THUNDER BAY – Travellers looking to get in and out of Thunder Bay had a little more luck on Thursday – but not much.
Porter Airlines managed to get a single flight in and another one on its way back to Toronto, but the other two major carriers have been forced to turn passengers away, cancelling most of their flights as freezing rain continues to hamper travel.
WestJet has cancelled at least four departures from Thunder Bay International Airport, while Air Canada has nixed six flights and delayed two others.
Between the two airlines, seven arriving flights have been cancelled.
It’s been a frustrating couple of days, said Edmonton’s Willie Gavinchuk, who’s had a pair of flights cancelled as he tries to return home from a visit with his son, who ironically enough works at a local airline.
However, he’s not letting the situation get him down, taking advantage of the extended visit to spend extra time with his son.
“I’m never stuck,” he said, still unsure when he’ll finally board a plane westward.
“There are great people everywhere and they work really hard to help you out. I’m fortunate. I’ve got a hotel room. I’ve got a vehicle so I’ll be able to get around and hopefully it doesn’t rain too much so I can get around.”
Thunder Bay International Airports Authority president and CEO Ed Schmidtke said it’s been a trying couple of days, but most passengers understand that Mother Nature sometimes gets in the way.
“Generally speaking, when people see the storm and the cause of the delays, they’re pretty understanding about that,” Schmidtke said, adding they've kept the runways clear throughout the stubborn storm. “But there’s bound to be frustrations. Nobody wants to miss their trips or the start of their vacations.”
He said it’s up to the airlines to decide whether or not it’s safe to attempt to get their planes off the ground.
Porter Airlines’ spokesman Sean Davies said things are starting to get back to normal, even with more freezing rain in the forecast.
“We did get our first departure leave this morning, albeit it was late due to yesterday’s weather. But the first flight has come and gone and we’re so far holding a normal schedule for the rest of the day. That’s subject to change because the weather is also going to be changing again.”
All three major airlines are doing their best to accommodate passengers, but there are only so many seats to go around on flights over the next few days.
One traveler, originally booked on a Porter flight, was able to ensure attendance at her own bachelorette party in Toronto, finding one of the last available seats on a WestJet flight when her original airline was unable to accommodate in time.
Several smaller carriers, including Wasaya and Bearskin airlines, were running mostly on time on Thursday.
Stranded passengers in need of accommodation were left with little choice as vacancy rates in Thunder Bay are low. A number of people found rooms at Lakehead University, which opened dorm space to meet the overflow.
