Russian plane grounded indefinitely at Toronto Pearson racking up huge parking bill
A massive Russian plane that was grounded at Toronto Pearson International Airport back in February is racking up a substantial parking bill.
The Russian cargo plane, belonging to the airline Volga-Dnepr, has been parked at Toronto since Feb. 27 after the Canadian government closed the airspace to Russian aircraft operators.
The order banning Russian aircraft operators from Canadian airspace is still in place, meaning the plane is still not allowed to leave Canada.
According to the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA), which operates Toronto Pearson, the owner of the plane is being billed 74 cents per minute to park.
"To save you doing the math, it works out to $1,065.60 for each 24-hour period," GTAA spokesperson Ryan White told CTV News Toronto.
The plane has been parked at Toronto Pearson for 88 days, meaning the owner has racked up more than $93,000 in fees, not including tax.
White said he could not comment further on the fees, or whether they have sent the airline an invoice, for legal reasons.
In February, the Antonov An-124 arrived into Canada from China, via Anchorage and Russia. The plane had planned to leave Toronto shortly after arriving in Canada, but that flight was cancelled.
Transport Canada said the aircraft had been prohibited from departing due to a ban on Russian-owned aircraft in Canadian airspace.
In a statement to CTV News Toronto on Thursday, Transport Canada said they have no plans to allow the plane to leave.
"The NOTAM remains in place, and there are no plans to make revisions or change the NOTAM at this time," Transport Canada said. "Transport Canada has informed Russian authorities about the NOTAM we currently have in place."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.