17 h. ago Air Canada flight to Toronto makes emergency landing after reports of smoke on board

Nearly 200 people flying from sunny Las Vegas to a still-frigid Toronto were jolted back to reality with a little more than your average post-trip blues this week when their plane had to make an emergency landing before even making it back into Canada.Air Canada Rouge Flight 1702 departed as usual from the U.S. party city shortly after 11 a.m. PDT on Wednesday, but did not make its scheduled 6:30 p.m. EDT arrival at Toronto Pearson International Airport due to a worrying smell of smoke in the cockpit.Out of an abundance of caution, pilots diverted to Iowa — perhaps the biggest contrast possible after the hustle and bustle of Vegas — landing safely at Des Moines International Airport at 4:10 p.m. local time.After the A321 aircraft was inspected on the ground (as is standard procedure), it was allowed to proceed to a gate, where passengers deplaned, only to face delays of more than eight hours until they could board a subst...

Other

63 h. ago Suspected getaway driver in Pearson gold heist caged in U.S.

The Brampton man accused of being the getaway driver in the brazen 2023 gold heist at Toronto’s Pearson airport is behind bars in the U.S. Durante King-McLean pleaded guilty to arms trafficking charges in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors alleged that the gun-running was part of a scheme to wash some of the $20 million in stolen gold […]

Transport

7 d. ago Flight with 133 passengers reports 'locked' flaps on approach to Toronto airport

In a tense but professionally handled situation, an Air Canada Rouge flight carrying 133 passengers was forced to abort its final approach to Toronto Pearson International Airport on March 26 due to a reported flap issue.The Airbus A319, operating as flight ROU1771 / RV1771 from Bahias de Huatulco International Airport in Mexico, encountered a mechanical issue as it neared its final destination, which prompted quick decision-making from the cockpit.As the aircraft approached the airport, the flight crew informed air traffic control of a flap issue. A reconstruction of the events was detailed in a video on the aviation YouTube channel, You can see ATC."We're gonna need to go around and get some vectors. We just got a flap issue here," the pilot says. However, just a few minutes later, the pilot declared PAN-PAN — a term used in radiotelephone communications to signify that there is an urgency on board a boat, ship, aircraft, or other vehicle. The term is most often us...

Other

8 d. ago Woman arrested at Toronto airport after child abduction investigation: police

Police say a woman was charged in a child abduction investigation after she allegedly tried to leave the country with her young child from Toronto's Pearson airport.

Economics

9 d. ago Toronto airport landing regarded as one of the most stunning in the world

I think we're all guilty of pulling out our phones during a landing or takeoff at Billy Bishop airport in Toronto, and for good reason. The sights of the city skyline and the water are totally photo-worthy and, according to a recent study, are among some of the most beautiful airport landing views in the world.Travel insurance provider AllClear put together a list based on their research to answer the question, "Where are the prettiest places in the world to land by plane?"The list of 20 airports includes Billy Bishop Airport in the 15th spot.Source: AllClear.According to Allclear, "We analyzed 32 airports from around the world, each known for offering stunning views for passengers arriving by plane."The study consisted of a group of 100 participants from around the world, with each participant presented with a series of images showcasing airport runways. Their visual engagement was measured using eye-tracking technology.Two key factors were taken into consideration:Time t...

Other

1 week ago Billionaire tycoon personally launches new Toronto flight to European capital

Travelling across the pond is going to be even easier for Toronto residents this summer, as a new direct flight service between Pearson Airport and the country known for its bangers and mash, Sunday roast, and fish and chips has officially launched. After pausing its service between the two cities for over a decade, Virgin Atlantic has launched a brand-new direct route between London Heathrow and Toronto Pearson Airport. Known for its mild and pleasant summers, London draws over 20 million visitors from all over the world every year, thanks to its plethora of attractions, such as the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and Hyde Park, as well as its renowned museums and lively pubs. This past Sunday, the airline officially launched its daily flights between Toronto and London, and on board one of the first flights at Pearson Airport was Virgin Group founder and billionaire Sir Richard Branson, who has a reported net worth of $2.8 billion (USD).   &n...

