Airlines Tire of Ottawa’s “Piecemeal” Approach

Despite the federal government promising to reveal plans for relaxed border measures within days, The Star says airlines continue to be frustrated with the lack of detail.

Of particular concern is what the mechanism will be for travellers to prove vaccination status.

Mike McNaney, head of the National Airlines Council of Canada, told the Star that airlines do not have details or any specific timeline.

“It’s now the federal government’s time to actually show some leadership and put out a plan,” said McNaney. “We have to move away from this piecemeal approach ... But it appears that is the approach the government plans to take as far as what a restart looks at, a series of individual announcements that will come at various periods of time.”

In speaking to reporters, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said that Ottawa has been in contact with airports, airline companies and others in the aviation sector “about our plan.”

“Certainly, we need to give them time to prepare for reopening,” Alghabra said.

The reassurance isn’t flying with the airlines. John McKenna, head of the Canadian Air Transport Association, said “the information-sharing on the last call was pretty tense. We said, ‘Guys, we need to know … What are we doing? What’s happening now?’ And we’re not getting an answer.”