Officials with the Edmonton International Airport said concerns arising from wet weather had forced the cancellation of nearly a dozen flights Friday.
Airport officials said by late Friday morning, 11 flights had been cancelled, and the rain and wind persisted – in the end almost 50 flights were either cancelled or diverted.
“Those high wind gusts make it a challenge for landing, particularly because we’re in a crosswind position which is a particularly dangerous landing to do safely,” Heather Hamilton with the Edmonton International Airport.
Usually, a second runway is used to avoid those crosswinds – but it was undergoing reconstruction Friday.
“It’s a decision that’s made by the pilot,” Hamilton said. “It will depend a lot on the type of aircraft and just the pilot’s confidence level.”
As a result, officials said travelers, and people going to the airport to pick someone up, should keep an eye on their website to see if a flight is delayed or cancelled before coming to the airport.
Anyone whose flight has been cancelled should get in touch with their airlines to re-book – officials advised travelers to make flight changes online wherever possible.
With files from Sarah Richter
