I see WS is the air operator for Sunwing packages from at least YYC to CUN beginning in January, which is probably why they've upped the metal to a 789 all the way out to April. I think they're also operating YYZ-BON for WG as well. Swoop is flying to PVR/MZT from YEG for WG, and I imagine WS mainline is flying YEG-CUN for them too?

I didn't check YVR yet, but maybe there too?

Also looks like AC has also upped YYC-CUN to a 789 too in January. Nice to see AC pushing back against WS again in YYC.

Canada did this very early in the process when they evacuated Canadians off cruise ships. I believe they do this now for passengers that boarder security is convinced don't have a plan for self isolation.

Australia and Taiwan do this for arriving passengers and air crew. Life is a little bit easier when your on an island and don't have hundred ground crossings with a country 10 times your size.

More importantly, if you're a domestic passenger flying YYZ-YVR, you wouldn't have to worry about whether the person sitting beside you is also a domestic passenger, or someone who just came back from oversea and is heading to 14 days isolation once they arrive at their destination.

The purpose for the isolation is to prevent them from spreading the virus to other people if they unfortunately caught the virus from oversea. But allowing the domestics flight defeat that purpose isn't it?

AC 737 Max8 ferry flight forced to land after engine issue.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cnbc...ine-issue.html

This is what makes me nervous about all the aircraft currently stored when they finally return to service!

I hate to say this, but my cousin broke quarantine when he came here from San Francisco because my uncle was in the hospital and it was critical. He properly quarantined for 5 days I think, and then got the call that my uncle was deteriorating fast, so he went to the hospital to see him, and he died the next day. It was an awful situation and he didn't break quarantine just for fun or to go have drinks, it was the last time he'd see my uncle. And to a hospital enviuronment that is supposed to be sterile, and he was here from a high-case area and hadn't quarantined, and spent a full day in the hospital, so scary he could have brought COVID into there, which would've been devastating. But I would've done the same if it was one of my parents dying, sorry not sorry

But ya, back to the topic. He said there was no enforcement, no calls, the airport barely talked about it when he came thru customs. So he could break quarantine easily, there was no foillow-up. Australia and Taiwan had the right idea. I don't see why that couldn't be done here, aren't the land borders closed anyways, so it's not affecting the #s?

The land boarders are closed to "most traffic". Canada has the principle in place that someone with a Canadian passport can always return to Canada. Trucking and logistics companies can move as normal across the boarder to ensure supply chains are not disrupted. Americans transiting Canada between Alaska and the lower 48 can also cross at the land boarder. There are also some other essential travel also going on.

I’m shocked

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/mobile/fi...firm-1.5245525

I think this will be part of the teething process for bringing the MAX back to service. Airplanes aren't really meant to sit for extended time - even with proper storage - so when they come back into service, all the things that haven't been used for 20 months are going to have some issues.

I suspect the validation, movement and training flights should iron out most of the issues. I also suspect the low demand for flights will prevent too many MAX aircraft from being thrust into service too quickly.

You cant make anyone live out of a hotel at their own expense for 2 weeks. Anyone who thinks thats ok has serious issues.

I'll tell you what, I've just come back from Australia tonight, transiting through LAX. I'd say my risk of Covid was nil coming from Queensland (no cases in months and a closed border to Sydney residents), but I'm almost certain I shared a terminal with countless carriers in Los Angeles. I did my best to avoid people but what can you do until they restart Brisbane-Vancouver flights...

Anyhow, I've booked four nights at an airport hotel before I'm taken home by family. Yes I had to pay but that's the cost of returning to Canada. However, my quarantine ended before it even began with something I haven't heard anyone mention - taxis and limos.

I don't know if I missed something at Pearson, but I had no way of getting to the hotel without entering an airport limo. I'm sure the driver, after dropping me off, returned to take more passengers. Having been in Australia through Covid, where quarantine is taken seriously, it boggles the mind that there remains this gap at the border. Who knows how many foreign-origin Covid cases have been brought in through taxis and limos?

Sorry for the digression, but I now realise firsthand what an abdication of governance there appears to be at our airport borders. It's shocking. The customs queues were great though ;)

South Korea requires all travellers to quarantine like this and everyone seems to be okay with it.

Here in the province of New Brunswick it’s mandatory.

Rest of the country might as well restrict flights from Ontario. :shrug:

--

And I've said this many times before, the 14 day quarantine as it is, is useless when the individual is already mingling with the general public anyways. Someone can arrive at YYZ from Europe, enter the domestic waiting area, eat in a airport restaurant, sit on the same plane as domestic travelers (who aren't required to self-isolate) and then yes, allowed to use public transit / taxis etc to get to where they are isolating.

