'Mass confusion' hits Calgary airport as new travel rules take hold
It is a busy weekend at the Calgary International Airport as thousands of travellers heading into the city were greeted by long lines and testing confusion.
Canada announced this week it will now require people arriving internationally by plane – except those from the United States – to take a COVID-19 test once they land.
And starting Monday, Canadians and all other foreign visitors who travel to the U.S. by air will need to get a COVID-19 test no later than one day before their departure.
That replaces a previous three-day testing window.
It's all part of a strategy aiming to halt the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
The newest set of rules on the country's ever-changing slate meant those coming in to YYC on Saturday night had to be a little extra patient.
"(The line had) 100 people on one side and 100 on the other," DJ McNeill told CTV News. "There was mass confusion as people were leaving and coming back into line and wondering if they were going to the front of the line or supposed to go to the end of the line because they left this other line that they were standing in.
"We couldn't believe it."
A silver lining, according to McNeill, was the helpful hand of airport staff who had what he referred to as "an impossible job."
YYC's communications team says all travellers should expect delays, but it's not just in Calgary.
Across the country, those landing home after a trip abroad are being told to exercise both patience and caution.
"(The federal rules) have changed the way my travellers are looking to travel and it adds an extra step of ambiguity," Vision Travel advisor Katie Kewley said. "It's too much. They've already done a PCR test (before taking off) and they have a negative, why test again?"
For travel agents, it's all an extra tough pill to swallow just as it seemed business was finally picking up again.
"It's kind of like a rollercoaster ride for the Canadian public who are looking to book to go on vacations," Jason Webb with Downunder Travel said. "And it's not just the Canadian government we have to try to keep up with, but it's governments in every jurisdiction that we send people to."
The U.S. Embassy says land border restrictions for travel to the United States remain in effect through January 21, 2022 and may be extended.
"Fully vaccinated foreign travelers are able to travel to the United States across the northern and southwest borders with Canada and Mexico," the website states.
"Travelers who enter the United States at land (ports of entry) and ferry terminals do not require proof of a negative test; in addition, U.S. citizens and (Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status) do not need to provide proof of vaccination status at land (ports of entry) and ferry terminals."
- With files from Reuters
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.