
A passenger looks at an information board showing numerous delayed flights in the departures level of the Ottawa/Macdonald–Cartier International Airport on Thursday.Spencer Colby/The Globe and Mail
The delays cascaded through the domestic network, causing delayed arrivals in Toronto, Vancouver and other airports.
Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said the impact on the airline was “minimal.”
Canada’s national police force said Thursday that it is working with local police to monitor the security issues that arose at the airports.
“The RCMP is aware of threats made to various airports across Canada this morning and we continue to monitor the situation with our domestic partners,” said spokeswoman Camille Boily-Lavoie.
The federal government’s transportation department is amplifying the message that travellers should double check for delays on Thursday.
“We are working with the airport authorities, Nav Canada and law enforcement to assess the situation and ensure the safety of passengers, employees and our airport infrastructures,” Simon Rivet, a spokesman for Transport Canada said in a statement.
“The situation may cause delays to flights, and we urge passengers to reach out to their carriers to stay up to date with any scheduling changes.”
