WestJet is optimistic the mandatory hotel quarantine plan will end by May 1, after asking the Federal government to end the controversial program.
In conference call with the media to talk about their restored flights to Quebec and Atlantic Canada, Andrew Gibbons, WestJet's director of government relations, said WestJet would like to expand its international offerings this summer. But he said the removal of the quarantine hotel policy would be an important consideration in that decision.
"The current hotel policy is a deterrent to travel and it's deliberately designed to dampen demand. We have requested that that policy transition as of May 1 to a more traditional regime around testing and reduced quarantine. So that is our request and expectation, quite frankly, of the government, that we successfully transition from that hotel policy on May 1 to allow greater international travel."
Gibbons also said they are looking for policies that can achieve the public health goals of the government but also allow the safe restart of travel and tourism.
"The hotel policy that is in place is not designed to facilitate a safe restart, it is designed to dampen or eliminate travel, that's why we use the term transition."
When asked for details on what new measures that transition would entail, John Weatherill, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer for WestJet, said that the idea of vaccine passports are "absolutely" under discussion with the federal government.
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