Operations at the U.S. Customs area of Montreal-Trudeau International Airport were temporarily suspended after the smell odour from construction material prompted a disruption on Wednesday.
The incident led to long lines at the airport and delays for travellers heading to the United States. Passengers were advised to expect longer wait times as authorities worked to address the issue.
Flights were impacted by the temporary interruption, with some departures delayed as U.S. Customs operations were affected.
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport said in a statement on social media:
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) has temporarily suspended its operations due to an odour from construction materials. As a result, several flights to the United States have been cancelled. Every effort is being made to resume operations as quickly as possible. Passengers are encouraged to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport. For any questions regarding U.S. preclearance operations, please contact USCBP directly.We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.”
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport told CityNews in a statement:
“Around 8 a.m., USCBP decided to temporarily suspend operations due to an odour from construction materials. As a result, several flights bound for the United States have been cancelled—about 20 so far. All measures are in place to resume operations as soon as possible, including increased ventilation in the area. An inspection by the Montreal Fire Department confirmed that the situation poses no health risk.
We encourage passengers with scheduled flights to U.S. destinations to refer to the information provided by their airline and check the status of their flight before heading to the airport.”
As of 9:18 a.m., about six flights heading to the US have been delayed.
CityNews reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) but have yet to hear back.
