(UPDATE: Aug. 20 @ 5:40 pm) – The Kelowna airport has confirmed that some flights will resume Sunday night at 9 pm.
Flights have been cancelled since Friday due to the wildfire smoke and the ongoing firefighting effort in the Kelowna and Lake Country area.
Earlier today, airport director Sam Samaddar said the airport had received the green light to get some flight in and out of airport. More details on those flights can be found in the original story below.
When speaking with KelownaNow Samaddar said that flights would run until about 1 am.
In an update provided Sunday afternoon, the airport has confirmed that flights will continue until 6 am on Monday.
Although this may be some good news for people looking to travel in and out of Kelowna, the airport warns that these flights will be subject to weather conditions such as smoke.
People are advised to check with their airline for updated information before arriving at the airport.
You can also check the status of your flight on the Kelowna airport website.
As for Monday, flights are likely to be cancelled during the daytime hours to allow for aerial firefighting operations to continue safely.
Samaddar said an update would be provided on Monday about any potential flights being allowed to leave the airport Monday night, likely at 9 pm.
(UPDATE: Aug. 20 @ 11:10 am) – The Kelowna airport continues to be impacted by wildfires on Central Okanagan
All flights will be cancelled in and out of the airport until 9 pm on Sunday.
However, the airport has received clearance from Transport Canada and airlines that flights will be able to operate after 9 am until about 1 am, says airport director, Sam Samaddar.
“So we will have some flights in tonight, pending visibility obviously,” Samaddar says, noting that flights will run until about 1 am.
He confirms that Jazz airlines will be operating four flights which will primarily be between Kelowna and Vancouver.
Air Canada is going to part a flight between Vancouver and Kelowna and then onto to Toronoto.
WestJet will be operating flights between Calgary and Kelowna and Vancouver and Kelowna.
Finally, Flair will be operating between Calgary and Kelowna and Edmonton and Kelowna.
“The good news is that we’ll be able to get some flights in after 9 pm tonight, to get at least some movement of people,” Samaddar says.
“Either returning them home or people that are elsewhere, getting them home to Kelowna or the Okanagan.”
The situation for Monday is not known at this time, but flights are expected to be canceled throughout the day due to aircraft flying in the area to help with suppression efforts on multiple wildfires in the region.
More information is expected to be released Monday morning, whether the situation changes or remains the same, but a new flight schedule will be made available for flights leaving after 9 pm Monday night.
Fortunately, people with vehicles parked in short- or long-term parking lots of YLW will not be charged for any additional parking required due to flight cancellations.
Passengers are asked to check with their airline for updated information about flight status before coming to the airport.
You can do that by checking the airport’s website.
(Original story: Aug. 20 @ 9:38 am) – Flight cancellations at Kelowna International Airport will continue into Sunday.
Late Saturday night, the airport provided an update on the closure of airspace around the airport due to the ongoing battle on the McDougall Creek, Walroy Lake and Clarke Creek wildfires across the Central Okanagan.
The airport was closed on Friday to allow for helicopters and other aerial resources to work on the airport in a safe way.
At 9 pm on Saturday, the airport said flight cancellations would remain in place for Aug. 20.
Flight cancellations continue into Sunday, August 20. Please check with your airline for updated flight information before coming to the airport. https://t.co/R2196AylHZ
— Kelowna International Airport (@ylwkelowna) August 20, 2023
According to the airport’s website departures and arrivals are cancelled until at least 9 pm Sunday night.
More than 30 arrivals and another 30 departures have been cancelled on Sunday.
On Saturday, the airport director, Sam Samaddar, said the airport was working with forestry and Transport Canada to determine what could be done for Sunday.
KelownaNow has reached out for an update from the airport and will update this story once we hear back.
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