Planes grounded after attacks
Penticton Airport fans silent as Transport Canada halts all flights until further notice
EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of Canada’s 150th anniversary, The Herald is reprinting historic stories from the South Okanagan focusing on the biggest news story of each year.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2001: The buckle of the Canadian flag lightly rapping against its steel pole was the only sound to be heard outside the Penticton Airport Tuesday morning.
Inside, shocked airport officials responded to Transport Canada’s directive to ground all outgoing flights until further notice in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Va.
Air Canada Regional — the only airline serving Penticton — ordered that its planes remain on the ground all day Tuesday, said Warren Cook, Air Canada Regional’s area manager for Penticton and Kamloops.
Every Air Canada and Air Canada Regional flight had been cancelled for the remainder of the day, Cook said at about 11:15 a.m.
The directive grounded six flights in Penticton and nine in Kamloops, said Cook. A flight from Kelowna bound for Prince George landed in Kamloops at about 7:20 a.m. and remained on the tarmac there. “Based on the information we have, this will extend for the period of Sept. 11,” said Cook. “I’m guessing we’ll work our way back into full operation within the next several days.”
In Penticton, an Air B.C. Dash 8 bound for Vancouver left the airport at about 6:50 a.m. It was the last flight out Tuesday, said airport manager Darryl Laurent, who received the directive from Transport Canada to ground all planes at about 7 a.m. Even private aircraft and helicopters must remain on the ground until further notice from transport Canada.
Vancouver and Calgary are the only destinations out of the Penticton Airport, Laurent pointed out, so no flight would have been bound for the United States, where air traffic was also grounded.
About 10 people showed up for a 10 a.m. flight, said Renate Winter, customer service agent with Air Canada Regional in Penticton. Others called in after hearing the news.
“We will honour their tickets on the next available flights at this time, and connections as well,” said Winter. “On a disaster like this, all the airlines will be cancelling flights.”
Passengers understood, she said.
“They’re not surprised that everything is closed or cancelled.”
“I’m just trying to get out in the morning, but it looks like that’s not going to happen,” said Steve Picton of Penticton at about 10 a.m. as he looked around the deserted airport. “I think I’ll just drive down to Vancouver tonight.”