It's too soon to know how and why an Air Canada plane arriving from Halifax slid off the runway at Toronto's Pearson International early Saturday — but investigators aren't ruling out that weather may have been a factor, the Transportation Safety Board says. Saturday, TSB regional manager of air investigations Ewan Tasker said 2 investigators were deployed to gather information about the incident, which took place shortly after midnight in heavy fog and rain. Initial findings show that during its landing sequence, Flight 623 travelled through the grass on the western side of the runway, eventually coming to a stop on the centre line, said Tasker. The flight carried 118 people, though it's unknown if that number includes crew members. No injuries were reported. <br/>
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THAI is fully prepared for the anticipated delays during the scheduled 2-month repairs on one of its runways at Suvarnabhumi airport, says an executive. Acting president Usanee Sangsingkeo said the partial closure of the runway from March 3 to May 5 this year for 60 days would affect aircraft take-offs and landings during the period. She said given the congestion at the international gateway, THAI anticipated some flight delays. The carrier has therefore put in place a contingency plan to ensure flight operation readiness with full consideration for safety. The amount of jet fuel carried on each flight might also be adjusted to suit the conditions. Usanee said the airline also prepared to use an alternate airport if necessary and had set up an operations centre to coordinate and resolve any issues that might arise. <br/>