Flights to the United States from Trudeau airport were expected to gradually resume Wednesday as U.S. customs officers returned to duty after refusing to staff the preclearance area because of the smell of varnish from construction work at the transit hub.
Around 8 a.m., U.S. Customs and Border Protection decided to suspend operations because of an odour from construction materials. The area was ventilated and an inspection by the Montreal fire department confirmed that the situation posed no health risk, Aéroports de Montréal spokesperson Eric Forest said in an email Wednesday morning.
Around 12:45 p.m., an announcement on the airport’s PA system said preclearance had restarted but that delays could be expected.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspended operations at Trudeau airport Wednesday because of an odour from construction materials. Tim Snow / The Gazette
“Travellers with a scheduled flight to a U.S. destination are still advised to confirm their flight schedule before travelling to YUL,” Forest said in the email.
Multiple passengers reported early in the morning that the lines they were in had not moved — in some cases for hours.
USCBP has temporarily suspended its operations due to an odor caused by construction materials.
— YUL Aéroport international Montréal-Trudeau (@yulaeroport) July 29, 2026
Passengers reported Wednesday morning that the customs lines they were in had not moved — in some cases for hours. Tim Snow / The Gazette