Ottawa airport to resume international flights Oct. 31
International flights will resume at the Ottawa airport next weekend for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic brought travel to a halt.
Flair Airlines is resuming non-stop flights to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Oct. 31 and Orlando on Nov. 1. As well, United Airlines is resuming flights to Washington Dulles starting Nov. 1.
It’s the start of a gradual resumption in international flights to and from Ottawa. WestJet is resuming Cancun flights. WestJet is resuming service to Cancun on Nov. 13.
Sunwing also plans to add flights to warm destinations early next month. Those flights will initially stop in Montreal or Toronto, but will be non-stop service by mid-November.
Air Canada’s first flight to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. is at the beginning of December, with more locations in the U.S. and Caribbean added as the holiday season approaches. Air Transat is adding flights to Caribbean destinations by the end of November.
The return of air travel beyond Canada is welcome news for the airport, which has taken a huge financial hit because of the reduction in air travel during the pandemic.
About 125,000 passengers passed through the Ottawa airport in September, about 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels for that month. It’s a big improvement from early in the pandemic, when passenger traffic was as low as 10 per cent of normal numbers.
About 660,000 passengers have used the airport so far this year. Airport officials hope an increase in air travel in the next few months will help them reach the one-million mark by the end of the year.
The airport authority’s CEO estimated early in the pandemic that it could need to borrow $100 million over the next three years to stay afloat.
For much of the pandemic, international flights were only allowed to land at four Canadian airports: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. Those regulations were lifted Aug. 9.
On Thursday, the federal government quietly lifted its advisory against all non-essential travel abroad.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.