Toronto Pearson airport cancellations spike as snowstorm hits YYZ and YTZ

A powerful winter storm triggered widespread Toronto Pearson airport cancellations on Sunday, disrupting air travel across the Greater Toronto Area and forcing airlines to ground a significant number of flights at both major city airports.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, 41 per cent of scheduled flights at Toronto Pearson International Airport were cancelled as of 10:45am EST.

At Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, about 30 per cent of flights were scrapped. Cirium’s data includes both January 25 and January 26 and covers domestic and international routes.

CBC News also reported that 62 per cent of all flights arriving in Toronto on Sunday were cancelled, compounding travel disruptions for passengers trying to reach the city.

Pearson airport said crews were actively working to manage conditions as heavy snow continued to fall. In a post on X, the airport said: “Passengers are advised to check their flight status with their airline before coming to the airport as the winter weather is impacting flight operations, and schedules may change throughout the day.”

The airport added that safety measures were in place, saying: “Air traffic management initiatives are in place to ensure the safe movement of aircraft. Snow-clearing crews are actively out clearing runways, taxiways, and apron areas.”

“Teams are operating continuous snowplow rotations to keep approximately 5 million square metres of airfield surfaces clear,” added YYZ.

Billy Bishop Airport reported 23 outbound and 22 inbound cancellations on Sunday.

Environment Canada has issued a severe orange alert, warning that up to 40 centimetres of snow could fall across the GTA, with hazardous travel conditions and near-zero visibility possible.