The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) is calling on Ottawa to remove restrictions to international air travel, including removing testing and isolation requirements and blanket travel advisories.
“The science tells us that air travel is safe," said Monette Pasher, the CAC's interim president in a news release. The groups insists the federal government to produce a plan, with timelines, to remove travel restrictions.
"It is time to get Canadians - and our economy - moving again."
The Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable, a coalition of industry representatives, of which the CAC is part of, has made the same demand, on calling on all levels of government to work together to streamline and clarify rules around travel "to ensure safe, accessible and timely travel for Canadians this summer."
"All Canadian travellers are fully vaccinated as is the industry that serves them," said Pasher. "Since the pandemic's start, less than one per cent of all cases of COVID-19 in Canada have been related to travel and testing at our borders is proven not an effective tool. Further, with PCR tests in such short supply and costly domestically, these tests could be more effectively used in our communities."
The CAC represents more than 100 airports, including all of the National Airports System airports and most passenger service airports in every province and territory.
The group said airports have suffered $6 billion in revenue losses and $3 billion in new COVID-19 debt. These costs will mount, the organization said, until restrictions are lifted and airports reopened to international travel.
“Canada’s airports fully support the expert medical opinion shared on February 10, 2022, calling on the federal government to remove unnecessary and non-science-based obstacles to international travel, such as the pre-departure and on-arrival PCR tests for fully vaccinated travellers," added Pasher.
