Hundreds of Canadian travelers were left camping out in terminals, scrambling for hotel rooms or trying to rebook at the last minute after WestJet scrubbed 16 flights and delayed another 18 across its network, with major disruption hitting Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. The interruptions, which unfolded amid broader weather and operational strain across the national aviation system, left families, international visitors and business travelers stranded for hours and, in many cases, overnight.
Disruptions Ripple Through Four Key Canadian Hubs
The latest WestJet disruptions struck some of the country’s busiest and most strategically important airports. At Toronto Pearson, already dealing with elevated delay levels this winter, cancellations and rolling schedule changes forced passengers to rejoin long check-in and security lines multiple times, as departure boards shuffled repeatedly throughout the day. Gate changes, last minute crew reassignments and aircraft substitutions added another layer of confusion for passengers trying to interpret garbled public address announcements.
In Montreal, WestJet’s cancellations compounded a season of irregular operations that has already seen widespread delays and schedule adjustments at Montréal–Trudeau. Passengers reported waiting through several separate boarding calls before being told their flight was scrubbed entirely and that rebooking might not be possible for at least 24 hours due to limited seat availability. For some, that meant missing international connections or crucial work commitments in Europe and the United States.
Halifax Stanfield and Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier, while smaller than Toronto or Montreal, played an outsized role in the chaos. In Halifax, where winter storms and regional carrier disruptions have become a familiar theme, travelers described snaking lineups stretching into the pre-security concourse as multiple WestJet flights were cancelled in rapid succession. In Ottawa, passengers connecting to and from Atlantic Canada were left with few alternatives when both WestJet and other carriers trimmed schedules in response to weather and congestion elsewhere in the system.
While the 16 WestJet cancellations and 18 delays represent only a slice of the hundreds of daily movements across these hubs, their impact was magnified by the airline’s role as a key connector between smaller communities and Canada’s major centers. When a handful of flights disappear on a high-demand day, there are simply not enough spare seats elsewhere in the network to absorb stranded passengers quickly.
Weather, Congestion and System Strain Create a Perfect Storm
The immediate backdrop to WestJet’s latest disruptions is a winter travel season marked by frequent storms and already fragile airline and airport operations. In late January, a record-breaking snowstorm buried much of southern Ontario and Quebec, forcing more than 800 cancellations over two days and disrupting travel in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax. Even weeks later, the ripple effects are still evident in tighter crew scheduling, reduced slack in aircraft rotations and a backlog of passengers who had already rebooked into later dates.
On February 11, another fast-moving winter system again snarled operations across central and eastern Canada, triggering more than 300 flight disruptions in a single day. Toronto Pearson, Montreal–Trudeau and Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier once again bore the brunt of the operational strain as airlines slowed down their schedules to match runway clearing cycles and deicing capacity. Against that backdrop, WestJet’s decision to cancel a block of flights and delay others appears to be part of a broader effort to stabilize an already stressed network.
Canadian carriers also face long-standing structural challenges that make rapid recovery from weather events more difficult. With smaller fleets than many U.S. counterparts and fewer alternative hubs, airlines like WestJet have less flexibility to reposition aircraft and crews at short notice. When snow squalls or freezing rain descend simultaneously on multiple key airports, the entire system quickly becomes congested, and a relatively modest number of cancellations can generate a disproportionate number of missed connections and overnight strandings.
Industry analysts point out that Canada’s geography further complicates matters. Long distances between major cities, limited rail alternatives and harsh winter conditions mean that cancelling a single flight between, for instance, Halifax and Toronto can sever the most practical transport option for hundreds of kilometers. For travelers whose itineraries depend on tight connections between regional flights and long-haul services, the margin for error grows razor-thin once the first leg is delayed or cancelled.
Passengers Face Long Lines, Thin Information and Out-of-Pocket Costs
For ordinary travelers in Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, the statistics on cancellations and delays translate into very personal inconveniences and financial hits. With WestJet’s call centers overwhelmed during disruption peaks, many stranded passengers found themselves instructed to use apps or websites that were slow to update or briefly unavailable. At the airport, limited staffing at customer service desks meant rebooking often took hours, if not days, to sort out.
Families on winter holidays described being caught between official rules and practical realities. Some were told that weather-related disruptions limited their compensation rights, even as they struggled to cover extra hotel nights, meals and ground transportation. Others reported difficulty securing written confirmation of cancellations that some travel insurance providers require before reimbursing expenses. Travelers who had booked nonrefundable tours, ski passes or event tickets at their destinations found that those costs often fell outside both airline and insurer coverage.
For business travelers, the consequences were equally severe. Missed client meetings, postponed contract signings and lost workdays were common themes among passengers stranded in Toronto and Montreal. With many corporate travel policies still favoring air over rail and virtual meetings, professionals found themselves balancing the need to reach their destination against the prospect of spending hours in crowded terminals with uncertain departure times.
International visitors transiting through Canadian hubs were particularly vulnerable. Some arrived from Europe or the United States only to discover that their WestJet connection to an Atlantic Canada city had been cancelled after they took off from their origin. Faced with limited accommodation near airports and unfamiliar local rules, many spent the night in terminal seating areas or on thin airport-provided cots as they waited for space to open on alternative flights.
What WestJet Is Offering Stranded Travelers Right Now
WestJet says it is working to support guests affected by the wave of cancellations and delays, but the exact assistance available varies depending on the cause of each particular disruption. When weather is the primary factor, Canadian regulations require carriers to rebook passengers at the earliest opportunity, but do not always obligate them to cover hotel costs, meals or other incidentals. That leaves many travelers in a gray area where they must pay out of pocket first and then seek partial reimbursement later, often with mixed results.
