Air Canada to Resume Flights to Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia officials happily announced Air Canada will resume service to the island on November 7, 2020. The first flight departs Toronto on the 7th. It is the first flight in almost 8 months since Covid-19 for Air Canada going to the Caribbean. The flight is a nonstop service that operates only on Saturdays for the first month. In December, flights will return to 3 times a week.
Saint Lucia reopened on June 4, 2020, with strict Covid-19 protocols in place. The island has received 16,000 visits since they reopened. Most of these guests have been international from the United Kingdom and the USA.
The Centers for Diseases Control lowered the Covid-19 rating to Level 1. It is 1 of 8 countries with such a low ranking.
Canadian visitors need to have a negative PCR (polymerized chain reaction) test. The PCR needs to show negative results within 7 days before travel. All visitors will need to go through a pre-arrival registration to help visitors gain entry into St. Lucia. Filing out the form on the Saint Lucia website is a must. Otherwise, visitors will be turned away upon arrival.
Saint Lucia requires screening at the airport to ensure a visitor’s temperature is fine. Anyone who shows symptoms or signs of the illness will be isolated, tested, and quarantined. Any treatment should a passenger test positive will be paid for by the visitor.
The guidelines are to protect island nationals. There are also guidelines for hotels to ensure strict sanitation. Social distancing and luggage sanitization protocols are also in place. Air Canada vacations allow visitors to book hotels and air travel online for an all-inclusive stay.
Current Canadian law requires a 14-day quarantine for returning visitors to Canada, so visitors should be aware if they come from Canada to Saint Lucia, there will be a return trip quarantine requirement.