Passengers at Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport faced a turbulent start to the day as a wave of cancellations and delays rippled across key domestic, transborder, and sun routes. At least 12 flights operated by WestJet, Jazz (Air Canada Express), KLM, PAL Airlines, and other carriers were cancelled, while numerous others departed late or remained delayed on the tarmac. The disruption affected major links to New York, Varadero, Cayo Coco, Halifax, Ottawa, and several regional destinations, stranding hundreds of travelers and highlighting the fragility of the current air network into and out of Montreal.

A Morning of Cancellations at Montreal Trudeau

The latest round of disruptions unfolded in the early hours at Montreal Trudeau, where departure boards quickly filled with the dreaded words “cancelled” and “delayed.” Passengers arriving for the first wave of flights discovered that a cluster of services operated by WestJet, regional affiliate Jazz, European carrier KLM, and regional operator PAL Airlines had been removed from the schedule with little advance notice.

Airport staff reported that at least a dozen flights were cancelled outright, with several more services pushed back by an hour or more. Among the hardest hit were early morning departures and returns on busy business and leisure routes, including Montreal to New York, Montreal to Halifax, and sun destinations such as Varadero and Cayo Coco in Cuba. Some passengers were rebooked later in the day, while others were told they would need to wait until the weekend for confirmed seats.

For many, the issue was not simply the inconvenience of a delayed departure. The cancellations created a knock-on effect that rippled through connecting hubs, leaving travelers stuck mid‑journey or forced to reroute through alternate Canadian cities at short notice. Families headed to resorts, business travelers en route to meetings in Manhattan, and students traveling home for reading week all found themselves competing for limited rebooking options.

While the airport itself remained open and operational, long lines formed at airline counters as ground staff tried to juggle rebookings and compensation discussions. Self‑service kiosks struggled to keep pace with the volume of itinerary changes, and call centers for several carriers reported extended wait times as the morning went on.

WestJet Routes to Cuba and New York Under Strain

WestJet, already in the spotlight for network changes across North American and Caribbean routes, was among the most visible players in the latest disruption at Montreal Trudeau. Several of its departures to Cuba, including flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco, were affected, with at least one round‑trip rotation reportedly scrubbed from today’s schedule and others showing extended delays.

Recent weeks have seen mounting pressure on carriers operating to Cuba due to fuel shortages on the island and an increasingly complex operating environment. While some WestJet services to Varadero and Cayo Coco have continued to operate on time in recent days, the airline has been monitoring conditions closely and has already cut capacity to several sun markets. Any additional operational hiccup can tip a fragile schedule into outright disruption, as today’s cancellations in Montreal appear to underscore.

On the transborder side, the disruptions were equally painful. WestJet’s Montreal to New York services, a key link for both business and leisure travelers, experienced cancellations and delays that spilled over into missed connections at U.S. hubs. With other Canadian carriers also reducing or suspending certain U.S. routes this spring, every lost frequency tightens the squeeze for passengers trying to secure alternative transborder options.

Some travelers reported being offered rebookings a day or more later or being rerouted via Toronto, Calgary, or even European hubs to reach U.S. destinations. The limited buffer in Canada–U.S. capacity means that when a single rotation is cancelled out of Montreal, the impact can be outsized, especially during peak travel periods or when adverse weather in North America compounds the problem.

While international and sun destinations drew much of the initial attention, today’s cancellations and delays had a significant impact on domestic connectivity as well. Jazz, operating as Air Canada Express, and PAL Airlines both faced schedule disruptions involving routes linking Montreal to Halifax, Ottawa, and smaller communities in Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec.

Regional flights are often the hidden backbone of Canada’s air network, feeding major hubs like Montreal Trudeau with passengers bound for overseas or transborder connections. When a regional leg is cancelled, passengers frequently miss onward flights by hours, if not days, especially in periods when overall capacity is constrained and alternative options are scarce.

