Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

Ottawa underestimated pent-up travel demand: MP

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Aug, 2022 03:59 PM
  • Ottawa underestimated pent-up travel demand: MP

CALGARY — A member of Parliament says Ottawa may have underestimated Canadians' desire to travel when planning for a return to normal following the end of most pandemic restrictions.

Airlines and airports have been grappling with a surge in customers this summer, compounded by staffing shortages affecting both carriers and federal agencies.

As a result, travellers have experienced widespread flight cancellations, baggage delays and lengthy lineups, particularly at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

Last month, due to a glitch, the ArriveCan app instructed about 10,200 travellers to quarantine for 10 days when they didn't have to.

Annie Koutrakis, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of transport, told reporters in Calgary on Tuesday that planning for a return to normal fell a bit short.

"We did anticipate. Yes, the planning did start. What we underestimated unfortunately was the desire to which everyone wanted to travel and everyone wanted to travel at the same time," Koutrakis said.

"The data shows us that we were not anticipating everybody to start travelling to the degree that they did. It's not like we were waiting and not planning behind the scenes to be ready for it. It's just more could have been done."

Koutrakis said this is the first time the government has gone through a pandemic like COVID-19 and there are lessons to be learned.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra was grilled about the delays at a House of Commons committee last week.

Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman asked him if the federal government bears any responsibility and Alghabra replied: "I blame it on COVID." He pointed to labour shortages as the primary contributor to the delays.

Koutrakis said data indicates that abandoning the ArriveCan app would increase delays and bottlenecks and removing the mask mandate would not reduce wait times.

Koutrakis announced nearly $2 million to help the Calgary International Airport improve current and future flight scheduling and connection times between flights, as well as establish dedicated corridors to enable physical distancing.

There were no representatives from any of the airlines at the announcement. But Bob Sartor, the president and CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority, said the carriers are suffering through the same problems in hiring enough staff.

"The reality is, they are facing to a greater extent issues that we face at YYC and that is the need for additional staffing. They did what we did as an airport and they reduced significantly their staffing during the pandemic," Sartor said.

Sartor said recertifying pilots and getting staff security clearances can take months to complete.

"Sometimes it can be two or three months .… There are some things that have to happen, and one of the things is we need to get pilots certified. We need to get more staff like the air carriers do," Sartor said.

"If we ever have one of these Black Swan events — and I pray we do not — we need a consolidated aviation sector restart plan."

MORE National ARTICLES

Inflation slows to 7.6% in July as gas prices fall

Inflation slows to 7.6% in July as gas prices fall
The inflation rate hit a nearly 40-year-high of 8.1 per cent in June, but economists were widely expecting inflation to have since slowed. In its latest consumer price index report, Statistics Canada said the July saw the smallest monthly gains since December 2021.

Inflation slows to 7.6% in July as gas prices fall

Man shot and killed in police engagement in Kamloops, case of child abduction

Man shot and killed in police engagement in Kamloops, case of child abduction
After 3 a.m., the male suspect then reportedly exited the trailer with a weapon and a child. During the engagement with officers, the man was shot and killed. The child was uninjured and a woman was subsequently located with non-life injuries inside the trailer.  

Man shot and killed in police engagement in Kamloops, case of child abduction

Sunken boat's fuel stirs fear for B.C. orcas

Sunken boat's fuel stirs fear for B.C. orcas
Peter Ross, a senior scientist with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, said the vessel sank in an important feeding area for endangered southern resident killer whales. It will be a race against time to clean up the spill, he said. 

Sunken boat's fuel stirs fear for B.C. orcas

Sunday morning South Surrey shooting leaves bullet holes in residence, burnt vehicle located

Sunday morning South Surrey shooting leaves bullet holes in residence, burnt vehicle located
In the early morning hours on Sunday, August 14th,  at 12:38 a.m., Surrey RCMP received a report of shots fired at a residence with a vehicle heard speeding away in the 2600-block of 176Street. Officers attended the scene of the shooting and spoke with a homeowner who located bullet holes in the exterior of their residence. No one was reported injured as a result of this shooting.

Sunday morning South Surrey shooting leaves bullet holes in residence, burnt vehicle located

Terrace RCMP need the public's help in finding missing woman Jaswinder Taggar

Terrace RCMP need the public's help in finding missing woman Jaswinder Taggar
Taggar was last seen on the morning of July 17, 2022, in the family home and appeared to be in good health at the time. It is believed that she is without her wallet, cell phone, and ID. The family reports that this is very out of character and is concerned for her well-being.

Terrace RCMP need the public's help in finding missing woman Jaswinder Taggar

Public service workers in B.C. to begin job action

Public service workers in B.C. to begin job action
The union, which represents about 33,000 public-service workers across B.C., issued strike notice Friday and is to be in a legal strike position by this afternoon. It says picket lines will go up at 3:30 p.m., outside liquor distribution centres in Delta, Richmond and Kamloops, as well as the wholesale customer centre in Victoria.

Public service workers in B.C. to begin job action