Central Canada Air Travel Recovers After Record-Breaking Snowstorm

Record Snowfall Disrupts Central Canada Air Travel

Air travel across Central Canada has begun a gradual recovery following a powerful and record-breaking snowstorm that swept through the region starting Sunday, January 25, 2026. The severe weather led to widespread flight cancellations and delays, primarily affecting major airports in Southern Ontario and Quebec.

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) bore the brunt of the storm, recording an unprecedented 46 centimetres of snow on Sunday, marking the snowiest January for Toronto since records began in 1937. On Sunday, over 500 flights, encompassing both departures and arrivals, were cancelled at Pearson, representing approximately 65% of its daily operations. The disruption extended to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ), which also saw 30 flights grounded.

Widespread Cancellations and Recovery Efforts

The impact was not limited to Toronto. Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL), along with airports in Ottawa and Halifax, experienced hundreds of nixed flights. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that roughly 300 additional flights across Canada were called off by 9 a.m. on Monday, January 26, affecting tens of thousands of travelers. By Tuesday morning, January 27, cancellations at Toronto Pearson had decreased significantly to 46 flights, or about 11%, compared to ten times that number on Monday.

Airport authorities and airlines swiftly initiated recovery operations. Crews at affected airports worked continuously to clear runways, taxiways, and aprons, utilizing industrial snowplows and dump trucks. De-icing procedures were also a critical part of the effort to restore normal operations. Air Canada implemented a goodwill policy, allowing passengers with tickets purchased by January 21 for travel between January 23 and January 26 to change their itineraries without additional fees.

Ongoing Challenges and Outlook

Despite the progress, the ripple effect of the storm continued to cause disruptions. Flights to and from parts of the Eastern United States, including Dallas, Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C., faced significant delays and cancellations, with 35% to 40% of departures affected at some airports in those cities. Sean Davidson, a spokesman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), noted that 'it takes time for everyone's flight schedules to get back to normal' following such an event. Cale Daniels, Air Canada's vice-president of systems operations control, indicated that operations were expected to recover at an increasing pace, though severe cold temperatures were hampering the process. The storm occurred during a typically slower period for winter travel, which may have provided airlines with more flexibility in managing the disruptions.