At the Jazz counters, travelers reported being informed that aircraft availability and operational constraints had forced last‑minute cancellations on some Halifax and Ottawa rotations. For PAL Airlines, which operates a more modest network, a single aircraft out of position or a crew issue can have disproportionate consequences, leading to cascading delays across multiple sectors in the same day.

The result in Montreal was a cluster of stranded passengers who were not only missing domestic appointments and family events, but also critical onward flights to Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean. Many expressed frustration that the disruption of what they viewed as “short hops” could unravel carefully planned itineraries spanning continents.

KLM and International Connections Caught in the Crossfire

Long‑haul travelers relying on Montreal Trudeau as their gateway to Europe were not spared from the latest wave of disruptions. KLM, which operates transatlantic services connecting Montreal with Amsterdam and beyond, saw knock‑on delays as incoming feeder traffic was disrupted and operational buffers eroded.

While core intercontinental flights are less frequently cancelled at short notice, even moderate delays on departure from Montreal can trigger missed connections across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Passengers booked on complex itineraries via Amsterdam reported being moved to later flights or even pushed to depart a day later, depending on seat availability and minimum connection times at the hub.

The complications were especially acute for travelers heading to destinations that only see one daily or several weekly flights. Missing a single onward connection can mean being stuck overnight in a connecting city, subject to hotel availability and the airline’s rebooking policies. In this context, the apparent localized disruption at Montreal Trudeau quickly took on global dimensions, cascading into rebookings and delays far beyond Canada’s borders.

As airlines continue to operate with leaner fleets and tighter scheduling margins in the post‑pandemic and high‑cost environment, there is often less slack built into the system to absorb unexpected issues. For passengers, that means that even a modest glitch at a hub like Montreal can resonate across multiple time zones and continents.

Cuba’s Fuel Crisis and the Wider Sun Destination Shake‑Up

Many of today’s most frustrated travelers were those bound for Cuba and other Caribbean resorts, where the combination of operational constraints and political headwinds has created a particularly volatile situation. In recent days, major Canadian carriers have announced temporary suspensions of flights to Cuba or significant capacity reductions, citing a fuel shortage at Cuban airports and concerns over the reliability of local supply chains.

Air Canada has already halted its Cuba operations and is in the process of repatriating thousands of Canadian tourists, while Air Transat is carrying out a similar repatriation plan and adjusting winter sun schedules. WestJet and other airlines have been monitoring conditions and reviewing capacity to Cuban destinations such as Varadero and Cayo Coco, both of which figure among the routes affected by today’s Montreal disruptions.

For passengers, this shifting landscape is confusing and stressful. Some travelers who had booked weeks or months ago on what were once routine winter sun routes have found themselves navigating last‑minute time changes, aircraft swaps, and, in the worst cases, outright cancellations with little lead time. Today’s 12 cancelled flights at Montreal Trudeau unfolded against this backdrop of broader instability in the Cuba market, leaving many to wonder whether they will be able to complete their holidays as planned.

Travel agents and tour operators say they have been fielding a surge in queries from Canadians worried about the reliability of Cuba and Caribbean gateways out of Montreal. Many are asking whether they should switch to alternate destinations such as Mexico or the Dominican Republic, or even postpone trips until the situation around fuel supply and flight continuity stabilizes.

What Travelers to New York, Halifax, Ottawa, and Cuba Should Expect Next

For travelers booked on near‑term flights from Montreal to New York, Halifax, Ottawa, and Cuban destinations like Varadero and Cayo Coco, the latest disruptions serve as a stark reminder of the importance of proactive planning. Airlines are urging passengers to monitor their flight status closely on the day of travel, to arrive earlier at the airport than usual, and to ensure they are enrolled in notification systems that send real‑time updates by text or email.

