Extreme weather causes delays at YLW

• Cold weather causing flight delays, not COVID-19
• Everyone should be patient

Flight crew impacts due to COVID-19 have caused flight cancellations across the U.S. and internationally, but in Canada, bad weather is causing disruptions.

According to airline data company Cirium, Canada’s largest airlines cancelled hundreds of flights between Dec. 22 and Dec. 26.

Flair Airlines cancelled nine per cent of it’s scheduled flights during the period, while WestJet Airlines canceled seven per cent, and Air Canada, about four.

Frigid temperatures and arctic air have left most of the western provinces shivering this week with wind chills dipping as low as -55C.

Environment Canada said all of Alberta and most of British Columbia and Saskatchewan, along with parts of Manitoba and Ontario are under extreme cold weather warnings.

At YLW, at least 10 departing flights were delayed on Dec. 28, alongside six arrivals. One inbound flight was cancelled.

Airport Director Sam Samaddar told Kelowna10 the cold weather has played a major factor.

“It’s very hard on equipment on the aircraft, or the equipment that supports the ground crew,” he said. “You do get systems that break down and further delays thought the system that results of cancellations due to crew times expiring.”

Kelowna10 has heard of several passenger flights delays, some for as long as four hours at airports around Western Canada.

Samaddar said while delays are common this time of year due to the nature of the season, he asked everyone to be patient, and prepared ahead of your flight.

“Check the status of your flight and it could most likely be delayed, so that saves you having to come out to the airport early,” he said. “Give yourself lots of time to check in, and with things like the document check that takes extra time as well.”

The federal government requires both Canadian airline employees, as well as passengers departing from Canadian airports, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

With files from The Canadian Press