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U.S. operations resume at Montreal airport after ‘odour’ cancelled some flights

Click to play video: 'What’s that smell? Intrusive odour at Montreal airport causes U.S. flight disruptions'
What’s that smell? Intrusive odour at Montreal airport causes U.S. flight disruptions
At least 20 flights heading to the U.S. from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport were delayed or cancelled Wednesday morning due to a mysterious smell that temporarily shut down U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations. Montreal’s fire department confirmed that there was no health risk to passengers, and the smell was later identified as varnish related to a paint job – Jul 30, 2026

About 20 flights from Montreal to the U.S. have been cancelled so far due to an odour in the U.S. area of Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

According to Aéroports de Montréal, U.S. Customs and Border Protection temporarily suspended operations due to “an odour from construction materials.” A spokesperson specified it was varnish odour that caused the smell.

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Several flights bound for the U.S. were cancelled, but work is being done to resume operations as soon as possible, the airport authority said in an email.

An inspection by the Montreal Fire Department confirmed the situation poses no health risk, and the airport is using increased ventilation in the area.

“While the odour may have been unpleasant, it did not pose any health risk,” the airport said in a post on X.

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The airport said at approximately 11:15 a.m. that U.S. CBP operations were gradually resuming, but passengers should still expect delays.

“We encourage passengers with scheduled flights to U.S. destinations to refer to the information provided by their airline and check the status of their flight before heading to the airport,” a spokesperson for the airport authority said.

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