Calgary airport, WestJet still recovering from August hailstorm

The devastating hailstorm that struck Calgary on Aug. 5 remains a major setback for the city’s airport, nearly two months after the event.

The storm, which has been deemed the second most expensive weather-related disaster in Canadian history, caused extensive damage to the airport’s infrastructure and numerous aircraft.

The domestic terminal at YYC Calgary International Airport bore the brunt of the damage, with portions of the roof collapsing and flooding the building.

While the airport has been able to maintain operations, some areas of the terminal remain closed due to ongoing repairs.

According to Chris Dinsdale, the airport’s CEO, it could take up to 18 months for the domestic terminal to fully recover.

“Anyone travelling right now will feel it, unfortunately,” said Dinsdale. “The damage to the domestic terminal is extensive.”

The storm also caused significant damage to aircraft on the ground.

WestJet, which uses Calgary as its international hub, had 16 of its planes grounded due to hail-related damage.

While the airline has managed to return nine of those planes to service, repairs are still underway for the remaining seven.

The financial impact of the hail storm on WestJet has been substantial, despite insurance coverage.

The service disruptions and cancellations caused by the storm led to significant losses for the airline. However, WestJet’s CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, says that the airline has been able to recover its schedules now that the peak summer travel season is over.

“Peak season is over,” said von Hoensbroech. “Post Labor Day, the overall network demand is lower. So right now, we are providing a very consistent service.”

As a potential work stoppage looms at Air Canada, WestJet has indicated that it may be able to accommodate some of the increased demand if the strike materializes.

The airline has already published additional routes to prepare for the possibility of a disruption at Air Canada.