The airline has been encouraging passengers to make use of digital tools before lining up at the airport. Same-day changes within a certain fare category, digital boarding passes and app-based rebooking can, in theory, streamline the process. In practice, however, high user volumes during irregular operations can bog down these systems just when they are needed most. When that happens, passengers revert to in-person help at kiosks and service counters, which quickly become overwhelmed.
On social channels, the carrier has reiterated standard advice for disrupted travelers: check flight status frequently, avoid going to the airport until a new confirmed departure appears, and keep receipts for reasonable expenses. The airline has also reminded passengers that rebooking onto other carriers is sometimes possible when WestJet cannot offer a timely alternative, although interline agreements and seat availability limit how broadly such measures can be applied on busy travel days.
Travelers who believe they are entitled to compensation under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations can file a claim directly with the airline, which is required to respond within a fixed timeframe. However, the classification of a delay or cancellation as within or outside the carrier’s control remains a key point of contention in many cases, and passengers often face a lengthy back-and-forth before receiving a decision.
How This Fits Into a Broader Pattern of Canadian Travel Turmoil
The latest WestJet disruptions form part of a broader pattern of travel turbulence across Canada in recent months. Multiple winter storms have triggered waves of cancellations and delays for Air Canada, WestJet and regional carriers such as Jazz and PAL, in some cases grounding or delaying hundreds of flights in a single day at major hubs including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and Halifax. Data compiled by aviation analytics firms and travel industry outlets shows that Canada’s large carriers have repeatedly ranked near the top of global delay tables.
Even outside of severe weather events, Canadian airlines have struggled to match the on-time performance of many U.S. counterparts. Previous summer travel seasons saw only around half of some major carriers’ flights arriving within 15 minutes of scheduled time, compared to significantly higher punctuality rates among large American airlines. While WestJet has improved certain operational metrics over time, the cumulative effect of tight schedules, staffing constraints and infrastructure limitations remains visible to passengers in the form of frequent delays and missed connections.
In addition to weather and operational complexity, airlines are also responding to shifting demand patterns. WestJet has recently signaled a notable decline in transborder travel, prompting the suspension of several routes between Canadian cities and U.S. destinations for the coming summer season. While those changes are intended to align capacity with demand, they also reduce the number of alternative routings available when irregular operations strike, especially for travelers who rely on a single carrier or alliance for their journeys.
The result is a travel environment in which even moderate disruptions can quickly escalate into national news. With memories still fresh of prior seasons marked by baggage pileups, security line bottlenecks and operational meltdowns, public patience runs thin when familiar scenes of stranded passengers in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax reappear on television and social media.
Practical Advice for Travelers Facing Cancellations and Delays
For travelers booked on WestJet or other Canadian carriers this winter, preparation can significantly reduce stress if disruption hits. Experts routinely recommend building longer connection windows than travelers might have used in the past, especially when connecting through Toronto, Montreal or other busy hubs with a history of weather-related delays. A layover of two or three hours may feel excessive on a good day, but it can be the difference between making a long-haul connection and spending the night in an unfamiliar city.
Passengers are also advised to download airline apps, create online accounts and enable push notifications for flight status alerts. While digital systems can become sluggish during peak disruption, they still often provide the earliest indication that a flight is at risk. In some cases, passengers who react quickly to initial delay warnings can rebook onto alternative departures before flights sell out, whereas those who wait for formal cancellation notices may find far fewer options remaining.
Packing essential items in carry-on luggage is another recurring theme. With unpredictable delays and missed connections, travelers benefit from keeping medications, basic toiletries, a change of clothes and chargers accessible. In crowded terminals where airport hotels quickly reach capacity, having the essentials at hand can make a long overnight wait more manageable.
Finally, travelers should familiarize themselves with both airline policies and federal passenger protection rules well before heading to the airport. Knowing in advance what the carrier is obliged to offer, what falls under weather exemptions, and what travel insurance may or may not cover can help passengers make informed decisions in real time instead of trying to decode complex terms and conditions at a crowded service desk.
What This Means for Canada’s Winter Travel Season Ahead
As winter continues, the latest chapter of WestJet cancellations and delays underscores the fragility of Canada’s air travel ecosystem during peak weather months. Each wave of disruption tests not only airline operations, but also traveler confidence. For many passengers in Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, another experience of sleeping in airports or racing between gates simply reinforces a perception that flying in Canada has become a gamble, particularly in the coldest months.
Airlines insist that investments in technology, staffing and fleet renewal will gradually improve reliability. WestJet and its competitors have spoken about modernizing their operations, refining schedules to better reflect winter realities and coordinating more closely with airports and air navigation authorities. Yet, those long-term initiatives can feel abstract to travelers whose winter holiday or critical business trip fell victim to a sudden cancellation.
In the shorter term, the industry faces a delicate balancing act. Cutting schedules too deeply in anticipation of winter storms risks frustrating passengers who find fewer available flights and higher fares. Running too many flights on tight turnarounds, however, leaves little room for recovery when the weather inevitably turns. The 16 WestJet cancellations and 18 delays that stranded passengers across Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal illustrate how difficult that balance can be to maintain on any given day.
For now, travelers should expect continued volatility in Canadian air travel throughout the remainder of the season. While not every storm will translate into widespread disruption, the combination of harsh weather, high demand and constrained airline resources means that those who build in extra time, stay informed and plan for contingencies will be best positioned to navigate whatever comes next in Canada’s skies.