Canada travel numbers still below pre-pandemic levels as more people take flight
Posted May 9, 2022 10:33 am.
Federal data shows more people are travelling now than at any other point in the pandemic — but numbers are still short of pre-COVID times.
Statistics shared by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority show over 113,000 people passed through the country’s eight largest airports on Sunday.
However, on the same day in 2019, there were over 146,000 travellers.
While figures remain lower than before the health crisis brought air travel to a halt, challenges remain at airports across the country.
In recent weeks, major delays have been reported by international travellers looking to catch flights out of Canada. In some instances, passengers have reported missing flights due to long lineups.
CATSA is advising passengers to “arrive at the airport well in advance of their flights,” recommending two hours for domestic flights and three for U.S. and other international ones.
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Staffing challenges and COVID-19 screening have taken part of the blame for some of the holdups at airports in recent times.
Earlier this month, Vancouver International warned passengers that staffing shortages were having an effect on operations, adding it was unclear when the situation might improve.
