It’s been 21 months since the last international flight arrived and departed at Victoria International Airport, but on Nov. 30, the skies are opening again.
Transport Canada gave the approval Tuesday for YYJ and seven other small airports to restart international flights, saying increasing vaccination levels against COVID-19 have allowed for a safe reopening.
Victoria Airport Authority chief executive Geoff Dickson said the resumption of international flights arrives at a time when demand for travel is high, particularly to sun-spot vacations.
He said it also opens a route to Seattle and multiple connections to major U.S. cities and international destinations.
Dickson confirmed Alaska Airlines is expected to resume daily flights from Victoria to Seattle around Nov. 30.
Swoop Airlines is expected to fly to Las Vegas starting in January, said Dickson. Along with WestJet, it’s likely to start scheduling flights to Mexican holiday destinations such as Puerto Vallarta and Cancun.
“As we can appreciate, these flights take lots of planning on behalf of the airlines, but there is clarity now,” said Dickson.
The other small airports opening to international flights are Abbotsford, Kelowna, Saskatoon, Regina, Waterloo and Hamilton, Ont. and St. John’s, Nfld.
Ten larger airports, including Vancouver International Airport, were approved for international flights earlier by the federal government.
That was expanded from four when Ottawa first introduced the restriction in February as part of a move to discourage non-essential trips, slow the spread of COVID-19 variants and concentrate the location of quarantine hotels.
Vaccine travel requirements will be fully phased in by Nov. 30, said Transport Canada, and proof-of-double-vaccination credentials are now available for travel.
Anyone taking flights must receive two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks before they travel.
International travel to and from the Victoria airport was abruptly halted in March 2020 as the federal government closed borders and issued travel restrictions to stem the tide of the pandemic.
In 2020, YYJ passenger counts tumbled more than 70% compared to the previous year.
It’s been a slow recovery since then at Victoria’s airport, which has depended solely on domestic travel. There has been a spike in passengers since June, with a year-high of 123,000 through the terminal in August, and 105,000 in September, the latest data available.
The air sector had been pushing the government to allow more airports to take on international flights, with an eye to trips to and from U.S. and Caribbean destinations as the holidays approach.
Air service across the country last quarter reached just 37 per cent of its 2019 levels, and just 20 per cent for international traffic, Canadian Airports Council president Daniel-Robert Gooch said.
“We can see no reason why these communities have to wait any longer,” he said in a statement, citing vaccination numbers and health protocols.
About 84 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and older were fully vaccinated as of last Friday, according to the federal government.
Garth Lund, chief commercial officer for budget carrier Flair Airlines, said the Edmonton-based company was grateful for the government’s decision.
“We’re eager to offer low fares to snowbirds young and old wanting to enjoy some sun this fall and winter,” he said in a statement.
Airlines continue to call for an end to the COVID-19 PCR test that arriving passengers must take no more than 72 hours before scheduled takeoff.
“The pre-departure PCR test is unnecessary and we will continue to advocate for elimination,” Air Canada CEO said on a conference call with investors Tuesday.
— With files from The Canadian Press
