OTTAWA — The National Airlines Council of Canada says there are still major issues that need to be addressed as Ottawa rolls out a COVID-19 testing requirement for air passengers arriving from abroad.
Mike McNaney, the group’s president and CEO, says some of these open questions relate to the format in which passengers must present their testing results and passengers’ options if their jurisdiction does not offer the kind of test the government accepts.
McNaney adds that the lack of consultation with airlines on the new measures risks creating confusion for airlines, passengers and front-line government workers trying to enforce the rules.
The council represents the country’s major carriers, including Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet.
McNaney’s comments come as the federal government is expected to announce more details of the testing requirement later today.
Government officials said Wednesday that in order to enter Canada, international travellers would soon have to provide negative results from a COVID-19 test taken at least 72 hours prior to departure.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published December 31, 2020.
