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Remember those $9K flights? We mark one year since the snowstorm that almost cancelled Christmas

Samantha Holomay
Samantha Holomay
|
Dec 19 2023, 10:02 pm
Remember those $9K flights? We mark one year since the snowstorm that almost cancelled Christmas
@yvrairport/Instagram

What a difference a year can make.

Many people in Vancouver will remember the winter storm that walloped Canada this time last year, making it difficult for people to connect across the country.

This December has been decidedly warmer than usual, thanks in part to the return of El Niño in the Pacific. However, last December, Vancouver broke records by having the snowiest December in 84 years.

The perfect mix of flurries and blowing snow hindered people from travelling just before Christmas.

The snow began to fall on December 19, and Vancouver received nearly 40 cm of snow overnight.

This abundance of snow resulted in the delays and cancellations of numerous forms of transit, such as the SkyTrain as well as driving, busing, and flying.

YVR flight chaos

A year ago, YVR tweeted about the mass cancellations caused by “the winter storm and severe snowfall,” saying it has had an unprecedented impact on flights and operations.

The airport also asked passengers to check the status of their flights beforehand.

“We are asking people to please not come to YVR if you do not absolutely need to,” it stated.

Major flight delays and baggage claims were a mess, and many passengers were stranded at the airport and on planes for several hours.

Baggage travel mess

Sukhwant Dhillon/AM 600 Sher-E-Punjab Radio

Now, a year later, we can reflect on passengers’ experiences.

Passengers at YVR on December 20, 2022.

Passengers at YVR on December 20, 2022. (Sukhwant Dhillon/AM 600 Sher-E-Punjab Radio)

One Qantas passenger tweeted that they had been stuck on a plane for seven hours.

And it wasn’t just people travelling out of Vancouver who experienced the frustrations brought on by bad weather. One then-Twitter user posted a photo of the nightmare at baggage claim after flights were cancelled.

In an email to Daily Hive, YVR says that it is preparing for situations like these in the future.

“The airport also released its 2023 winter readiness plan, which includes changes to gate protocols, data enhancements, and operational changes,” an airport representative said.

Bank-breaking flight tickets

While the snow was beautiful, it was also dangerous, and the airport wasn’t the only place to deal with the issue.

Wil Yuarata/Instagram

While all the chaos unfolded at YVR and other airports around the country, plane ticket prices started to surge because of the high demand, and some were selling for as much as $9000.

Calamity on the roads

The infamous snowstorm wasn’t only an issue at the airport. Buses, cars, and even an Aston Martin were stuck in the snow, some for hours.

The snow obscured the roads, and major intersections were virtually unrecognizable.

While the snow was beautiful, it was also dangerous.

Bus hits parked cars, home in North Vancouver at height of snowstorm (VIDEO)

Bus hits parked cars, home in North Vancouver at height of snowstorm in 2022. (Daniel Stoyak/X)

What do you remember from that snowy, record-breaking December? Let us know in the comments.

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