WestJet’s Caribbean Return

[RNCollins]

WestJet’s Caribbean Return

From Jamaica to Cancun, WestJet Is Returning to the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal

Canadian leisure carrier WestJet is returning to the Caribbean in October with routes like Jamaica and Cancun, Caribbean Journal has learned.

www.caribjournal.com

 

[CanuckTravlr]

This is potentially good news for anyone in Canada wanting to travel to the Caribbean this fall or winter, although they will still face a 14-day quarantine upon their return to Canada, unless the government suspends the Quarantine Act. It will be interesting to see how many Canadians will actually want to get on an airplane for 3 to 5 hours while the pandemic still rages. That, combined with the ability to get the Covid tests some islands are requiring, may be the bigger factors affecting travel in the near future.

Flights to many of these destinations were suspended originally because everyone here was in lockdown and no one was travelling anywhere, unless it was essential. Plus, many of the Caribbean countries themselves shut down anyone being able to travel TO their countries. Finally, I'm not sure where the magazine came up with the characterization of WestJet as a "leisure" carrier, since that is definitely a misnomer.

WestJet is one of our two mainline airlines; the other being Air Canada. It started as a "discount" airline, but rates today between WestJet and Air Canada are often fairly comparable. It does have a subsidiary called WestJet Vacations that offers leisure travel packages, but it still uses WestJet aircraft. This is no different than someone flying on an Air Canada flight arranged by Air Canada Vacations.

Both airlines may offer some seasonal, leisure routes, or increase flights and capacity to certain, seasonal or leisure-focused destinations at peak times, but neither airline could be considered as a "leisure" carrier. Sunwing Airlines and Air Transat are the two primary, international charter or leisure carriers based in Canada.

 

[pharmacistking]

The quarantine is a deal breaker for me. I believe for most. However I can't see the Canadian airlines rebound from covid-19 problems without it being lifted. I think massive testing is the key . Prior to departure and at arrival with rapid results. Hopefully our government and the industry can put this in place before year's end... I can still dream

 

[jpfordz]

The quarantine is a deal breaker for me. I believe for most. However I can't see the Canadian airlines rebound from covid-19 problems without it being lifted. I think massive testing is the key . Prior to departure and at arrival with rapid results. Hopefully our government and the industry can put this in place before year's end... I can still dream

I would think it's going to have to be championed by the airlines. Government will only go by the will of the people and the sentiment right now is to keep the border closed and the quarantine in place.

 

[bizaro86]

I really think it would make sense to have some sort of middle ground. 14 days is punitive. If you were in isolation for 4 days, then had a negative result covid test, that seems to offer the same protection to the public while being less onerous.

 

[jabberwocky]

There is a pilot project being run in at least two airports in Canada to see how effective rapid testing is.

Given the speed at which we’ve approved other rapid tests in this country I’m not expecting much.

 

[bizaro86]

There is a pilot project being run in at least two airports in Canada to see how effective rapid testing is.

Given the speed at which we’ve approved other rapid tests in this country I’m not expecting much.

That would be even better, although I'm not sure if the rapid tests are accurate enough?

Although, I think the logical end state goal is to have everyone who had covid self isolating, and nobody else isolating. So even a mostly-accurate rapid test would be very helpful for that.

 

[jabberwocky]

That would be even better, although I'm not sure if the rapid tests are accurate enough?

Although, I think the logical end state goal is to have everyone who had covid self isolating, and nobody else isolating. So even a mostly-accurate rapid test would be very helpful for that.

I think the accuracy rate is what they are trying to figure out with the trials. A couple people I’ve spoken to figure they will hit about 85% accuracy (for the nerds out there this is specificity). Which isn’t too bad considering the technology is essentially the same they are using at physicians offices to rapidly diagnose flu.

I think if they could do two rapid tests. One on departure and the other at arrival, that would increase the accuracy to around 97.75%. To put this in context during normal times around 25,000 people pass through the Calgary airport per day. If 1% have it (probably an overestimate since they are also screening for symptoms) then that means around 5-6 people per day might slip through out of 25,000 passengers.

If you also required a follow up test 4 days after, you would effectively be able to identify everyone who has it in theory. Those who have it are required to isolate. Those that don’t can continue as normal.