Canadian airlines say weather is a bigger factor than COVID-19 in flight cancellations

Airlines in Canada say weather is a bigger factor than COVID-19 when it comes to a rise in flight cancellations this holiday season.

Frigid temperatures hit most of the western provinces this week with wind chills dipping as low as -55C. 

Environment Canada says all of Alberta and most of British Columbia and Saskatchewan and parts of Manitoba and Ontario are under extreme cold weather warnings. 

Airline data company Cirium says Canada’s largest airlines canceled hundreds of flights between Dec. 22 and Dec 26.

Air Canada canceled four per cent of its scheduled flights, Flair Airlines canceled nine per cent of its scheduled flights, while WestJet Airlines Ltd. canceled seven per cent of its flights. 

Air Canada said adverse winter weather was the major factor in its cancellations. 

The cancellation rate for major carriers was around one to two per cent at the beginning of December.