Montreal airport suspends US-bound flights over construction odour
U.S. Customs operations halted Wednesday morning after strong smell from building materials forced cancellations. Check your flight status before heading to YUL.
Sources · local media reports
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspended operations at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday morning after a strong odour from construction materials forced the agency to temporarily shut down screening.
The disruption led to cancellations of several flights bound for U.S. destinations, including Washington National and Chicago O'Hare. Domestic flights and international departures outside the U.S. continued operating close to schedule.
The airport said every effort was being made to resume U.S.-bound screening as quickly as possible, though no specific timeline was provided as of publishing time. Passengers were advised to check flight status directly with their airline rather than assuming departures were on schedule.
If you have a Wednesday flight to the U.S. from Montreal, confirm its status before arriving at the airport.
The facts
What caused the flight suspensions at Montreal-Trudeau on July 29, 2026?
A strong odour from construction materials forced U.S. Customs and Border Protection to temporarily shut down screening operations at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday morning, July 29, 2026.
Which US airports were affected by the Montreal suspensions?
Flights to Washington National and Chicago O'Hare from Montreal-Trudeau were among those cancelled due to the screening shutdown on July 29, 2026.
Did domestic flights continue operating from Montreal on July 29, 2026?
Yes, domestic flights and international departures outside the U.S. continued operating close to schedule at Montreal-Trudeau on July 29, 2026, while U.S.-bound screening was suspended.
