Through Halifax Airport for Canada Day? Give yourself plenty of time

Air travelers across the country experience long queues, flight delays and cancellations as airports try to keep up with demand – and Halifax Stanfield International Airport is no exception.

Halifax Airport director of public affairs and marketing Tiffany Chase attributes the surge to “pent-up demand” for travel during COVID-19 combined with the already busy summer months.

“It’s really starting to improve, there’s a lot more people traveling right now,” she told Global News.

“As we head into the peak summer months of July and August, we expect to continue to see increasing numbers of travelers as people head off on summer vacations or reconnect with family and friends.”

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More than a third of flights out of Halifax have been delayed and five percent have been canceled since June 25, according to Fredericton-based analytics firm Data Wazo.

Chase said Halifax Airport was not as badly affected as some of Canada’s larger airports, but some travelers and flights were affected.

“Those who may have connecting flights from Halifax through one of these larger hubs in Canada may see a slightly larger impact or delay,” she said.

Chase also noted that airports are experiencing the “growing pains” of recovering from COVID-19, which include staff shortages.

Peak times at the airport vary from day to day, but heavy traffic is common in the early morning, midday, late afternoon and late evening.

August is expected to be the busiest when the first students arrive in Halifax, along with the usual summer travellers.

However, with the Canada Day long weekend approaching, Chase said the airport has been seeing increased volume since Wednesday, and she expects it to continue into the holiday.

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To ensure people get to their destinations on time, Chase strongly recommends that they arrive early — especially if they’re checking bags.

She said people should arrive at the airport at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.

“When you’re checking a bag, you might encounter a line at the check-in counter, there might be potential lines at security just because so many more people are traveling for a long weekend,” she said.

“So just be prepared, give yourself plenty of time, and once you’re through security, you’ll have time to enjoy the discounts that are available here at the airport.”

Chase also said people should check with their airlines for the latest information on their flights. Flight schedules for departures and arrivals are also listed on the Halifax Stanfield International Airport website.

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