Airline Advisories in Atlantic Canada for Hurricane Fiona: "A Generational Storm"

Canada's airlines are issues travel advisories for flights to Atlantic Canada as Hurricane Fiona approaches, which reports say will be Canada's "strongest storm on record." Its path is expected to reach the Maritimes late day on 23SEP.

Fiona, which battered Puerto Rico with heavy rain earlier in the week, is expected to deliver wind gusts over 160 kmh in parts of Nova Scotia and generate an ocean surge, a rise in water above normally dry land. The Canadian Hurricane Centre has already issued a hurricane watch for portions of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Iles-de-la-Madeleine and Newfoundland, reports the Washington Post.

Hurricane warnings have also been made in Bermuda, where Fiona could pass west of the island on 23SEP. After Bermuda, Fiona is expected to move northward into southeast Canada in eastern Nova Scotia or the Gulf of St. Lawrence. According to the Washington Post, the storm will not have much of a chance to weaken, and is expected to hit Atlantic Canada with the strength of a Category 2 or even Category 3 Hurricane.

Weather experts predict Nova Scotia will see wind gusts of 160 kmh, a storm surge of 1.5 to 2.5 meters, and 10 to 15 cm of rain. Brian Tang, an associate professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Albany, tweeted that

“Fiona will be off the charts bad … a generational storm for Nova Scotia.”

In response to the expected devastating weather conditions, Canadian airlines have issued travel advisories ahead of Fiona's predicted arrival:

Air Canada & Air Canada Vacations

Air Canada has issued flight advisories for airports in the Atlantic Canada region, as well as for flights to Bermuda. If a traveller's flight is affected, their flight can be changed free of charge.

Additionally, Air Canada Vacations issued a travel advisory, which allows affect flights to have changes made to their booking without penalty, space permitting.

For both Air Canada and ACV, the following airports are under flight advisories for the following dates:

WestJet

WestJet is suspending Halifax operations from the evening of 23SEP to the morning of 25SEP. According to the airline, the following scheduled flights operating to and from YHZ have been proactively cancelled and all impacted guests have been notified.

23SEP:

• WS0228 YYC – YHZ
• WS0234 YYC – YHZ
• WS0254 YYZ - YHZ
• WS3482 YUL-YHZ
• WS3502 YOW – YHZ

24SEP:

• WS0042 YHZ – CDG
• WS0051 DUB – YHZ
• WS0229 YHZ – YYC
• WS0234 YYC – YHZ
• WS0235 YHZ – YYC
• WS0243 YHZ - YYZ
• WS0247 YHZ – YYZ
• WS0248 YYZ – YHZ
• WS0249 YHZ – YYZ
• WS0250 YYZ – YHZ
• WS0254 YYZ – YHZ
• WS0272 YYZ – YHZ
• WS0275 YHZ – YYZ
• WS0284 YWG – YHZ
• WS0285 YHZ – YWG
• WS3421 YYT – YHZ
• WS3422 YHZ – YYT
• WS3423 YYT – YHZ
• WS3428 YHZ – YYT
• WS3483 YQY – YHZ
• WS3484 YHZ – YQY

25SEP:

• WS0229 YHZ – YYC
• WS243 YHZ – YYZ
• WS247 YHZ – YYZ
• WS3497 YHZ – YOW
• WS3500 YHZ – YQX
• WS3501 YQX – YHZ

Extra guest recovery flight segments planned (Note: more may be added by WestJet)

23SEP:

• WS4301 YHZ-YYZ
• WS4901 YHZ – YYZ
• WS4903 YHZ – YYZ

25SEP:

• WS4706 YUL – YHZ
• WS4902 YYZ – YHZ
• WS4904 YYZ – YHZ

In addition, WestJet has also issued travel advisories for YQY, YQM, YFC, and YYG. Travellers are advised to check their flight status before leaving the airport in the event of a possible delay or cancellation. Affected guests can also make changes to their itinerary free of charge or free cancellation. Fare difference will apply.

Porter Airlines

Porter Airlines also issued a flight advisory. Should flights to and from the following airports be cancelled or delayed by 15 minutes or more, a flight notification will be sent to affected pax. Passengers on eligible flights will be able to change or cancel their bookings online without penalty, space permitting.

Swoop

Swoop has announced a Hurricane/Tropical Storm Promise for the following airports between 23 and 25SEP: YHZ, YQY, YQM, YFC, YYG, YDF, and YYT.

Under its Hurricane/Tropical Storm Promise, Swoop will transfer the full amount paid into a Swoop credit valid for 90 days should an affected flight be cancelled ahead of the trip.

Before the flight, travellers can change their travel dates (subject to availability) origin and destination. Should pax choose an earlier date, or a date up to and including 14 days after the original departure date, Swoop will waive any difference in fare. Should pax choose a date of 15 days or more after the original departure date and normal exchange and refund guidelines will apply. Ancillaries will transfer.

After the trip starts, Swoop will waive the applicable change or cancellation fee if travellers return early - and ancillaries will transfer. Should travellers cancel their reservation, Swoop will put the unused value of the reservation into a Swoop credit valid for 90 days. Ancillaries do not transfer.

Should pax choose to continue travelling after an advisory has been issued, they are not eligible for compensation, a credit or refund of any kind.