When two planes struck the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, the ripple effects reached far beyond New York City. At Vancouver International Airport, a day that would permanently alter how aviation emergencies are handled unfolded in real time.
Craig Richmond was serving as vice president of operations at YVR that morning. A quarter-century later, he still speaks about that day with the clarity of someone who experienced a defining moment.
"There's moments in your life that separate the before and after, and that was the moment for me," Richmond told CBC's The Early Edition.
The scale was staggering. Following the terrorist attacks, approximately 224 flights carrying more than 33,000 passengers were diverted to Canadian airports in what became known as Operation Yellow Ribbon. Of those, 34 jumbo jets carrying over 8,500 passengers landed at YVR — an airport already operating at capacity.
From Chaos to Crisis Management
Richmond's instructions to his airside management team were blunt and direct: "You've got 34 jumbos coming, figure out where they can park." The solution was extraordinary. Two of YVR's three runways were shut down entirely, with aircraft parked wingtip to wingtip in an arrangement the airport had never attempted before.
"The airport really turned into something that we had never seen before, which was basically a parking lot for airplanes," Richmond reflected. Planes remained grounded for days as authorities worked through the unprecedented situation.
But the logistics of parking hundreds of aircraft paled in comparison to the emotional weight of the day. Richmond had to deliver devastating news to pilots on the diverted planes — some of whom were American Airlines crew members. American Airlines operated two of the four hijacked aircraft that struck New York City and the Pentagon that day, killing 2,977 people.
Community Steps Up When It Matters
What emerged in the aftermath, however, revealed something deeper about Canadian character. The airport's catering crew mobilized to feed stranded passengers. Non-profit organizations distributed meals in terminals. Ordinary residents opened their homes to travelers with nowhere to go.
"Canadians, when it gets tough, they really look out for each other and for others. I really saw that, it was really uplifting," Richmond said.
Ali Hounsell, the airport's former spokesperson, remembers the atmosphere as heavy with gravity. "No one could have ever imagined this type of incident," she said. For Hounsell, certain times of year still trigger vivid memories of that somber, tense day.
Twenty-five years later, 9/11 remains a watershed moment in aviation history — and for those who managed the Canadian response, an unforgettable reminder of how institutions and communities perform under pressure.
This article is based on reporting from CBC British Columbia. Read the original story at CBC News British Columbia.