YVR delays due to ‘constraints experienced in air navigation system’

Passengers at Vancouver International Airport are experiencing delays for both domestic and international flights on Saturday.

The airport said the delays are due to “constraints being experienced in the air navigation system.”

“We are working with our partners at NAV Canada and the airlines to get you on your way as safely and as quickly as possible,” an airport spokesperson said in an email.

“Please check the status of your flight before coming to the airport. Our guest experience and green coat volunteers are on-site to assist.”

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At this time, it is unclear how many flights are being impacted, but a quick look at YVR’s departure and arrivals webpages shows many flights are being delayed.

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A passenger in Kelowna told Global News they had to disembark from their flight because of issues in Vancouver.

NAV Canada offered a statement regarding the situation.

“We can confirm that a temporary ground delay program was put in place at Vancouver International Airport to address system capacity constraints due to unplanned absences,” Vanessa Adams said, a NAV Canada spokesperson.

“NAV CANADA takes any staffing-related ground delay programs very seriously, and we work actively to mitigate them through forecasting, optimizing scheduling and bringing in additional resources. Having enough people to deliver safe and efficient air navigation services is a top priority for NAV CANADA. Our front-line air traffic services training programs are currently being run at full capacity. We currently have more than 400 employees in training and more than 600 individuals will enter our training programs in the following two years. It is a company-wide priority to make every effort to support the anticipated increased traffic during busy travel seasons and we are committed to working with our employees and unions on this front. While we work to keep GDPs and their impact to a minimum, they help maintain safety and ensure that airspace and airport infrastructure do not get overwhelmed or gridlocked by managing the flow of arrivals to an airport.”

Global News has asked YVR if there is a timeline for flights to resume as scheduled.

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