Bomb Threats Ground Flights at Six Canadian Airports Before Resuming Operations

Strategic Insights -

Police forces across Canada confirmed that there was no evidence of explosives found at the targeted airports. A series of bomb threats was made to air-traffic control towers in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal, prompting evacuations of employees and warnings about delays. Air travel resumed at all of the targeted airports by midday, with minimal disruptions reported. Investigators have not identified any suspects or confirmed any specific details about the threats.

Key Takeaways:

  • The bomb threats were made directly to air-traffic control towers in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Montreal.
  • The threats prompted evacuations of employees from some of the control towers and warnings about delays at the airports.
  • The flights were grounded at six major Canadian airports, but air travel resumed by midday.
  • Investigators have not identified any suspects or confirmed any specific details about the threats.
  • Most flights were delayed at mid-morning in Calgary, Montreal, and Ottawa, with a handful of cancelled departures in Ottawa.
  • According to FlightRadar24, the average delay at Ottawa's airport on Thursday morning was 70 minutes, compared with 26 minutes in Montreal and 38 minutes in Quebec City.

Statistics:

  • 6 major Canadian airports were targeted by bomb threats: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Montreal.
  • 70 minutes: the average delay at Ottawa's airport on Thursday morning, according to FlightRadar24.
  • 26 minutes: the average delay in Montreal, according to FlightRadar24.
  • 38 minutes: the average delay in Quebec City, according to FlightRadar24.
  • 4 a.m. local time: the time the Edmonton control tower received a threat, according to Alberta RCMP.
  • 2 a.m. local time: the time the Vancouver tower received the first phone call, according to the RCMP detachment responsible for the airport.
  • 1 hour: the time it took for air travel to resume at all of the targeted airports.

Sources:

  • The Globe and Mail (colin.freeze@globeandmail.com and eric.atkins@globeandmail.com)
  • Nav Canada spokesperson Vanessa Adams
  • Greater Toronto Airports Authority spokesperson Erica Vella
  • Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick
  • FlightRadar24