A 'Security Breach' At Vancouver Airport Let Travellers Go In The Wrong Door & Skip Customs

Travellers on a WestJet flight from Los Angeles to Vancouver skipped customs as they went through the wrong gate in what officials are now describing as a "security breach."

A WestJet spokesperson told CityNews Vancouver in an emailed statement that the incident happened because a door was accidentally left open, which let travellers on the flight be directed right past customs.

The flight landed at Vancouver International Airport on November 1, 2021, and although the passengers were coming from the U.S., they were processed as domestic travellers.

A spokesperson for the Vancouver Airport Authority said that “although this kind of error is extremely rare, it happened in our airport and we are committed to helping ensure it does not happen again.”

After the incident, everyone on the flight was accounted for within a 24-hour time period, and they were all screened as international travellers.

"The CBSA takes any breach of security very seriously, and is committed to ensuring the safety of our country and our border. The CBSA has operational plans and protocols in place to respond to incidents such as this, and will continue to work with the Airport Authority, the RCMP, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Transport Canada, and WestJet to review practices to prevent future incidents," CBSA said, according to CityNews.

This breach resulted in the airport changing where international flights land, so this does not happen again.

"International arrivals will no longer be gated at B-Pier until a new process is tested and implemented with the airline and CBSA,” said a statement from the airport authority.