Montréal-Trudeau International Airport announced a high volume of inbound flight cancellations around mid-morning on Wednesday. The cancellations weren’t due to FAA groundings or even severe weather; rather, they were caused by a malodorous smell from nearby construction that plagued the airport.
As the scent grew stronger, authorities had no choice but to temporarily suspend operations.
Foul Odor Causes Significant Number of Inbound Delays
While outbound air traffic has yet to be hindered, inbound flights are another story. As of 10 AM on July 29th, 20 inbound flights have been canceled due to the strong odor surrounding Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. As a result, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is temporarily suspending service.
“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,” a spokesperson for the airport authority said.
The smell, attributed to construction materials from the $10 billion renovation underway just outside the airport, has been confirmed to pose no health risk. Unfortunately, the scent has produced an unpleasant odor that many attribute to the wood treatment used in the project near the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) area.
“‘Construction materials’? What does it smell like in the RONA l’Entrepôt woodshed?” one user commented on Montréal-Trudeau International Airport’s Facebook post. “What is the smell of building materials? Does it smell like plywood or 2X4?” another said, as someone replied that it smelled like “row 18 at RONA.”
|
Montréal-Trudeau International Airport Delays |
Montréal-Trudeau International Airport Cancellations |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Inbound Flights |
35 flights as of 10:30 AM EST |
9 flights as of 10:30 AM EST |
|
Outbound Flights |
27 flights as of 10:30 AM EST |
4 flights as of 10:30 AM EST |
However, according to a spokesperson for the Aéroport de Montréal (ADM), the smell actually comes from ongoing interior paintwork. In a statement to CTV, Abraham Wexler, a traveler attempting to board a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was asked to quickly leave the area with several other travelers.
In addition, Wexler reported to CTV that there were no U.S. customs workers at their desks, as they’d all likely been evacuated. Wexler also noted several ambulances on the scene, although no details have emerged regarding their presence at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.
A Decade-Long Construction Project
The construction at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, also known as “the airport of tomorrow,” is part of a $10 billion, 10-year infrastructure modernization program. The goal of the project is to increase traveler volume and ensure the airport can support the anticipated growth in travelers coming to and departing from Montreal.
Passenger volumes are expected to reach 25 million by 2028, and between 30 and 35 million by 2035, but construction of the project is off to a rocky start following July’s sudden delays. While the airport is reportedly implementing increased ventilation measures to minimize construction odors, many travelers still feel uneasy about moving through the area.
Construction plans are revised every ten years, meaning infrastructure changes may continue for decades.
This is particularly true of U.S. travelers, who were first assaulted by the smell of construction while standing in the U.S. Preclearance Section of the airport. Now, lines are piling up due to evacuation-related delays. As travelers hustle to meet missed flights or reschedule canceled inbound flights, there’s one question on everyone’s minds: How will this impact future travel at the airport?
On Reddit, travelers have shared ongoing frustrations with increased traffic due to construction at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.“YUL has been under renovation since its inception. It will be under construction long after we’re all gone,” one user joked.
“The airport is an embarrassment. We deserve better. And maybe it will be better in 5–10 years when they finish whatever it is they’re doing there, but for now I’d rather take a boat to travel overseas than deal with that monstrosity,” one Redditor says, expressing extreme disappointment in how traffic surrounding the airport is being handled.
In addition to odor-related delays, many are concerned about how long it takes to reach check-in and terminals. “They are reconstructing the airport, and it’s becoming a nightmare to get there,” one traveler says of a recent trip.
“Basically, YUL is the modern form of perpetual corruption construction. It also has essentially no ability to function as an international airport. Road access is insanely poor; traffic in the area makes the airport nearly impossible to use unless you leave a 4-hour buffer. It’s one of the worst airports known to man,” another replied.
At the time of writing, no update has been provided on when flight operations will resume following construction and health-related delays. TheTravel will update this story with up-to-date details as soon as they’re available.
