Tourism and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar. Photo: Donavan McIntosh
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar indicated that after speaking to Air Canada’s senior vice president yesterday it appears flights from Canada won’t be resuming at least for another 30 days.
In February, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the country’s main airlines (Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing) were cancelling all services to Caribbean destinations and Mexico — so called “sun destinations” — until April 30.
Mr D’Aguilar’s revelation yesterday, just days away from the anticipated flight resumption date, is another blow to The Bahamas’ struggling tourism industry.
Mr D’Aguilar also questioned why Canada’s ban on the Caribbean region continues while none was applied to their neighbours to the south, the United States.
“It seems as if the flights from Canada won’t be resuming at least for another 30 days, but you know we find it odd that the Canadians would ban flights to the Caribbean and not ban flights to the United States and the United States, as I’ve said from a COVID standpoint, is in a far worse position than the Caribbean,” Mr D’Aguilar said.
“So something is going on there that we don’t quite understand. So what Canadians are doing is simply flying to the United States and getting on to a connected flight to The Bahamas.”
US Homeland Security tweeted on April 20 that the United States is continuing restrictions on non-essential travel at the land borders through May 21 to “deter the spread of COVID-19” and “protect our citizens”.
Another tweet read: “We are guided by science and public health data and engaged in discussions with Canada and Mexico about easing restrictions as health conditions improve.”
Since March 2020, the Canada-US land border has been closed for nonessential travel. Canada is currently grappling with COVID cases. According to Reuters, the country’s province Ontario, has “expanded and extended a stay-at-home order”.
As for flights from the UK, the minister said he thinks those flights will not resume until “probably a little bit later”.
“I mean British Airways has mentioned dates... repeatedly and been unable to meet those dates,” he said.
“Remember now, our flight is tied in with Cayman and Cayman presently is, I think, still banning all visitors to their country. So until that flight — London, Nassau, Cayman — can resume we’re kind of in a hiatus.”
Comments
TalRussell 3 years ago
Well, comrades, you've just caught a glimpse of another country's leader, delivering a major by Zoom, No Tourist Visitation by We Citizens, Bum Spankin' to we realm's substantive tourists, cruise ships, and planes minister...., Well, isn't Dioniso James, the House-seated MP for Montagu, not somethin' special, yes?
carltonr61 3 years ago
Suppose Canada elites made one of those non refundable down payments for profits but the sheep refuse the vaccination.
becks 3 years ago
The honourable minister says "So something is going on there that we don’t quite understand...". Really???? I guess the minister has to be diplomatic and can't really call out the 800lb. gorilla in the room.
Alan1 3 years ago
Canadians could not comply with the harsh entry rules. Most could not find places to get a Covid19 PCR test. All health care is under provincial governments. Healthy people trying to get such tests for travel is a very low priority. Then they had to wait at least two days for test results. Then they had to scan all the forms for the Health Visa and not be sure when permission would be forthcoming. All these hassles had to be coordinated with flights which were down from daily from Toronto to once weekly. Most people also just could not be bothered. When flights did operate for a few months there were very few passengers. Canadian travel agents apparently have given up on The Bahamas as it is just too hard to gain entry. Agents were sending customers elsewhere.Now for the past few months all flights are cancelled. All Canadians who do travel must on their return quarantine at a hotel with a $1400 charge for three nights and also have tests for their return as well. So why be bothered going to Nassau. Our harsh rules when flights operated destroyed the reliable Canadian market and it is highly unlikely it will return anytime soon . Whoever designed these unworkable rules never thought whether visitors would go through all the hassles just to visit The Bahamas. They haven't !.
becks 3 years ago
And yet flights between Nassau and Toronto were full during the months leading up to the withdrawl of flights in January. Granted once Canada put the idiotic and useless 3-day hotel quarantine policy in place the airlines realized what business was available between the islands,mexico and Canada was effectivly dead for the forseeable future.
ohdrap4 3 years ago
Minnis will not be re-elected. DAguilar will be the next prime minister.
tribanon 3 years ago
You've just won the joke of the day award as regards D'Aguilar. LMAO
carltonr61 3 years ago
India gangster Modi will have wave after wave after wave of Covid infections ass long as big pharma has money to make. Canada is a rich country and its people can outlast their ganster vaccine gambler.
John 3 years ago
Joe Biden agrees to allow additional (legal) migrants from the Caribbean and Africa to enter the United States and become permanent residents and also agrees to grant extensions to temporary migrants (Mexicans) during the crop seasons. A definite chip at Trump’s great, big wall.
Proguing 3 years ago
Yep, all the pro-Biden Bahamians should ask for more Haitian immigrants to be in accordance with their hero
John 3 years ago
Haitians are humans. They help end slavery so CYC
JokeyJack 3 years ago
There is a lot going on inside Canada that is not being reported. The borders are shut for a reason. Canadians returning to Canada are being
Sickened 3 years ago
I hope they put some direct flights back on because there are plenty of bahamian students up in Canada that would like to get home in early June.
proudloudandfnm 3 years ago
My family flew thru Miami...
ohdrap4 3 years ago
You can only fly through a 3rd country to the US if you have US visa.
So Bahamians in Canada without a Visa have a problem.
proudloudandfnm 3 years ago
True.
ColumbusPillow 3 years ago
This Canadian decries the utter incompetence of Canada's government in procuring sufficient vaccines for its citizens, resulting in a lot of Canadians dying needlessly. Lots more have suffered greatly. Bahamian tourist policy is blameless in this regard. Bahamas is destination #1 for many,many Canadians.
TalRussell 3 years ago
Comrade Dioniso James plays a substantive role in the same group of officials who keep reminding us and the world, that yes, it's still better in the realm of 1200 Out islands, Cays, and Rocks..., that things are much safer than the Canadian and American governments are advising against their citizens traveling to - because they rated us at the highest possible COVID Level 4 of countries that must be travel avoided.
Why aren't the same officials, not spending their time on correcting what needs correcting, so as to avoid being placed onto future do not travel lists, which are deadly costly to tourism operators and tourist industry workers, yes?
Neither do the countries think well about the way we police the local spots, where their citizens are visiting during a vacationing stay, yes?
ohdrap4 3 years ago
" Why aren't the same officials, not spending their time on correcting what needs correcting, so as to avoid being placed onto future do not travel lists"
Ah, the new normal has brought about the new blacklisting which is way more effective than the previous ones. They want a vaccine passport, but that cannot be implemented until the vaccines are sorted out.
carltonr61 3 years ago
For vaccine sceptic herd intelligent nations like the Bahamas the CDC is being used as our slave master either we comply with big pharma and be vaccinated so that someone here makes millions, by a 7 month old creation with no animal trials or the CDC will continue to whip us severely through heartless tourism blackmail until we are lynched by this government. Covax vaccine are not free as someone or gov paid for them only thing is our native whipping leaders may be profiting so they have to coerse, force and starve. Pompey slave died long ago for disobeying masters. Now it is our turn to obey or loose job. Disgusting what this government is enforcing on Haiti but not in the name of Bahamians. Big fish eat small fish mentality. Get vaccinated to save a friend. Get vaccinated to save your job. Close foodstores to save lives. Get vaccinated or face the firing squard. There is no end to this lunacy new normal of company owners owning our bodies as Wells suggested join the rodeo, after all we the workers are their slaves and cattle to brand with vaccine certificates.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID