Friday was a day some travelers at Regina International Airport have been dreaming of for months.
Lined up with their suitcases and handbags ready to check-in, a handful of these passengers were even spotted wearing shorts and sandals despite the sub-double-digit weather outside.
It is because these travelers were preparing to fly to Mexico for a winter vacation.
Thursday marked the first time an international flight departed Saskatoon International Airport for Mexico since the COVID-19 pandemic began. That milestone was marked in Regina on Friday when a Sunwing flight took off for Mexico.
“It’s been a long wait for this,” said travelers Sharon and Shelley on Friday and Regina.
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They shared that they were used to booking hot vacations once or twice each winter before the pandemic.
“We really want to get some sun and some cocktails. It will be great.”
Another vacationer on Regina’s flight, Larry Hoff, said he’s excited to finally go on an adventure.
“We are totally excited. I haven’t done this in a couple of years so I’m looking forward to it and we’re going to come down and have a good time. “
CJ Dushinski, who serves as Saskatoon Airport’s vice president of business development and quality of service, said the resumption of direct international flights from Saskatchewan has been a long time coming, especially with people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and they receive reinforcements.
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She believes it means another step towards normalcy and recovery.
It’s exciting to see people get excited about traveling again and going on vacation, enjoying the company of their friends, family and loved ones, ”said Dushinski.
“It’s a really festive thing for us here at the airport.”
While this is positive news for vacationers and airports in the province, health experts around the world are warning travelers to travel internationally as the Omicron variant continues to be broadcast across borders.
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On Friday morning, Canada confirmed 87 cases of Omicron in seven jurisdictions. Most of them were related to international travel or close contact with travelers, according to Canadian health officials.
The Saskatchewan Health Ministry announced Wednesday that the first cases of Omicron were discovered in the province after four people from a single household tested positive for the variant of concern.
During an update to the Canadian government’s COVID-19 model, Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said that the Omicron variant is “a cruel reminder that a global epidemiological situation can change rapidly.”
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He added that people must be prepared for the COVID-19 situation and that plans or behaviors may need to change at any time due to the latest variant.
“Canadians who are considering traveling abroad should be warned that the situation abroad is both risky and unstable,” Duclos said. “They also need to know that returning to Canada will likely entail delays and inconvenience.”
Health officials suggest that people should stay close to home or at least within Canada if they are planning to travel soon.
However, if they still choose to fly abroad, travelers are urged to check the COVID-19 situation occurring at their destination.
– with files from Aaron D’Andrea
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Reference-globalnews.ca