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Flights face delays, cancellation as blizzard nears from U.S.


February 22, 2023  By Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

MONTREAL — Airlines are warning that travel to and from Central Canada may be affected by a winter storm sweeping in from the west.

The blizzard conditions may cause delays to flights into and out of airports in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on Wednesday and Thursday, Air Canada and WestJet said.

Air Canada had delayed or cancelled more than 100 flights for the day — or about 23 per cent — by Wednesday afternoon. WestJet had pushed back or nixed 91 flights, or nearly a third of its trips, according to FlightAware.

The tracking service said carriers have already cancelled some 2,200 flights in the United States as of early Wednesday afternoon, threatening to snarl trips and connecting flights for Canadians as well.

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Environment Canada warns heavy snow will hit a swath of southern Ontario starting in the late afternoon, followed by ice pellets and freezing rain overnight.

It forecasts snowfall will total 10 to 15 centimetres with winds gusting at 50 to 70 kilometres per hour as the low-pressure system advances from the American southwest.

“We are monitoring the weather and we have made some schedule adjustments in anticipation of the storm, and this is ongoing as the situation evolves,” Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said in an email, noting that customers will be rebooked or can opt for a refund.

Jazz Aviation, which operates regional flights for Air CanadaExpress, has cancelled 75 of its Wednesday flights, or 16 per cent, according to FlightAware.

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc., 2021

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