Up in the air: Fate of Russian plane uncertain after being grounded at Toronto airport for weeks

A Russian cargo plane has been stuck at Toronto Pearson Airport for almost three weeks.

The plane arrived on February 27, the day that Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister of Canada, announced on Twitter that Canada’s airspace would be closed to all Russian aircraft operators.

Effective immediately, Canada’s airspace is closed to all Russian aircraft operators. We will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks against Ukraine.

— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) February 27, 2022

A spokesperson for Toronto Pearson Airport told Daily Hive, “Due to the Government of Canada closing Canadian airspace to Russian aircraft operators, there is currently one aircraft at Pearson that is prohibited from departing.”

Transport Canada, responsible for implementing these restrictions, stated in an email that the Government of Canada “continues to take strong and decisive action in response to Russian military action targeting Ukraine.”

Russian registered Antonov An124 is now parked on Taxiway N in Toronto. It will sit here indefinitely. They planned a departure this morning,since cancelled.Arrived on Sunday from China via Russia & Anchorage. Russian aircraft are banned in Canadian airspace.
Volga-Dnepr RA-82078 https://t.co/OGXNFInAQU pic.twitter.com/3rfxhRDUs5

— Tom Podolec Aviation (@TomPodolec) February 28, 2022

“As part of a suite of economic countermeasures against the Russian Federation following its invasion of Ukraine, the Government of Canada closed Canada’s airspace on February 27, 2022, to Russian-owned, chartered or operated aircraft, including in the airspace above Canada’s territorial waters,” said a spokesperson.

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The agency confirmed that although the plane is currently grounded, they haven’t seized any aircraft.

“The Department will not hesitate to take further enforcement action should additional incidents of non-compliance with the regulations and restrictions be found,” said the Transport Canada spokesperson.