- Canada halts direct passenger air traffic from India and Pakistan
- The ban is implemented as more passengers arrive in Canada with positive COVID-19 test results from two South Asian countries
- Canada to suspend non-essential passenger flights from countries with high rates of COVID-19 variants infections
Canadian government officials announced a complete 30-day ban on all passenger flights from India and Pakistan as COVID-19 cases continue surging in the two countries.
“Given the higher number of cases of COVID-19 detected in air passengers arriving in Canada from India and Pakistan, Transport Canada is issuing a notice to airmen, or NOTAM, to halt direct passenger air traffic from those countries,” said Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra at a joint press conference with other Canadian ministers.
The minister said the ban is implemented as more passengers arrive in Canada with positive test results from those two South Asian countries.
If travelers departing from those two countries take an indirect route home, they’ll be required to show a negative PCR test at their last point of departure. Once they arrive in Canada, they’ll follow the standard protocols, unless exempt, including taking another test and booking a stay at a designated government hotel while they await their results.
Also, the House of Commons passed a motion to have Canada’s government immediately suspend non-essential passenger flights from countries with high rates of COVID-19 variants infections.
Earlier, in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec Premier Francois Legault called on the Trudeau government to cut the number of international flights arriving in Canada and impose greater restrictions at the Canada-U.S. land border.