The Canadian government announced Friday, June 10, to suspend random COVID tests at airports across the country until the end of June, to reduce the wait times experienced by travelers in recent weeks.
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To reduce the wait times encountered by travellers, passenger tests will be suspended from Saturday, June 11 at Canadian airports. Photo : Belga/VNA/CVN |
These tests carried out on passengers chosen at random upon their arrival in Canada will be interrupted from Saturday June 11 and will resume “off site” on June 1.is July, according to a statement. “We continue to work with airports, air carriers (…) to implement œimplement solutions to reduce delays as the summer peak season approaches“, further specifies the government. Many officials in the aviation sector have risen to the plate in recent weeks against these tests, accused of amplifying the long wait in Canadian airports, already hit by a lack of staff.
In both Toronto and Montreal, it takes an average of several hours for passengers to leave the airport these days. In the country, the labor shortage has worsened and concerns all sectors of activity. On social networks, many passengers have recounted in recent days having waited a long time in their plane stopped on the tarmac before being allowed to disembark, but also having suffered very long queues when checking their baggage.
The country’s main airline, Air Canada, has admitted to being affected by these problems. “Extended delays in security and customs processing, including at Toronto’s Pearson airport, have forced airlines to cancel flights,” admitted Peter Fitzpatrick, spokesperson for Air Canada, in the Canadian press.
The government has promised to continue hiring screening officers at airports – 865 people have joined the ranks of air transport security since April, the statement said.
APS/VNA/CVN
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