Two airports in British Columbia reported unauthorized access to their public address and flight information display systems by a third party on Tuesday evening. Kelowna International Airport and Victoria International Airport confirmed the incidents in official statements. Transport Canada acknowledged the hacks, including a similar incident at Windsor International Airport.
Transport Canada is collaborating with security partners, including law enforcement, to ensure the safety and security of airport operations and prevent future disruptions. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security is also monitoring the situation.
Kelowna International Airport issued a news release stating that they are investigating the breach with Transport Canada and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. Social media users reported seeing pro-Hamas and anti-Trump messages at the airport. Phillip Elchitz, the airport’s director of operations and innovation, confirmed a third party breached the flight information display system and the PA system, broadcasting a message related to Gaza with profanities and political content.
A brief excerpt of the PA announcement at Kelowna airport mentioned allegiance to Jerusalem but did not reference Trump or Hamas. An image from the airport displayed a message criticizing Israel and Trump. The PA system was restored after 20 seconds, while removing the images took a few minutes. Some flights experienced delays, but operations returned to normal that night.
At Victoria International Airport, only the PA system was compromised, with unauthorized audio content played for a few minutes before being stopped by the operations team. The incident caused no disruptions or delays. In the U.S., Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania also faced a similar hack on its PA system, playing a political message without threats.
Investigations into these incidents are ongoing by relevant authorities to prevent future breaches and ensure the security of airport systems.