Flight disruptions persist at Pearson for incoming and outgoing U.S. bound traffic
· Toronto Sun
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Less than one day after U.S. airspace was shut down due to communication issues, a sense of normalcy seemed to return to Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Saturday.
“Flying out of Pearson today en route to DC,” an X user wrote Saturday morning. “Very quiet in the Terminal 1 F gate area (where many flights headed to the U.S. depart from). For anyone who still does have a flight, as far as I can see things are running smoothly here. No lineup at security, no lineup at customs.”
The same sentiments could not be echoed on the Pearson’s departures website, as several U.S.-bound flights were delayed, as of 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, with flights to Chicago and Detroit both cancelled. One flight to LaGuardia Airport in New York City was also cancelled Saturday afternoon. And a second flight to Chicago was also cancelled for later in the afternoon.
“U.S.-bound flights have resumed following the FAA ground stop,” the Pearson website stated. “Some delays and cancellations continue. Check your flight status with your airline before heading to the airport.”
One traveller posted on X that flights from the U.S. into Canada were still delayed or cancelled in some cases.
“If you’re one of the unlucky ones trying to fly from the US to Canada, not so great,” another X user wrote Saturday morning. “Flights cancelled, outrageous price hikes, etc. My husband has been trying to get back to YYZ from DFW since 4:30 pm (on Friday).”
Delays persist
At the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), two Saturday morning Toronto-bound flights were delayed until the afternoon, with an evening flight still listed on time.
And at the Denver International Airport, a Saturday afternoon Air Canada fight to Toronto was on time.
On Friday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues a nationwide ground stop at 3:53 p.m., after a communications failure at air traffic control centres caused chaos at airports nationwide.
The ground stop marked the second airspace shutdown since the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001. The previous one occurred on Jan. 11, 2023, and lasted for 90 minutes due to communication issues. This stop was called off at 8:15 p.m.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed old hardware for the air traffic control communications outage.
“What we have is an incredibly old air traffic control system,” Duffy told reporters at a White House briefing. “The President for the last year has been asking Congress to fully fund a full build of a brand-new air traffic control system.”
Reuters reported that by 11:30 p.m. on Friday nearly 10,000 flights had been canceled, including more than 2,200 each at Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, and 1,800 at United Airlines.
CNN reports that 3,000 flights within the U.S. were expected to either be delayed or cancelled on Saturday.