“Understanding that many of Canada’s provinces continue battling the challenges posed by the third wave of COVID-19 infections, ALPA Canada acknowledges the federal government’s position that ‘now is not the time to travel.’
“However, with the rapid increase of vaccinations across the country and millions of additional vaccines arriving into Canada each passing week, hope for a return to normalcy appears closer than ever.
“That is why we are calling on the federal government to increase its efforts to work with aviation industry stakeholders, such as ALPA Canada, to further develop an aviation-sector restart plan that will allow for a safe, smooth transition for air travel as demand increases in the months ahead.
“Since the early days of the pandemic, ALPA Canada has called on the government to identify key components of a restart plan that includes the need to identify and scientifically assess key metrics—both for individuals and other jurisdictions—tied to future easing of travel and border restrictions. We need to implement policy that recognizes vaccinated travelers both from Canada and abroad; identify distinct testing and quarantine measures for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers; set out domestic vaccination benchmarks; and align policy with trusted foreign nations to allow for the safest, most efficient travel possible.
“While aviation industry experts expect it will be several more weeks before any restrictions will be lifted, key areas of the aviation sector need more clarity and sufficient time to ensure the successful recall and retraining of tens of thousands of employees. Providing ample time for a smooth transition will lead to a significantly safer and more successful return to air travel, as both passenger and cargo loads return to pre-pandemic levels.
“Now is the time for the government to recognize and tap the vast resources and expertise that exist within groups such as ALPA Canada. In the meantime, we will continue to promote our science-based recommendations and, once again, remind the government that any future negotiated financial assistance agreements with airlines that do not support employees would be considered a failure.”
Tags: ALPA
