WS Says Pre-Departure Testing Needs To End

While the WestJet Group is welcoming the changes the federal government announced today (Feb. 15) – which include the removal of blanket travel advisory, end to advance PCR and arrivals testing requirements, changes to child travel policy and lifting of restrictions on international arrivals at Canadian airports — it is also making it clear that until the pre-departure testing requirement is fully removed for fully-vaccinated travellers the travel and tourism industry’s recovery will continue to be impeded.

Angela Avery, WestJet Executive Vice-President, External Affairs, said that: “The removal of travel barriers for fully-vaccinated travellers and families is a positive step forward for our industry; we have been advocating tirelessly for these changes on behalf of our guests and our communities.”

Avery continued: “As a fully-vaccinated industry, we have worked with public health authorities and all governments to curb COVID-19 and today’s announcement validates that travel has never been a significant vector of transmission.”

The company said that it continues to advocate for the return to surveillance arrivals testing only and for the federal government to outline a recovery roadmap for the travel and tourism industry, based on science and reflective of the current realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Said Avery: “As measures transition and Canada’s pandemic situation continues to improve, we are optimistic that the remaining policies will be reassessed and removed for fully-vaccinated travellers in the weeks ahead as outlined today by the Ministers.”