According to the World Health Organization (WHO), coronavirus is a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as MERS and SARS. Earlier this year, confirmed cases of a new strain were detected in passengers travelling from China. We are monitoring the situation closely.
The safety of our travellers, crew and aircraft is always Swoop’s top priority and we are committed to providing a safe travel and work environment. Should a traveller present ill or fall ill during travel, our frontline teams and crews are trained to handle multiple scenarios and situations that can arise on the ground or onboard our aircraft and have access to real-time support of physicians when requested.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has instituted new security measures in respect to the virus. Beginning March 2, 2020, all flights into the U.S. will implement arrival restrictions for travellers who have recently travelled in the People’s Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), Europe, and Iran within the last 14 days. This applies to all last points of departure to the U.S. (including Puerto Rico).
All travellers on Swoop flights departing to the U.S. will be asked if they have travelled to China, Europe or Iran in the last 14 days, relative to their date of departure for the U.S. Swoop representatives will be on hand with further details and to assist travellers with any questions or concerns.
Effective March 18th, The Government of Canada has imposed travel restrictions for all flights entering Canada to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Any foreign individual, who has been present outside of Canada or the United States in the last 14 days will be prohibited entry and will be denied boarding. This does not apply to Canadian Citizens, Canadian Permanent Residents, Immediate Family Members and certain exempt persons, so long as no person is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
Due to new entry restrictions imposed by the Canadian Government, only Canadians, U.S. citizens, Permanent Residents, and the direct family of Canadians or Permanent Residents can travel to Canada. Only travellers with a Canadian passport, Canadian PR, or U.S. passport will be able to check in through automated channels. The direct family of Canadians or Permanent Residents that have a foreign passport will need to be checked in at the airport by an agent.
In accordance with the mutual agreement between Canada and the United States to limit non-essential travel, and in an ongoing effort to contain the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-essential travel will be restricted between Canada and the United States. These new restrictions prohibit any foreign national, including United States nationals, from entering Canada for optional or discretionary purposes.
Non-essential travel includes, but is not limited to: tourism, recreation, shopping for non-essential goods, and/or sight-seeing.
The restriction comes into effect at 00:01 (AM) EDT on March 21, 2020, and ends at 12:00PM (Noon) EDT on April 21, 2020 .
Beginning on Sunday, March 22, 2020, at 11:59 p.m., we will suspend all our international and transborder flights. This suspension follows Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement imposing travel restrictions for all flights entering Canada to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The suspension will be in place until May 31, 2020.
On Monday, March 23, 2020, we will start repatriation flights for all our Swoop travellers. Currently, we have arranged 13 flights over 3 days to bring the more than 2,300 travellers home.
We will be providing regular updates on all our channels and are reaching out directly to these impacted travellers via email with more specific information.
Travellers booked on flights between Canada and the United States, Mexico and Jamaica, scheduled to operate from March 14 - May 31, 2020, have been contacted directly by email with instructions on how to cancel for Swoop Credit. Canadians still in the United States, Mexico and Jamaica after Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. will be contacted regarding repatriation flights.
For more information, please visit this page.
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