- Flight Disruptions
- Late-season winter weather disrupts 505 flights across Canada's major airports
Late-season winter weather disrupts 505 flights across Canada's major airports
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Checked by Carmina Davis
Last updated on 7 April 2026
505
Affected flights
10
Affected airports
7
Affected airlines
Disruption overview
Severe late-season winter weather disrupted 505 flights across Canada on 5 April 2026, with Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport hit hardest. Snow, freezing rain, flurries, and icy surfaces caused 423 delays and 82 cancellations, while airlines including Air Canada, Jazz Aviation, WestJet, and Porter Airlines struggled to keep schedules moving across the country. Passengers were told to check flight status before leaving for the airport, and disruption was still affecting operations into Monday morning. Because the problem was caused by weather outside the airline’s control, compensation is usually unlikely on routes covered by EC 261, but airlines should still provide care and assistance during long delays.
Disruption details
Severe late-season winter weather disrupted 505 flights across Canada on 5 April 2026, with the biggest problems reported at Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport.
For passengers, this meant long waits, missed connections, canceled departures, and stressful rebooking across airports from British Columbia to the Atlantic provinces.
Heavy snowfall, freezing rain, flurries, and widespread icy surfaces built over the Easter weekend and worsened through Sunday before continuing into Monday morning, 6 April. With temperatures well below seasonal norms, runways and taxiways became harder to operate safely, slowing flight schedules across the country.
On Sunday alone, airlines recorded 423 delays and 82 cancellations nationwide. Toronto Pearson saw 34 cancellations and 160 delays, while Montréal–Trudeau reported 15 cancellations and 85 delays. Knock-on disruption was also felt in Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, Halifax, Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre, Québec City, St. John’s, and Gaspé.
The biggest impacts were reported at:
Toronto Pearson International Airport recorded 194 disrupted flights, made up of 34 cancellations and 160 delays.
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport logged 100 disrupted flights, including 15 cancellations and 85 delays.
Calgary International Airport and Vancouver International Airport reported 58 and 43 affected flights respectively.
Ottawa, Halifax, Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre, Québec City, St. John’s, and Gaspé also saw delays and cancellations spread through the day.
Airlines across the network were under pressure too. Air Canada bore the heaviest load, canceling 32 flights and delaying 72 more. Jazz Aviation followed with 20 cancellations and 56 delays, while WestJet reported 95 delays and 2 cancellations as schedules backed up in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver. Porter Airlines, which has a dense operation at Billy Bishop, logged 1 cancellation and 58 delays. PAL Airlines, Air Transat, and Endeavor Air were also significantly affected.
No injuries or safety incidents were reported, and regulators did not impose a national ground stop. Even so, airport operators urged travelers to check their flight status before heading to the terminal. Because aircraft and crews were already out of position, disruption could continue into later departures even after conditions started to improve.
If your journey was affected, it’s understandable to feel frustrated. Because this disruption was caused by severe weather outside the airline’s control, compensation is usually unlikely on routes where EC 261 applies.
Although compensation is unlikely here, that doesn’t mean you’re without support. Your airline should still provide care and assistance during long delays, including food and drinks, rebooking or a refund if your flight was canceled, and accommodation plus transport if you’re stranded overnight. If you want to understand what may apply to your trip, you can use AirHelp’s free flight checker to review your options.
Know your rights
These are your air passenger rights
When your flight's disrupted, you have rights. Most passenger protection laws cover the following:
Rerouting or refund
If your flight is canceled, your airline must provide an alternative. Some laws say you can choose a full refund instead.
Food and essential care
Providing food and drinks is a basic right under many regulations. Typically after a delay of a few hours.
Accommodation
Some passenger rights say the airline must provide accommodation when your journey is delayed overnight. No compensation when a disruption is caused by extraordinary circumstances, as this appears to be.
This advice is provided to help you if your flight is delayed or canceled. However, the exact care and compensation you are entitled to will depend on your specific circumstances and flight. Always follow the directions of your airline, particularly with regard to check-in and boarding times.
Quick facts
Summary
Disruption
Delays and Cancellations
Cause
Weather issue
Status
Current disruption
Compensation
Not eligible for compensation
Flights affected
505
Airlines affected
Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, Westjet, Porter Airlines Inc., Pal Airlines, Air Transat A.T.Inc., Pinnacle Airlines
Airports affected
Pearson International Airport, Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, Calgary International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport, St. John's International Airport, Gaspe
Cities affected
Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, Halifax, Québec City, St. John’s, Gaspé, Quebec, St. John's, Gaspe
Countries affected
Canada
Start date
2026-04-05
Checked by
Carmina Davis
Date updated
7 April 2026
What to do if your flight is delayed, canceled, or overbooked
If you're traveling to, from, or within the European Union, here's what you should do when you experience a disruption.
Gather evidence that your flight was delayed, canceled, or overbooked.
Get the airline to provide written confirmation of the disruption and the reason behind it.
Request an alternative flight to your destination — or a refund if you no longer wish to travel.
Make a note of the arrival time at your final destination.
Ask the airline to provide vouchers for meals and refreshments.
Avoid signing documents or accepting offers that may waive your passenger rights.
If an overnight stay is required, ask the airline to provide accommodation.
Save receipts for any additional expenses caused by the disruption.
