Alberta travellers, WestJet react to new variant-fuelled travel advisory

Calgarian Dave Todd and his wife Barb were preparing for their Sunday flight to Miami, the first stop to their Caribbean cruise, when the federal government announced it was renewing its international travel advisory.

Under the advisory, announced Wednesday, Canadians are being asked to avoid all non-essential travel outside the country as the highly transmissible Omicron variant spreads worldwide.

At the time, the 79-year-old couple only had four days to research the variant and decide whether to still make their trip, totalling $27,000.

"We had a pretty restless night trying to make a decision," said Todd. "Both of us were awake early and decided to cancel."

But when they went to cancel, the Todds were told they couldn't get a refund on their cruiseor their travel insurance.

Now, the couple is leaving for their Sunday flight as originally planned.

"It's been a bit of a roller-coaster. You know, we just don't leave that kind of money on the table."

Some Albertans say they're uncertain about what the federal travel advisory means for their upcoming travel plans, with others still eager to leave for their planned trips for the holidays.

The same international travel advisory was in place for most of the COVID-19 pandemic but was quietly lifted in October.

That's why this new advisory doesn't change much for travellers, according to Lesley Paull, president and general manager of Paull Travel in Edmonton.

"I think everybody should remember we've been this way for 18 months. It's not any different," said Paull.

As of Thursday, 119 cases of the Omicron variant have been identified in Alberta.

"To those who were planning to travel, I say very clearly now is not the time to travel. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant on a global scale makes us fear the worst," Canada's Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclossaid.

Calgarians go ahead with trips despite advisory

The Calgary International Airport says up to 35,000 passengers travel through the airport per day during the Christmas holidays, otherwise known as their busiest time of year for air travel.

CBC Calgary spoke with travellers at YYC to hear whether the renewed travel advisory is impacting their holiday travel plans.

That isn't the case for Cole Flemons.

He says he has been travelling to and from Palm Springs, Calif., about four times a month. By now, he's used to the constantly changing travel restrictions.

"I've always felt safe," he said.

The restrictions and testing requirements are confusing, he says, but he's fully vaccinated and follows all travel protocols.

"I'm not going against restrictions too much or anything like that. I'm just doing whatever the government is telling me to," says Flemons. "But I can see from all the pushback. I understand both sides."

Despite the travel advisory, Martin Suarez is flying back home to Ecuador to see his family for the first time in three years.

But it's been no easy feat.

"It's been hellish," said Suarez.

He says he hasn't gotten much sleep, worried about his PCR test results coming in on time for his flight, or "if restrictions are going to change with the new variants and whatnot."

"It just makes it complicated. It's too complicated," said Suarez.

WestJetwantstailored travel advisories

On Wednesday, the WestJet Group issued a statement against thereintroduction of theblanket air travel advisory issued by the federal government.

Andy Gibbons, WestJet's vice-president of government relations, told CBC's Power &Politicson Thursday that vaccinations and testing wereintroduced soblanket travel advisories wouldn't be issued anymore.

"I think the fact that COVID can come through travel is why we have become a fully vaccinated airline, and why in partneringwith the government we have delivered on that mandate,"Gibbons said.

"The main thrustis that we are asking the federal government to produce and be transparent about the data and science that'sbehind these measures," Gibbons said.

• WATCH |Andy Gibbons, WestJet's vice-president of government relations, says he wants government to produce data fortravel advisories:

Travel advisory 'not based on science,' WestJet says

3 years ago

Duration 5:51

Andy Gibbons, WestJet's vice-president government relations, joins Power & Politics to discuss the federal government's new travel advisory against non-essential international travel.

Few cancellations, says travel agent

Paull says most people who have reached out to the agency since the federal government's announcement are calling to confirm that they're still able to go on their trips.

"There are still a few people cancelling, not as many as you would think, but there are still people cancelling," she said.

She says she thinks travelling is safer now than it was months ago, now that COVID-19 vaccines are available.

"It's frustrating for everybody because you're just so sick of being here and you're so excited to be getting away. So it's kind of disappointing to have a few fears about going, and really you just have to make that decision yourself."

The amount of paperwork now required to travel is discouraging, says Paull, but "I'd sooner do the paperwork and go on holiday than stay here."