Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra said eight more airports in Canada will open for international travel by the end of November.
He made the announcement Tuesday morning at Waterloo International Airport, one of eight that will be open for international flights on November 30.
Read more:
Canadian airlines add flights and capacity in attempt to recoup losses from COVID-19
“Opening these airports to international travel is another step forward in rebuilding and reopening our travel system,” Alghabra told reporters.
“I am pleased that increased vaccination levels have allowed us to safely reopen these additional Canadian airports to international passenger flights.”
The list of airports that will soon be open to international traffic includes St. John’s International, John C. Munro Hamilton International, Regina International, Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International, Kelowna International, Abbotsford International, and Victoria International.
“This measure will help ensure that travelers can access more regional airports for their international travel this winter, while continuing to support our government’s measured approach to reopening our borders,” said the Transport Minister.
Airports will open on the same day that government regulations require passengers to be fully vaccinated to board a plane.
Alghabra said a wide range of factors that could open the airports came into play, including geography, historical demand, public health resources and CBSA, as well as the readiness of airports to reopen given public health conditions.
Read more:
Canceled flights, lost luggage, no customer service: how flying has become a ‘nightmare’
“There were many factors involved,” he said.
“And based on the facts and the data and the evidence and the availability and readiness of the airports, we made those decisions.”
The eight airports are among 18 in the country that will be able to receive international flights, but Alghabra said there are about a dozen others that have not yet been authorized.
“We are monitoring the situation and as conditions improve across the country, it will be possible to allow more airports to resume international flights,” he said.
See link »
© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Reference-globalnews.ca