A significant security lapse occurred at Ottawa International Airport earlier this month when ten passengers on an Air Canada flight from Mexico were able to leave the terminal without clearing immigration or customs.
How the Border Breach Unfolded
The incident took place on Sunday, 11 January 2026, after Air Canada flight 1413 landed in Ottawa around 8pm. The aircraft had completed a three-hour journey from Cancun, Mexico, carrying 192 people.
Under standard Canadian entry procedures, all arriving international passengers must proceed to a border checkpoint. There, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers examine travel documents and passports, and travellers must declare any goods before collecting their luggage.
However, for ten individuals, this process was bypassed entirely. They were inadvertently misdirected by staff upon disembarking, led through a swing gate and straight towards the exit, completely avoiding the CBSA inspection hall.
Passenger Accounts and Official Response
One of the affected travellers, Heather Badenoch, recounted the moment to Canadian broadcaster CBC. "I remember as we were exiting through the double doors, the person in front of me turned to me and said, ‘Does this seem right?'" she said. Feeling tired and eager to get home, and having no checked bags, she continued on her way.
Ms Badenoch confirmed she had neither submitted a mandatory arrival declaration nor passed through any immigration control, instead finding herself fast-tracked to the baggage claim area.
Air Canada stated that once the error was identified, staff contacted the CBSA and managed to redirect most of the misdirected customers to the customs hall. A spokesperson conceded that ten passengers were not "properly processed by customs" and confirmed the airline is working to contact them.
Ongoing Investigation and Potential Penalties
In a statement on Saturday, 17 January, the CBSA told The Independent that it had received the passengers' names from the airline. The agency confirmed it is now following up with each traveller to finalise the necessary immigration and customs processing.
The CBSA emphasised that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Customs Act legally require airlines to present all passengers for examination upon arrival. The agency warned that "failure to do so is a serious contravention which may incur significant penalties" for the carrier.
As of 17 January, nearly a week after the incident, passenger Heather Badenoch said she had not been contacted by either Air Canada or the CBSA. "This is such a weird situation," she remarked. "I'm kind of curious to find that out as well, because in hindsight, I'm wondering, do I have to do something now?"
The investigation into the precise cause of the misdirection is ongoing, with both the airline and border authorities seeking to rectify the unprecedented breach.
