Airports across Canada are gradually returning to normal operations after Nav Canada, the country’s air traffic control service, reported receiving bomb threats early Thursday morning.
According to Nav Canada, the threats impacted airports in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver.
Kevin Morris, spokesperson for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, confirmed in a statement that “brief ground stops” were issued at the Montreal and Ottawa airports. These were lifted around 7:40 a.m.
Nav Canada posted on social media that services are gradually resuming following “the evacuation of a number of our sites” and a threat assessment by authorities.
“We thank airlines and passengers for their patience as we work towards normal operations,” the agency stated.
Ottawa International Airport informed passengers shortly after 10 a.m. that operations were close to returning to normal. Earlier in the day, the airport had warned of a “security incident” and potential disruptions. Several flights were delayed, according to its website.
An Ottawa airport spokesperson said it was working with city police to investigate the situation and noted that the impact on operations was relatively small.
Traveller Austin De St. Croix, who was at the Ottawa airport heading to Vancouver, said his flight was abruptly cancelled without explanation.
“I went to check in, and then between checking in and the security gate, they told me my flight was cancelled, no info,” he said.
Vancouver International Airport acknowledged being “aware of a security concern” tied to Nav Canada and other airports, but reported that its flights were running normally.
“Safety and security remain our top priority, and a thorough threat assessment was conducted,” the airport said in a social media update.
Travellers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