On routes to New York, recent months have already seen a reduction in overall transborder capacity as Canadian airlines trim their U.S. schedules in response to weaker demand and a more challenging regulatory environment. This means that when a single Montreal to New York flight is cancelled, the available alternatives can fill up quickly, especially on Fridays and Sundays. Travelers with fixed appointments or events in New York should consider booking earlier flights in the day to leave a buffer for unexpected disruption.

Passengers traveling to Halifax and Ottawa, many of whom rely on same‑day returns or tight connections, may want to build additional time into their itineraries and avoid non‑refundable ground arrangements when possible. Regional carriers such as Jazz and PAL Airlines play a crucial link role, but their smaller fleets and dense scheduling can mean longer recovery times when issues arise.

For those heading to Cuba from Montreal, the advice is even more pointed. Travelers should expect evolving flight times, possible aircraft substitutions, and, in some cases, last‑minute re‑routing or repatriation flights instead of regular commercial services. Keeping in close touch with tour operators, checking hotel status, and having contingency plans for early or extended stays is becoming part of the new normal for winter sun seekers.

Understanding Your Rights When Flights Are Cancelled or Delayed

In the wake of today’s cancellations at Montreal Trudeau, many passengers have turned their attention to what compensation or assistance they may be entitled to under Canadian and international regulations. Canada’s air passenger protection regime lays out a series of obligations for airlines when flights are cancelled or significantly delayed, especially when the cause is within the carrier’s control and not strictly a matter of weather or air traffic control issues.

Depending on the circumstances, affected travelers may be eligible for rebooking at no additional cost, meal vouchers, hotel accommodations when overnight stays are required, and sometimes monetary compensation. The amount and type of assistance often depends on the size of the carrier and the length of delay in arriving at the final destination. For international itineraries, additional rules under global conventions may also come into play.

Passengers are encouraged to keep all receipts related to extra expenses incurred as a result of cancellations or delays, including meals, lodging, and transportation. Documentation, such as boarding passes and written confirmation of disruption from the airline, can be valuable if travelers choose to submit claims later. It is also advisable to check the specific airline’s conditions of carriage and to use official customer service channels, even if wait times are long at peak periods.

Travel insurance can provide an additional layer of protection, but policies vary widely. Some plans cover only medical emergencies, while others include trip interruption benefits that may reimburse unused hotel nights, pre‑paid excursions, or new tickets purchased when original flights are cancelled. As today’s events in Montreal demonstrate, travelers who understand the fine print of both airline policies and insurance coverage are better positioned to minimize the financial and logistical fallout of an unexpected disruption.

How to Build Resilience Into Future Travel Plans from Montreal

While no traveler can completely eliminate the risk of cancellations or delays, especially in a complex and interconnected system like modern aviation, there are practical steps that can reduce the likelihood of severe disruption. The events at Montreal Trudeau highlight the value of building flexibility and redundancy into trip planning, particularly on routes and destinations currently under pressure.

Booking earlier flights in the day can offer more rebooking options if something goes wrong, especially on high‑demand routes to New York, Halifax, or Ottawa. Travelers connecting through Montreal on their way to Europe or the Caribbean may also want to consider longer layovers, giving themselves enough time to absorb minor schedule shifts without missing onward flights. When possible, choosing itineraries that keep all segments on a single ticket can simplify rebooking and protect the overall journey when one leg is cancelled.

For sun destinations and Cuba in particular, travelers may benefit from working with experienced travel advisors who have access to up‑to‑the‑minute information from tour operators and airlines. Advisors can help identify routes with more stable operations, recommend hotels that are currently open and fully serviced, and assist in navigating rebooking or credit options if the situation deteriorates.

Above all, travelers departing from Montreal Trudeau in the coming weeks should keep expectations flexible. The combination of network restructuring, geopolitical pressures, and tight operational margins means that air travel is likely to remain somewhat volatile, especially on specialized routes. Being prepared with backup plans, clear knowledge of one’s rights, and a willingness to adjust itineraries on the fly can turn a potential travel nightmare into a manageable detour.