Thunder Bay air travellers still coping with delays

Two days after a severe ice storm ripped through southern Ontario, its effects are still being felt in Thunder Bay.

Holiday travellers are experiencing delays and cancellations at the city's airport.

Brett Auger is a recent Lakehead University graduate, hoping to get home to St.Catharines for the holidays.

He was supposed to be on a Porter Airlines flight to Toronto Monday night, but didn't end up leaving until 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

"It's especially frustrating on my parents, who are having to pick me up at the airport," he said.

"I keep having to call them every hour to tell them that I'll be late, or not coming in at all."

'It's very difficult'

Porter's director of communications said the company is struggling to clear a backlog of flights from the weekend.

"We do have to have some flights cancelled, and there are still some delays happening today," Brad Cicero said.

Cicero said some staff were required to work extended shifts due to Sunday's ice storm, and there are legal limits on how many hours flight crews can work over a period oftime.

"We have to follow those guidelines, and we have as many volunteers coming in as possible," he said.

"But since every flight is effectively full, it's very difficult to protect people in certain cases on some routes."

Cicero said it will likely be a few more days before the airline is back on schedule.