MONTREAL, Dec. 20 /CNW Telbec/ - As a result of the snowfall warning issued earlier today by Environment Canada, with snowfall accumulations expected of up to 25 cms in the Halifax NS area, Air Canada and Jazz are advising customers travelling to and from Atlantic Canada to check on the status of their flights before departing for the airport. The status of flights is available at www.aircanada.com.

It is expected that based on the information from the most recent Environment Canada weather forecasts that the flights most likely to experience delays or cancellations will be those scheduled to depart or arrive in Halifax beginning late afternoon on Sunday and continuing into the overnight hours.

In addition to the potential for delays and cancellations, heavy snowfall may also result in contaminated runway conditions which could restrict the amount of baggage aircraft may accommodate. In the event certain flights experience such limitations, Air Canada and Jazz will work to expedite baggage delivery for affected customers on the first available flights following the end of the weather event.

"Safety is our number one priority at Air Canada. At this time of year, our team is also focused on getting our customers and their bags to their destinations in time for Christmas," said Duncan Dee, Air Canada's Executive Vice President and COO.

"Our teams have been working non-stop since the start of the peak travel period on Friday and our Halifax staff are well prepared for today's weather challenges. We will make every effort to minimize any inconvenience to our customers and to ensure they are kept informed in the event of any disruption to their travel."

Customers travelling to the U.S. Northeast as well as the Washington, DC-area should continue to expect delays and cancellations as those areas continue to experience severe weather conditions or are recovering from the heavy snowfall experienced in the previous 24 hours.

More information for customers on affected flights, including options for rebooking flights online and updates on delayed baggage tracking, is available at www.aircanada.com.