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Inbound flights at Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia faced significant delays due to an alleged hijacking incident involving a Cessna 172 aircraft. The situation led to a temporary ground stop for arriving flights, causing diversions and numerous delays. Approximately 25% of the airport's scheduled inbound and outbound flights were affected.
The aircraft involved in the incident landed safely, and its pilot was taken into custody. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) responded to reports of the hijacked plane entering the airport's airspace. "Shortly before 13:30, a security incident involving a small private aircraft in the airspace near YVR prompted a temporary ground stop for arriving aircraft. RCMP responded, the aircraft landed safely, and the lone occupant was taken into custody," explained an airport spokesperson.
Vancouver International Airport is Canada's second-busiest airport, handling over 26 million passengers in 2024. Despite only nine inbound services being diverted during the 39-minute ground stop, there were substantial knock-on effects on flight schedules. Stephen Smart from Vancouver Airport noted that while the ground stop was "not minor," it could have been longer.
