Air Canada, WestJet passengers, employees in Fort Lauderdale 'safe'

TORONTO — ********** and WestJet say all their passengers and employees at the Fort Lauderdale, Fl., airport are accounted for and safe following a **** ******** that has left several people ****.

U.S. authorities say a lone shooter opened **** at city’s international airport this afternoon, ******* five people and injuring eight before he was taken into custody.

They say the ******** took place inside Terminal 2, which serves Delta Air Lines and **********.

********** spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick says in an email that passengers on the *******’s departing flights were safely evacuated on the tarmac.

Those on flights arriving from Montreal and Toronto were being held off gate while the terminal remained closed.

The Fort Lauderdale airport has suspended operations as law enforcement authorities rush to the scene.

Fitzpatrick says ********** has implemented a rebooking policy for passengers travelling to and from Fort Lauderdale on Friday and Saturday.

WestJet spokeswoman Lauren Stewart says the ******* is monitoring the situation closely and believes its passengers and staff are safe.

Stewart said one flight was holding on the ground awaiting departure to Ottawa at the airport’s Terminal 1.

“We are following the lead of law enforcement officials at the scene,” Stewart said in an email.

********** alert:

********** issued the following alert on its website: As a result of the ******** at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), ********** has implemented a policy for customers who purchased an ********** ticket no later than January 6, 2017 for travel to, from or via that airport on January 6 or 7, 2017.

If you are scheduled to travel on the affected dates, you may contact ********** Reservations to change your flight, free of charge, to another date between now and January 13, 2017, subject to availability in the cabin you originally purchased. Otherwise, any fare difference will apply.

You may also choose to travel to an alternate destination. Any change fees will be waived; however, any fare difference will apply.