Saskatoon airport authority welcomes new Canadian vaccine passports

With the announcement that international vaccine passports are coming to Canada, Saskatoon’s airport authority is advising passengers to do their research and arrive early for their flights.

CJ Dushinski, vice-president of business development and service quality for SkyXE Saskatoon Airport, says she always advises travellers to arrive early for their flights.

“If you’re really unsure or you haven’t travelled in a while, absolutely make sure that you’re arriving at least two hours prior to your flight,” she said. “Give yourself even a bit longer if you’re a little bit nervous or unsure.”

The new vaccine passports, which will be a more universal passport for travel across Canada and internationally, will be required at two points during the travel process, Dushinski said.

Passengers will likely be required to attest they have full vaccination status when they obtain their ticket or boarding pass, either online or through a check-in kiosk, and again as part of the boarding process.

But Dushinski said the airport authority will not be in charge of the implementation of the new vaccine passport system or validating them as part of the boarding process. Instead, individual airlines and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) will likely be responsible for ensuring air travellers are fully vaccinated before boarding a flight.

“You would attest that you have had it and then there would be a follow-up check to ensure that is an accurate statement,” Dushinksi said.

The exact process, including when passengers will have to show their physical proof of vaccination, are still being figured out.

Vaccine passports have already been implemented for international flights in Saskatchewan airports. Dushinksi believes the process will remain fairly straightforward for passengers as domestic flights are added to this, adding the airport authority is “looking forward to (the vaccine passports) being rolled out.”

She noted each country and sometimes regions within will have their own requirements around travel eligibility, including vaccine passports. Dushinski said passengers should do their own research around what travellers will need to reach their destination.