UPDATE: International flights will take longer to resume at YLW
UPDATE: 11:00 a.m.
International flights are able to resume Nov. 30 at Kelowna International Airport, but officials at YLW say it will take longer than that to get the flights operating again.
Airport director Sam Samaddar says December and January are the current timelines they are working on.
“Some airlines have had to push back previously scheduled routes until 2022, due to the uncertainty of timing of YLW’s international status,” said Samaddar. “We are thrilled to be able to once again connect passengers internationally and welcome visitors to our region, and are working closely with airlines to have these routes in place as soon as possible.”
At this point, YLW has this schedule for service, which is subject to change:
Alaska Airlines to Seattle – Dec. 16, 2021
Sunwing to Varadero, Cuba – January 2022
WestJet to Phoenix, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun – January 2022
“We couldn’t have done this without support from our local politicians, neighbouring municipalities, key local businesses and community members,” said Mayor Colin Basran, ”Our entire community will benefit from the economic impacts of the return of international flights.”
What passengers need to know about international flights:
COVID testing requirements
When departing YLW:
As of Oct. 30, all passengers, 12 years of age and older, are required to be fully vaccinated in order to board domestic or international flights. For more information on this mandate, please visit travel.gc.ca or ylw.kelowna.ca/covid-19
Passengers are encouraged to talk to their airline to understand what the COVID-19 testing requirements are to enter their destination country.
The Whitecap RSC testing facility is available for any passenger who requires a COVID-19 antigen or molecular test (PCR test) prior to travel. Passengers wishing to access this testing can do so, for a fee and by appointment only, by visiting whitecapcovidtesting.com/kelowna or by calling 604-966-3777.
When arriving in Canada:
Passengers can use ArriveCAN to provide mandatory travel information before and after your entry into Canada.
More information about Government of Canada requirements can be found at travel.gc.ca/Travel-Covid
For more information about what to expect when travelling through YLW, visit: ylw.kelowna.ca/HealthyTravel
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International flights to resume at YLW
Nov 2, 2021 | 9:30 AM
The International part of Kelowna International airport will resume later this month.
Transport Canada has announced that flights to places like the U.S. and Mexico will return on November 30 from YLW.
At a news conference today, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said airports at eight mid-sized cities can reopen their runways to planes from across the border as of Nov. 30.
Included in the other airports are Victoria, Abbotsford, St. John’s, N.L., Saskatoon, Regina and Hamilton.
Alghabra says higher vaccination levels have allowed Ottawa to open the airports to flights from abroad, and that he will give consideration to more airports as conditions dictate.
The sector had been pushing the government to allow more airports to accept international flights, with an eye to trips to and from U.S. and Caribbean destinations as winter approaches.
Ten airports currently enjoy that status, 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.
Effective on November 30, 2021, international flights carrying passengers will be permitted to land at the following additional Canadian airports:
St. John’s International
John C. Munro Hamilton International
Region of Waterloo International
Regina International
Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International
Kelowna International
Abbotsford International
Victoria International
(With files from The Canadian Press)