Montreal-Trudeau International Airport is grappling with significant delays and cancellations due to a major computer outage that began early Tuesday morning, March 25, 2025. Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) reported that connectivity issues across several computer systems were impacting operations, leading to consequential delays for departing flights, particularly those associated with Air Canada and Sunwing.
As of 11:30 AM, reports indicated that the airport was still facing operational challenges. Passengers were experiencing long lines and considerable delays, particularly at check-in counters and baggage management systems. "All processing is being done manually, leading to extensive wait times and considerable frustration," said an irate traveler scheduled to depart for Cancun, who had been at the airport since 5:00 AM.
Anne-Sophie Hamel, spokesperson for ADM, explained that the root cause was a planned software update performed overnight by the airport's telecommunications provider, which inadvertently caused multiple systems to fail. "This update did not go as planned, and an investigation is ongoing to understand exactly what happened," Hamel stated during a press briefing.
The administration promoted a level of communication to the public, stating that although some systems had been reactivated—like the baggage management rooms—many services remained hobbled. Reports of long lines accumulated, especially near the Sunwing check-in area, where airport staff attempted to mitigate the situation by distributing water, coffee, and biscuits to waiting travelers.
One passenger, Chantal Robitaille, shared her frustrations, explaining, "When we arrived, there were hardly any employees available to assist us, and we couldn’t even check in our bags. Ultimately, we learned that our flight had left without us after waiting for over four hours." Chantal and her husband Jean-François Guindon were notified initially about their flight being delayed but received no further information when it ultimately departed.
As the day progressed, reports from other travelers echoed similar frustrations. Anne Noeser, who was supposed to fly to Cancun, mentioned, "We arrived at the airport at 4:45 AM but have been stuck with little information. Our flight was ultimately delayed by eight hours, costing us valuable vacation time." Her companion noted that confusion regarding security protocols and check-in procedures frequently left passengers in limbo.
At around 1:00 PM, multiple flights were still facing extended delays, and travelers began voicing their discontent regarding poor communication and a lack of empathy from airport staff. Nicolas Lemieux found himself in a similar predicament, as his Air Canada flight was canceled with little guidance on what steps to take next. "There was no empathy, just instructions to take credit and leave," he lamented, exemplifying passenger sentiment.
Amid these issues, passengers waiting in the airport were advised by ADM to perform online check-ins and arrive at least four hours before their scheduled departures. Hamel noted, "Visitors are encouraged to check their airline's website frequently, as our own updates may be delayed due to the ongoing glitches." This precaution aims to mitigate the impact of the situation as travelers make adjustments to their plans.
Attempts to restore operations were ongoing. "We are working with our telecom provider to rectify the issues and have implemented contingency plans to address the system failures," Hamel stated. Further, an internal assessment was conducted to understand how many flights were canceled and the expected timeline for full service restoration.
As of Tuesday evening, long wait times continued, and travelers reported struggles with lack of updates and information from staff. An update from Eric Forest, communications advisor for ADM, confirmed that while some systems were made operational through alternative means, delays remained inevitable. "We’ve deployed manual solutions to alleviate the backlog, and we appreciate everyone’s patience during this challenging time," he noted.
This incident has raised broader questions regarding airport preparedness for system updates and the effects they have on passenger travel. According to travel expert Marcus Berry, outages like this highlight vulnerabilities in infrastructure that can lead to chaos for travelers. "Airports must ensure they have redundancy in their systems to minimize disruptions during upgrades and updates, which are essential for keeping operations efficient," he stated.
For the time being, hundreds of travelers are left to navigate through the ongoing disruptions, many simply hoping to get on their flights as they struggle to make sense of what has turned into a chaotic travel day. The backlog and confusion have highlighted the importance of operational transparency and communication during critical situations like this.
As travelers continue to be kept in the dark about the status of their flights, ADM has promised to monitor the situation closely and work toward resolving the connectivity issues as rapidly as possible. As they do, only time will tell how these technological setbacks will shape the reputation of Montréal-Trudeau Airport in the eyes of the traveling public.
