'Never asked': B.C. couple claims COVID-19 documentation wasn't checked on international flight
A British Columbia man says he and his wife weren't asked for proof of vaccination or for negative COVID-19 tests on a flight from Cabo San Lucas to Calgary this week.
Ken Poirier said everyone on his flight from Mexico was left unchecked, and he's now wondering why he spent the time and money getting a COVID-19 test done if it went unused.
"Nobody ever asked us anything about COVID-19," Poirier told CTV News. "Not for our (vaccine) passports, not for the negative test report, nothing."
"I could've saved myself $80 US and not done it and nobody would ever be the wiser."
Poirier said he and his wife took the trip because they are both fully vaccinated and wanted to get out of the country.
"So the vaccinations and the testing process and that was supposed to be the safety gap where we could feel comfortable knowing that everybody on the plane is protected," Poirier said. "But that wasn't the case."
The airline said it is investigating the allegations.
"Most certainly we are looking into it and we are going to see what the situation was, specifically in Mexico," WestJet public relations manager Morgan Bell said. "(We want to find out) why that situation may not have been consistent with all of the other experiences that we're having."
The Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) says the onus falls on air carriers to check documentation.
However, spokesperson Rebecca Purdy also wrote that "the mandatory digital submission of information via the ArriveCAN app prior to entry to Canada assists the CBSA to systematically identify fully-vaccinated travellers, and has reduced the need for travellers to provide paper documentation on arrival."
Bell echoed that proof of vaccination on the app is technically a legal attestation, but Westjet passengers are typically checked again.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it's too late
Christine Roess is a retired consultant. Ezra Bozeman has spent the last 49 years in prison, serving a life sentence for a murder he says he didn’t commit. Against the odds, the two fell in love.