Overseas international travel has been suspended at most airports across the country as the federal government attempts to contain the spread of COVID-19 but flights will continue as normal at Kelowna International Airport.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on March 16 just four Canadian airports would be operating flights overseas come March 18 — Vancouver (YVR), Toronto (YYZ), Montreal (YUL) and Calgary (YYC). He also said all Canadians currently abroad should return home by commercial means, while flights are still running. Only citizens of the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, as well as commerce and trade will be allowed in and out of the country.
But YLW’s airport director Sam Sammadar said things should continue as usual in Kelowna. Currently, the international flights operated by YLW include seasonal flights to Las Vegas, Arizona and a few destinations in Mexico, as well as year-round trips to Seattle.
“Those flights would still come into Kelowna directly,” said Sammadar. “With the ban on foreign travellers, that’s where you’d have the impact.”
Sammadar said YLW’s international flights see mostly Canadian passengers going to and from holiday destinations.
READ MORE: Canada to close borders to outsiders, except U.S. citizens, trade to slow spread of COVID-19
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