Vancouver airport says it's 'ready' for upcoming snowstorm

Vancouver International Airport says it's "ready" for this weekend's snowstorm. (Twitter/@yvrairport)

Vancouver International Airport says it's "ready" for this weekend's snowstorm, which Environment Canada has suggested could break records. 

In a statement ahead of the storm Friday, YVR said its modelling suggests 12 to 20 centimetres of heavy, wet snow could fall from Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning, before the precipitation turns to rain.

"We are monitoring weather closely and working with airlines and our many partners to ensure passengers and planes get on their way as quickly and safely as possible," the airport's statement reads.

While YVR didn't explicitly state that delays or cancellations – such as those seen in droves when a winter storm slammed the airport shortly before Christmas – are likely, it did encourage passengers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport. 

The airport also alluded to the frustrating scenario many would-be passengers faced during that storm, in which planes full of passengers that were unable to take off ended up waiting for hours on the tarmac for access to gates.

Some frustrated passengers described waiting for as long as 12 hours with little to eat or drink as they waited to get off their planes. 

"Our equipment and crews are ready," YVR said in its statement Friday.

"Our de-icing facility is fully operational. Airlines have been asked to ensure full towing capacity during the snow event so that empty aircraft are not stuck at gates preventing other planes from being able to de-plane passengers."

The airport said it's "working closely" with airlines "as they adjust their schedules to the conditions."

"Additionally, YVR is ensuring the ability to modify how we gate planes to optimize operations if necessary and keep passengers moving," the statement reads.

The impact of December's storm was compounded by the high volume of traffic passing through the airport during the busy holiday travel season. Weeks after the snow stopped, there were still hundreds of lost and unclaimed bags at the terminal waiting to be reunited with their owners. 

The impact of the travel chaos was felt nationwide, with other Canadian airports facing similar problems. In mid-January, the heads of various airports and airlines were called to testify before a parliamentary committee in Ottawa. 

By late January, YVR had begun a public engagement process aimed at learning from the December storm. It had also hired consultants to review its response to the travel disruptions. 

With as much as 30 centimetres of snow in the forecast for some parts of the Lower Mainland this weekend, YVR is trying to ensure things go more smoothly this time.