Pearson Airport delays persist after U.S. ground stop lifted
Toronto Pearson International Airport may still experience flight delays Friday night despite the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifting a ground stop earlier in the evening.
Delays at Toronto Pearson International Airport are expected to continue Friday night even after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted a ground stop that had been imposed earlier in the day, NAV Canada said in a post on X. The non-profit air traffic controller organization said it will keep "air traffic moving safely and efficiently" in Canadian airspace and warned that some delays may persist while backlogs are cleared. Passengers were urged to check flight status with their airlines.
The FAA issued the ground stop on Friday afternoon because of communications problems at regional air traffic control centres, and the order was rescinded shortly before 9 p.m. Pearson Airport suspended flights to and from the United States after the stop was announced and advised travelers to verify their flight information directly with airlines. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport issued a similar advisory and said it did not expect diverted U.S. flights.
Federal Transport Minister Steven McKinnon posted on X that the government was monitoring the situation and remained in contact with NAV Canada, noting that travel to the United States could still be disrupted.
John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport reported no operational impacts and said flights were proceeding as scheduled.
Aviation expert John Gradek, a professor at McGill University, told CBC Radio that the communications failure forced aircraft to land as soon as possible and highlighted the risk of accidents without proper controller-airline communication. He said the incident was the most significant disruption he had seen since the September 11 attacks, though not as severe.
Former Air Canada chief operating officer Duncan Dee said the ground stop would likely cause a ripple effect, requiring airlines to reassemble schedules amid uncertainty about future airspace availability. He supported the FAA's decision as a safety precaution, noting that both primary and backup systems appeared to have failed.