Sam Samaddar releases statement on COVID19.
I know there is concern among passengers, employees and residents about the coronavirus outbreak. We take our COVID-19 response seriously and are following the direction of the Provincial Health Ministry to deal with situation in British Columbia. We agree with the health experts’ direction to exercise an abundance of caution in dealing with this virus, so that we can curb its spread in our community.
The safety of airport employees, passengers and our greater community is our top priority, and we are committed to keeping passengers and the public informed as we receive updates about COVID-19, which is why I am sharing information with you today.
As of right now, this is what we know:
Air service at YLW
The airport is open and flights are operating, however, we do expect to see flight reductions over the coming days and weeks as the airlines respond to curbing the spread of the virus. All passengers are advised to check and monitor their flight status with their airline as information is rapidly changing.
Air Canada has announced route cancellations on domestic and international routes. Kelowna-Toronto and Kelowna-Edmonton routes will be suspended from Mar. 23-Apr. 30. Other routes are operating, however, they may be on a reduced schedule.
WestJet announced the suspension of all commercial international and transborder operations for a 30-day period effective Sunday, March 22. In addition, WestJet’s domestic schedule will be reduced by 50 per cent. For more details and updates, visit blog.westjet.com.
Swoop service to Las Vegas will be suspended as of Monday, March 23 due to COVID-19. For more information and rebooking options, visit FlySwoop.com/coronavirus.
Sunwing Vacations has announced that it is suspending all southbound flights from March 17 to April 9. If you have a flight booked from YLW on Sunwing, visit Sunwing’s COVID-19 advisory page, talk to your travel agent, or call the airline directly at 1-877-786-9464 if you have questions.
Travel restrictions
The Government of Canada has advised all Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel outside the country and has closed the borders to non-residents. Anyone who is showing flu-like symptoms will not be allowed to board an aircraft destined for Canada.
Travellers returning from international locations are advised to self-isolate for 14 days after their return to Canada. Find out more at Canada.ca/coronavirus.
Register with the Government of Canada as a Canadian travelling abroad in case of an emergency while you are outside of the country.
