Boxing Day travel across Canada is still reeling from disruptions caused by air traffic control issues, even after constraints officially eased shortly after midnight. The problems began building on Christmas Day, casting a shadow over holiday journeys for thousands.
Just after 6 pm on Christmas Day, NAV Canada, the nation’s air traffic control agency, issued a warning about potential delays. The core of the issue? A persistent shortage of qualified air traffic controllers, a challenge mirroring similar struggles in the United States.
The initial message from NAV Canada acknowledged the difficulties, stating that delays were impacting flights at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (YYZ). They assured passengers that efforts were underway to move aircraft safely and efficiently, urging travelers to confirm their flight status directly with their airlines.
By Friday morning, the situation had broadened, with significant delays reported at both Toronto and Ottawa’s international airports. Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport was particularly hard hit, ranking as the fifth most delayed airport globally according to FlightRadar24.
Passengers departing from Ottawa faced an average delay of 45 minutes – exceeding delays at major international hubs like Mumbai and Chicago. While frustrating, this was still an improvement compared to airports like Warsaw Chopin, experiencing delays exceeding an hour.
Toronto Pearson saw improvements throughout Friday, with departure delays decreasing to just over 30 minutes. A major contributing factor to the earlier delays was significant backlogs at the airport’s deicing facilities.
Arrivals at Toronto Pearson fared better, experiencing minimal delays of under five minutes. Despite the easing of constraints, the lingering effects of the staffing shortage continue to impact the flow of air travel across the country.
Throughout 2025, Canadian airports have periodically faced closures and disruptions due to these manpower limitations, creating a year of travel uncertainty and anxiety for passengers. The situation underscores the critical need to address the growing shortage of qualified air traffic controllers.
