Montreal Airport Incident
Air Canada plane veers off Montreal runway, causing Vancouver flight delays and cancellations
An Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX veered off a taxiway and ended up in the grass at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday, triggering a wave of delays and at least one cancellation for flights to and from Vancouver, according to Vancouver Is Awesome.
Flight AC774 landed normally but then suffered what the airline called a "taxiway excursion." All 156 passengers and six crew members were safely brought to the terminal. No injuries were reported, according to Richmond News.
How the 737 MAX Ended Up in the Grass
Flight AC774 touched down at Montréal-Trudeau without issue. But after landing, the Boeing 737 MAX left the taxiway and rolled onto the grass beside the runway. A taxiway excursion means the plane strayed from the designated ground path used to move aircraft after landing, according to NSNews.
Air Canada confirmed there were no injuries among the 162 people on board. The airline plans to tow the aircraft to its Montréal hangar for a full inspection before putting it back into service, according to Delta Optimist.
Vancouver Flights Hit With Delays and Cancellations
The runway incident backed up traffic at Montréal-Trudeau, one of Canada's busiest airports. Several flights bound for Vancouver were delayed, and at least one was cancelled outright, according to Bowen Island Undercurrent.
Turbulent weather added to the chaos. The combination of the taxiway excursion and poor weather conditions made delays worse for passengers travelling between Vancouver and Montréal on Wednesday, according to Vancouver Is Awesome.
Boeing 737 MAX Faces Another Moment of Scrutiny
The 737 MAX has had a troubled history. The aircraft model was grounded worldwide from 2019 to 2020 after two fatal crashes killed 346 people. Boeing has worked to restore confidence in the jet, but incidents involving the aircraft continue to draw attention, according to Richmond News.
Wednesday's taxiway excursion in Montréal did not involve a crash or structural failure. Still, Air Canada said it would conduct a thorough inspection before returning the plane to its fleet. No timeline for the aircraft's return to service was given, according to NSNews.
What Passengers and Travellers Should Know Now
If you are flying between Vancouver and Montréal, check your flight status before heading to the airport. Air Canada has not yet confirmed how many flights remain affected or when full service will return to normal, according to Delta Optimist.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada typically investigates runway and taxiway excursions. It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether the TSB had opened a formal investigation into the AC774 incident, according to Bowen Island Undercurrent.
Sentiment
NeutralPublishers
5
Articles
4
Reach
5
