Passengers on a Porter Airlines flight experienced significant delays after the plane slid off the tarmac at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. The incident occurred amid snowy conditions during the evening of Wednesday, when the flight from Toronto landed at 8:20 p.m.
Incident Details
Samuel Gaboury, a passenger aboard the flight, described the landing as initially normal. However, he quickly noticed the aircraft sliding on the runway. “You could feel something was wrong because it was sliding,” Gaboury recounted. The plane attempted to turn but slid off the runway and became stuck in the snow.
Rescue and Delays
Efforts to assist the passengers took longer than expected. Crews struggled to tow the aircraft and had to clear a path to it. An initial attempt to bring boarding stairs to enable passengers to exit was unsuccessful as they spun out of control. Eventually, the boarding stairs were stabilized, allowing passengers to disembark and board buses to the terminal. Despite the unexpected situation, Gaboury noted that passengers remained calm and safe throughout the ordeal.
Weather Conditions
The visibility at the airport was severely reduced due to heavy snowfall and strong winds. Gaboury expressed surprise that the aircraft was allowed to land under such poor conditions. He mentioned that visibility was nearly non-existent, suggesting that the flight should have been delayed or canceled.
Official Responses
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reported that the plane had “slid laterally and got stuck in the snow” while transitioning from the runway to the taxiway. They confirmed no damage occurred to the aircraft. Porter Airlines also stated that the flight became disabled due to adverse weather conditions, assuring that all 59 passengers and five crew members were unharmed.
Airport Operations
By Thursday evening, Halifax Stanfield International Airport confirmed the safe removal of the plane. Both runways are now operational again, although some flights had been delayed or canceled due to the winter storm. The airport advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Next Steps
Porter Airlines announced plans to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. They aim to ensure the safety of future operations, particularly in challenging weather conditions.