When I was at YYC in August, I saw some international arrivals meet up with family members and eat together at a airport restaurant.

It's also barely enforced. I'm sure many people who've arrived internationally didn't stay home for the full 14 days.

So either have a quarantine at the point of entry where it can be enforced, and the individuals be tested before leaving and or just do away with it completely.

You absolutely can, for non-residents. Entering Canada is a privilege, not a right.

You would think but that's not true whatsoever. How many times have i seen RCMP officers in Quebec helping people across the US border. Then there was a CBC National news clip early on in the pandemic where they interviewed a bunch of international arriving passengers at YUL. They asked people from Iran, Italy and so on what did the border agents ask and what they were told. Long story short the border guards asked nothing and told them nothing. Trudeau, though, mentioned how vigorous our border agents are. I mean come on we're a sieve compared to Australia.

How people are allowed to fly to Cancun these days is a mystery. Mexico is one of the countries that has fiddled with the case count in their country yet we allow flights there without quarantine on return. Our policy is ask "did you kill this man?" "No, ok i trust you you're free to go".

And for those that say this can't be done. I have relatives in Europe where someone in the neighborhood was visited by police multiple times to ensure he was taking the quarantine seriously. Yet the police here in Alberta say they don't have time to give out tickets. Funny enough vehicle traffic is down at least 50% so what are all these cops doing?

I mean seriously who needs to be flying right now unless you work for Pfizer or Moderna? My company has completely shut down our office in Edmonton since March and i don't see office managers flying in from other cities.

Entering Canada is a privilege but stopping people from coming into Canada is a joke.

To provide more perspective.....

When someone is walking across the Canada/US boarder at an uncontrolled boarder crossing what can the RCMP do? Can they force the person to walk back across into the US? No. Canada can only deport someone back into the US at a legitimate boarder crossing where they are handed over to US authorities.

If you have traveled internationally you would know that the airline screens passengers are the point of departure before they are allowed onto an aircraft heading to Canada. Coming from Iran and Italy you would need to show you could enter Canada before getting on board. Canada has pretty much closed its boarder to non-residents and non-Canadian nationals.

The concern about the boarder people not being more deliberate in reviewing the 14 day isolation plan of anyone entering Canada is a legitimate complaint.

I agree the local police in Alberta should be able to spend more time clacking up on people than they do. That should be a bigger priority than looking for speeder.

Apparently, TS will start YQB-YVR first next summer:

TS968 YQB1845 – 2145YVR 321 7
TS969 YVR0800 – 1605YQB 321 1

https://twitter.com/theaeronetwork/s...93368715853824

Thanks for telling me about that. As a huge fan of Québec city and its airport, it's one of the best (late) Christmas gift we could get!!

Boeing 737 Max returns to American skies with 1st passenger flight
By DAVID KOENIG The Associated Press
Posted December 29, 2020 3:47 pm

American Airlines flew a Boeing 737 Max with paying passengers from Miami to New York on Tuesday, the plane’s first commercial flight in U.S. skies since it was grounded after two deadly crashes.

American flight 718 carried 87 passengers on the 172-seat plane, and the return flight from LaGuardia Airport to Miami International Airport held 151 passengers, according to an airline spokeswoman....

.... American plans to make one round trip a day between Miami and New York with Max jets through Jan. 4 before putting the plane on more routes. United Airlines plans to resume Max flights in February, and Southwest Airlines expects to follow in March.

All three airlines say they will give customers the chance to change flights if they are uncomfortable flying on the Max....

https://globalnews.ca/news/7546503/boeing-737-max-us/

⬆️ Would you fly on it? Do you think Canadian airlines will offer passengers a no fee change?

Certainly I would fly on the MAX. There's been no other new aircraft in recent history that has received anywhere as much scrutiny by all major regulatory agencies.

I have my doubts about Canadian airlines allowing no fee changes. They're less competitive and customer-oriented than US-based ones. The 737 MAX also makes up a greater proportion of their fleets, so they won't have as much operational flexibility to find passengers alternate arrangements.

Now, I could be wrong, but I don't see Air Canada as a long-term user of the 737 MAX. For a few years, yes, but longer term, no. They've continually reduced their orders and retained some of their A320/A321 fleet. Unless Boeing ties some of the MAX compensation to future orders, I would expect Air Canada to go back to Airbus.