Travel restrictions and quarantines have caused demand to plummet
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WestJet said Thursday it is temporarily suspending flights to four Canadian destinations until June and blamed the government’s “increasingly restrictive” COVID policies for the disruption.
The airline will suspend flights to St. John’s, N.L., London, Ont., and Lloydminster and Medicine Hat, Alta., between March 19 and June 24, 2021.
“We have continued to operate in the face of uncertainty as domestic and international travel restrictions and quarantines have caused demand to plummet,” said Ed Sims, WestJet chief executive. “Unfortunately, with new and increasingly restrictive policies, we are left once again, with no other option than to suspend service to these communities.”
Flights between St. John’s and Halifax will be suspended on March 21, while service between London, Ont., and Toronto will cease on March 22. WestJet Link service from Calgary to Lloydminster will end on March 19, and Calgary to Medicine Hat will stop on March 21.
WestJet said it would work with third-party service providers for connecting flights to the four destinations. Customers affected by the suspensions would be contacted.
The airline’s operation are down 90 per cent from a year ago because of the pandemic.
“Our ability to return to markets remains directly correlated to government policies and the prioritization of a domestic travel program,” said Sims. “As we look ahead to contributing to the economic recovery of Canada, the relationship between testing and quarantine must evolve based on data and science.”
