Swoop schedule includes destinations outside Canada despite pandemic

CALGARY (NEWS 1130) — Another airline is inviting Canadians to fly to sunny destinations this winter despite the federal government’s advisory to avoid all non-essential travel outside of the country because of COVID-19.

WestJet’s low-cost subsidiary Swoop announced Wednesday it’s restarting operations Oct. 25 at Toronto Pearson and Kelowna international airports and is advertising non-stop service to places such as Cancun, Montego Bay, Orlando, Tampa Bay and Las Vegas.

“Our winter schedule is in response to a growing rebound in travel, as we know travellers are eager to plan their next getaway,” says Charles Duncan, president of Swoop.

“We remain committed as ever to making affordable air travel accessible for Canadians who are looking to reconnect with family and friends over the holidays or are looking for a change in scenery this winter.”

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An advisory from the federal government has been in place since March, urging Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel outside of the country because of the pandemic.

Last month, Air Canada was criticized for promoting “leisure” travel to the U.S., which has seen explosive growth of new cases of COVID-19, with more than six million cases overall and close to 185,000 deaths.

Swoop says it has implemented health and safety measures to ensure safe travel and work environments, including shorter queue wait times and making wearing face masks mandatory for the duration of flights.

“It is time to travel again, and that can be done responsibly and safely,” Duncan adds.

The BC Centre for Disease Control issued COVID-19 exposure warnings for nine flights connected to Metro Vancouver on Saturday, including three involving Swoop.

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