Lunar New 12 months journey to and from China faces few flights, new necessities

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Households hoping to reunite in Metro Vancouver or in China for Lunar New 12 months face a dampening to their plans not solely attributable to new COVID-19 testing necessities, but in addition as a result of there are few flights, say journey brokers.

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Beginning on Jan. 5, passengers flying to Canada from Hong Kong, Macau and different cities in mainland China should present a unfavourable COVID-19 take a look at end result, taken inside two days of departure, to their airline.

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It comes as a sudden lifting of strict measures in December has led to a steep rise of COVID-19 instances in China. On the similar time, China has this week ended its requirement for returning travellers to quarantine, making it simpler for its residents to go overseas for the primary time because the begin of the pandemic in 2020.

The requirement by the Public Well being Company of Canada for travellers from Hong Kong and elsewhere in China to offer a unfavourable take a look at will probably be in place for 30 days and consists of the interval round Lunar New 12 months, which this 12 months begins on Jan. 22.

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Different international locations together with the U.S., Japan, South Korea, France, Spain, Italy, India, Israel and Australia have put in related necessities, citing the restricted availability of epidemiological and different information in regards to the surge of instances in China.

Along with this, there are nonetheless not many flights to and from Vancouver, so the fares will be very costly, mentioned Marian Lam of JBC Journey Canada.

Some return tickets are rising from $2,800 to above $3,000 and better, mentioned Glynnis Chan of Completely satisfied Instances Journey and Tour Ltd.

Whereas there are two airways working a number of flights a day from Hong Kong to Vancouver, Chan mentioned most airways with flights to Vancouver from different cities corresponding to Beijing and Shanghai are solely working them as soon as every week.

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It means individuals seeking to rejoice Lunar New 12 months with members of the family may plan to satisfy in different locations which can be simpler to succeed in, mentioned Lam.

“Households may select to fly from Beijing and Vancouver and meet in Bangkok or Singapore. It may very well be cheaper and be a superb vacation spot for everybody.”

Nonetheless, they may nonetheless want to remain on prime of adjusting necessities for a few of these different locations which have historically been extremely popular for Lunar New 12 months journey.

On Saturday, Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority mentioned it is going to beginning this week require all worldwide travellers to show they’re absolutely vaccinated or present a letter certifying they’ve recovered from COVID inside the final six months.

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