As countries begin extra safety measures to welcome visitors again and people begin to think of traveling again, there are many things to consider.
Not everyone is ready to start traveling, but there are some essential trips that people need to take.
The Canadian government still has a travel advisory of non-essential travel outside of Canada.
Essential Travel Tips
Dave and I love to travel. It is our business and when it is time, we will be back on the plane ready to explore. At the moment Canada requires a mandatory 14-day quarantine when entering the country. So if you do travel, this is something to consider when making plans. You will not be able to leave home for two weeks when you get back.
But the world understands that there are essential reasons to travel. We are months into the pandemic and for various reasons people will need to get on a plane again. Hopefully we will all follow soon!
If you do need to leave the country, it is good to know that the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) has instituted a number of measures to ensure your security screening experience is as safe and secure as possible.
Here are some tips to follow if you have upcoming essential travels.
People travelling by plane from and within Canada need to bring their own face covering.
By now, we have all gotten used to wearing a face covering.
I actually have many to match outfits and to wash regularly so I always have a fresh one when going into the store.
When flying, face coverings have stricter guidelines than simply heading into a Sobey’s for groceries.
Face coverings need to cover the nose and mouth, be made of at least two layers of tightly-woven fabric (such as cotton or linen), and be properly secured to the head.
Note: Those with an exhalation valve or vent, as well as neck gaiters and bandanas, are not considered acceptable face coverings.
Before you enter the screening checkpoint, the mask must be placed over your mouth and nose.
Before you fly make sure to check out Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidelines on how to wear a facemask. But here are a few tips.
Non-medical Face Masks Should
- allow for easy breathing
- fit securely to the head with ties or ear loops
- maintain their shape after washing and drying
- be changed as soon as possible if damp or dirty
- be comfortable and not require frequent adjustment
- be made of at least 2 layers of tightly-woven material fabric (such as cotton or linen)
- be large enough to completely and comfortably cover the nose and mouth without gaping.
Hand Washing and Sanitizing
We learned early on that the best defence from COVID-19 is regular handwashing. We don’t leave home without hand sanitizers.
The good news is while there are hand sanitizing units by the checkpoints inside the airport, you can now carry a 355 mL (12 ounces) bottle of hand sanitizer in your carry-on.
That’s an additional 255mL (8.6 ounces) above the usual liquid restrictions. To check out further liquid restrictions or to refresh your memory, you can read the guidelines here.
Temperature Screening
There are several airports in Canada where you will need to undergo a temperature screening before entering the screening checkpoint.
You will not be able to enter if you have a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius. (100.4 Fahrenheit.)
The temperature check is required at 15 of the country’s busiest airports. You can see the entire list here for updates.
As of now, participating airports include Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal,
Plus, St. John’s, Halifax, Québec City, Ottawa, Toronto-Billy Bishop, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Kelowna, and Victoria.
You should also note that if you exhibit symptoms of illness such as a cough or difficulty breathing, you will be required to leave the checkpoint.
How to Get Through Screening at the Airport
Even standing in line has changed after COVID. While in the queue, you must keep a distance of two metres from other passengers.
Do not hand over your documents to the security official, instead, you must hold on to your own electronic or printed boarding pass or other documents while they are scanned.
If you are flying domestically, all the same rules apply. You will have your temperature checked (if flying out of one of the 15 airports) you will need to wear a face mask, keep your distance, and hold all your documents.
Aviation is an essential service. They have ensured throughout the pandemic that people and goods have gotten to where they need to go.
The CATSA has taken every step possible to ensure air travel happens safely. So when you do start traveling again, you can be confident that every measure is being taken to help you have a safe and happy flight.
You can go to the CATSA website for more information, or you can download their app for Android or iOS.