Winter's chill paralyzes Saskatchewan airports, leaving travelers stranded

As winter's icy grip tightens its hold on Saskatchewan, both passengers and planes find themselves on a frosty timeout, with vacation dreams dashed and travel plans in disarray.

Murray Wawryk, eager for a Belize vacation, experienced the frustration firsthand as his flight from Saskatoon faced delays and, ultimately, cancellation.

"They didn't say it was about staffing. They changed it to weather related. So I thought that was kind of interesting, because if its weather related they aren't as liable, but it was originally staffing,” said Wawryk

Both Saskatoon and Regina's international airports took to social media to caution passengers about potential delays.

"Extreme cold weather continues to impact flights. Please confirm your flight status prior to coming to the airport."

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WestJet, one of the affected airlines, implemented flexible change and cancellation guidelines, attributing the disruptions to frigid temperatures affecting de-icing processes, fuel pumps, and bridges at most of the major airports across the prairies.

Staff rotations were initiated to limit exposure to the harsh elements.

Passenger rights advocates advise travelers to take photos that include the date and time, serving as evidence in potential compensation claims according to Dr. Gabor Lukacs with Air Passenger Rights.

"Document everything, take photos. Ideally photos that show the date and the time. That will later be evidence to show that other airlines were operating in this weather,” Lukacs said.

With temperatures expected to become milder – WestJet's advisory is set to expire on Jan. 15.