Canada bans passenger flights as India becomes the new ground zero of the global pandemic
The Canadian Bazaar
TORONTO: Canada has banned all passenger flights from India for one month because of the surge in COVID cases in that country.
Flights from Pakistan have also been banned for one month.
“Effective 11:30 p.m., April 22, we are suspending all commercial and private passenger flights arriving in Canada from India and Pakistan for 30 days,” said Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.
However, cargo flights carrying vaccines, PPE and other essential goods are exempt.
Currently, 17 Air India and Air Canada flights fly directly from Delhi to Toronto and Vancouver each week. Since April 1, 44 COVID positive flights from India have landed in Canada. In fact, flights from India account for 50 per cent of air travellers testing positive on landing in Canada.
“The pandemic continues to create an unprecedented crisis in the global aviation industry, and our government continues to take action to protect the health and safety of Canadians. That is why Transport Canada has issued a notice to air operators to temporarily suspend passenger flights from India and Pakistan—where there is an elevated number of passengers arriving with cases of COVID-19,” said the transport minister.
Welcoming the decision, Indo-Canadian aviation expert Hemant Shah said, “As the new mutant gets out of control in India, it’s a wise move by Trudeau to check the community spread from passengers coming from India.”
Anybody trying to skirt the ban by trying to take flights from third-country airports must stay and obtain a negative COVID-19 test from that country before being allowed to fly to Canada.
Addressing new immigrants from India and Pakistan who were planning to start a new life in Canada, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicion said, “We look forward to welcoming affected travellers to Canada once it is safe to do so.”
Currently, all air travellers – foreign and Canadian nationals – are required to undergo a COVID test on landing in Canada and quarantine themselves at approved hotels at their own expense for three days before being allowed in the country.
Anyone violating quarantine terms faces a fine of $3,000. Nearly 300 passengers have already been slapped with the hefty fine. Some passengers producing fake documents about COVID tests have also been arrested.
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