Operations at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport returned to normal late Wednesday after a suspicious package prompted a temporary reduction in air traffic. The incident led to a runway closure and a ground stop for some U. S. flights destined for Montreal.
According to Aéroports de Montréal spokesperson Eric Forest, standard security protocols were activated following the discovery of a suspicious suitcase on a flight that had landed at YUL. Local law enforcement conducted an investigation and determined the threat to be unfounded. Forest declined to provide further details about the package.
The incident began around 3:30 p. m., leading to the closure of one of the airport's two runways. The American Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) issued a ground stop for flights from some U. S. airports. By 5 p. m., both runways had reopened, and the airport announced there was no longer a threat to passengers. While the situation caused delays for some domestic and cross-border flights, operations have since returned to normal. Transport Canada was notified and in contact with local authorities regarding the incident.
Two men were arrested by Quebec provincial police in connection to the security incident. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said that the men are being questioned and could face fraud-related charges.
