Numerous flights cancelled at Hamilton airport

Be prepared for travel chaos at the Hamilton airport this holiday weekend as a winter storm continues to slam southern Ontario.

John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport said the storm, which rolled in Thursday evening and is expected to continue into the weekend, may cause flight delays and cancellations.

It also warned passengers to check with their airlines and give themselves more time for safe travel.

As of noon Friday, numerous flights into and out of the airport had been cancelled for both Friday and Saturday due to the weather, including at least 19 operated by Swoop. Sunwing Airlines and Lynx Air were also affected.

In an email, Swoop said it is working to operate recovery flights, and travellers can book alternate flights or ask for a refund.

Sunwing, meanwhile, has experienced delays at the airport since Dec. 18 due to crew constraints" and recent weather events."

Many frustrated passengers have taken to social media to complain, with some saying they waited as long as 36 hours for flights.

Sunwing, which operates several routes between Hamilton and Cuba, Dominican Republic and Mexico, said Thursday it anticipates further delays" and asked passengers to sign up for mobile or email flight alerts for updates on their flight status.

As a result of ongoing weather events and resulting crew constraints across key Canadian gateways, including Hamilton, a number of northbound and southbound Sunwing flights continue to be impacted by delays," the airline said in an emailed statement.

Our teams are working hard to minimize the impact to our valued customers by subservicing aircraft and providing meal vouchers for those waiting at the airport where possible, while our teams in destination are arranging alternate accommodations and transfer services for those with overnight delays."

Until Christmas Eve, Sunwing passengers with flight delays of more than 24 hours can also cancel their flights and receive a full refund or make a one-time change to their travel plans up to March 30 and the airline will waive the fee for changes of travel date or destination.

Ritika Dubey is a reporter at The Spectator. rdubey@thespec.com