Sunwing Airlines cancelled all southbound flights from Toronto and Montréal international airports on Feb. 20 to prioritize bringing home stranded passengers affected by adverse weather conditions. The cancellations follow a Toronto plane crash during landing earlier this week.
In a travel advisory issued on Feb. 20, Sunwing announced the cancellation of all southbound flights from Toronto Pearson International Airport that day, following a similar decision on Feb. 19. Southbound flights departing from Montréal-Trudeau International Airport on Feb. 20 are also affected, with those delayed to Feb. 21 remaining protected.
This decision aims to “prioritize the safe return of customers currently delayed in destinations due to recent weather disruptions, crew availability constraints and extremely limited hotel capacity,” Sunwing said.
The airline also noted that all affected customers will receive a full refund to their original payment method within 21 business days, with no action required.
About 970 flights were scheduled to arrive and depart from Toronto Pearson Airport on Feb. 20. As of 8 a.m. EST, roughly 4 percent of departing flights and 5 percent of arriving flights had been cancelled, according to a social media post from the airport.
Delta Plane Crash
The cancellations follow a Delta Air Lines plane crash on Feb. 17, when Flight 4819 attempted to land at Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario. No fatalities occurred, with all 21 injured passengers released from the hospital by Feb. 20, according to the airline. The flight originated from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The Delta plane crash occurred just after 2 p.m. EST on Feb. 17, the same day Ontario saw historic snowfall of up to 50 cm, the second-highest on record and the heaviest since Jan. 15, 1999. However, it remains unclear how weather conditions played a role in the accident, as investigations are ongoing.
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The crashed plane of Delta flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson International Airport, in Mississauga, Ontario, on Feb. 18, 2025, in this image taken from video released on Feb. 19, 2025. Transportation Safety Board of Canada via AP
Greater Toronto Airports Authority Fire Chief Todd Aitken told reporters at a Feb. 17 media briefing that the runway conditions were dry and there were no crosswinds at the time of the landing. However, passengers on board reported gusty winds and snow blowing across the runway as the plane descended.
An audio recording from the air traffic control tower at Pearson indicated that the pilots were warned about a potential air flow “bump” in the glide path caused by an aircraft ahead of them when Flight 4819 received clearance to land.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said that the flight crew involved in the incident was experienced and the pilots properly trained. The company has announced $30,000 in compensation for each of the 76 passengers aboard the plane.
Pearson temporarily shut down operations on Feb. 17 following the Delta plane crash. While the airport has largely resumed operations, part of its runways remain closed and under inspection as of Feb. 20.
“Toronto Pearson staff are currently conducting a thorough inspection of the runway to assess damage, with the goal of reopening as soon as possible. Safety is always our top priority,” Toronto Person Airport said on Feb. 20.
Jennifer Cowan contributed to this report.