Economics

2 w. ago Raptors coach defends Toronto as 'one of the best cities in the world'

During their 30 years of being an NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors have often been fighting an uphill battle to earn recognition from players around the league.As the only current Canadian team in the league, Toronto has often struggled to attract top free agents, while fighting for media relevancy south of the border.In recent weeks, ex-Raptors Thad Young, Rudy Gay, and Lou Williams had all made remarks about some of the downsides about playing in Canada, with one uniting factor being an added trip to the customs line at the airport each time the team returned to Toronto.But for Serbian-born Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, he wasn't buying into any of the perceived downsides of having an NBA career in Canada."Toronto is one of the best cities in the world. Toronto Raptors have the best fans in NBA. It's a privilege to play in this city," Rajakovic said Friday in response to our question."It's amazing every time I go out, when I go to the store, and when I talk to regular peop...

Other

3 w. ago An inside look at Canada’s largest immigration holding centre

When Osama Al-Hadad arrived from Yemen and applied for asylum at Toronto's Pearson airport, he was taken into custody because he lacked documentation to prove his identity.

Other

3 w. ago Border officials offer rare look inside Canada’s largest immigration holding centre

TORONTO — When Osama Al-Hadad arrived from Yemen and applied for asylum at Toronto’s Pearson airport, he was taken into custody because he lacked documentation to prove his identity. He spent over a month in Canada Border Services Agency’s immigration holding centre near the airport and was released on Feb. 19 after his identity was […]

Other

3 w. ago Wife of Ontario man arrested in Dominican Republic says he’s ‘100% innocent’

TORONTO — Jane Wilcox thought it was a simple mix-up when customs officers pulled her husband aside at the Punta Cana airport as they were heading back to Toronto. The couple had just spent a week at a resort in the Dominican Republic with two friends and were on their way home on March 7 […]

Other

3 w. ago Wife of Ontario man arrested in Dominican Republic says he’s ‘100 per cent innocent’

TORONTO — Jane Wilcox thought it was a simple mix-up when customs officers pulled her husband aside at the Punta Cana airport as they were heading back to Toronto. The couple had just spent a week at a resort in the Dominican Republic with two friends and were on their way home on March 7 […]

Other

3 w. ago Kobe Bryant once got stopped by Canadian border security when facing Toronto Raptors

A seemingly evergreen conversation around the Toronto Raptors opened up again this week.Former Raptors forward Thad Young spoke up on the Out The Mud podcast about how he found it "tough" to live in Toronto, citing reasons such as having to frequently go through airport customs as one of the challenges of playing for the Raptors.And then speaking today on FanDuelTV's Run It Back show, former Raptors player Lou Williams shared his own experiences of travelling with the team, including a story about the late Kobe Bryant having an issue with one of the security rules at Toronto's Pearson Airport."Kobe did have a moment. He did not want to take his shoes off at customs, that is true," Williams said.Williams' co-host Chandler Parsons also shared that a teammate of his once was unable to travel into Canada due to his legal troubles, though he didn't expand further on specifics.Kobe Bryant didn't want to take off his shoes going through customs ...

Events

3 w. ago Several Canadian flights cancelled after London fire caused power outage at Heathrow

TORONTO — Several arriving and departing flights between cities across Canada and London’s Heathrow Airport were cancelled after an overnight fire caused a power outage and forced the British airport to close Friday, with further flight disruptions expected to last for days. As of early Friday, Toronto’s Pearson airport listed at least five scheduled arriving […]

Events

3 w. ago Several Canadian flights cancelled after London fire causes power outage at Heathrow

TORONTO — Several arriving and departing flights between cities across Canada and London’s Heathrow Airport have been cancelled after an overnight fire caused a power outage and forced the British airport to close for the day. As of early Friday, Toronto’s Pearson airport listed at least five scheduled arriving flights from Heathrow as cancelled, as […]

Events

4 w. ago Pearson plane crash report: High rate of descent seconds before touchdown

A preliminary report into a plane crash at Toronto’s Pearson airport last month says the aircraft’s alert system indicated a high rate of descent less than three seconds before touchdown. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada released its report this morning as it continues to investigate the Feb. 17 crash landing that sent 21 people […]

Events

4 w. ago Safety board to release preliminary report on Delta plane crash at Pearson

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it will release a preliminary report Thursday on a crash landing at Toronto’s Pearson airport that sent 21 people to hospital last month. The Delta Air Lines flight arriving from Minneapolis, Minn., crashed on Feb. 17, leading to days of travel disruptions at Canada’s busiest airport. All 76 […]

Events