If you're flying to or from Montreal today, you're 1 of about 60,000
Airport says it’s ready to handle influx of travellers
It's going to be a hectic day at Montreal's Trudeau airport.
There could be as many as 60,000 holiday travellers passing through on Friday, according to estimates by the airport's administration.
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Airport spokeswoman Stéphanie Lepage said that estimate includes arrivals and departures for Canadian, American and international destinations.
Travel is always busy around the holiday season, but just before New Year's Eve the airport sees a significant bump in traffic, said Lepage.
She believes more people will pass through than they did on Dec. 22, 23 and 24.
Winter storm still underway
The weather could also hamper travel on one of the busiest days of the year.
On Thursday, many flights to and from Montreal's Trudeau airport were delayed or cancelled because of a large snow storm that swept over a wide swath of Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and the northeastern United States.
Montreal was spared the worst, but the storm is still making its way east. Travellers should check online to see if their flights are on time.
No delays at customs expected
The good news is that while many passengers complained of long lines at the airport's customs during the summer, that shouldn't be an issue on Friday, according to Lepage.
Many flights were arriving from Europe at the same time during the summer, which led to delays, she said.
In the winter, most people are coming back from sunny destinations, which tend to arrive at different hours of the day.
With files from The Canadian Press