days until our Collective Agreement expires, we are preparing, we are united and we will make change.

Coronavirus Update 33

As you all know there have been many changes regarding hotels and testing with the current COVID situation.

We understand that getting information while on reassignment, reserve or in general can be somewhat challenging so we wanted to highlight the more prominent destinations:

Hong Kong (HKG)
All crew who are awarded an HKG flight will be scheduled by Crew Scheduling to have a COVID-19 test completed 48 hours prior to their YYZ/YVR-HKG departure. Crew will be contacted by Crew Scheduling and advised of the testing appointment time. The appointment will take approximately 15 min. All affected crew will receive 3 hours pay for the testing.

All cabin crew must now receive a negative result from their nasal and throat swab test prior to departure from HKG.

Travel from or through United Kingdom in the last 21 days is not permitted
• Any crew or customers who are coming from or have passed through the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the last 21 days are not permitted to enter Hong Kong
• If you operated a flight to/from LHR in the last 21 days, you’ll be removed from your HKG pairing, pay-protected and subject to reassignment.

This destination does offer you the ability to “OPT OUT”.  To do so, please contact crew scheduling, you will be released from the pairing and able to do makeup or voluntary extension.

Doha (DOH)
Due to local regulations, please be advised that airline crew are currently not permitted to enter the country. During this time, crew will be accommodated at the in-terminal, airside hotel during layovers.  The hotel is located airside within walking distance to the gates, so crew will not be required to clear customs and immigration to check in. You will also not be subject to submit to a COVID-19 test upon arrival or present arrival documents.  Once checked in, there are no self-quarantine measures in place at the hotel, so you’ll be able to walk around the facilities and terminal, and take advantage of the amenities, such as the gym and pool, with limited capacity and physical distancing measures.  This destination does not offer you the ability to “OPT OUT”.

Sao Paulo (GRU)
Crew and Customers must present the following to airport agents before boarding :

  – Medical Certificate of COVID-19 RT-PCR Test

  • The certificate must demonstrate a negative/non-reactive/undetected result from a RT-PCR COVID-19 test.
  • The test must be conducted 72 hours prior to departure of the flight to Brazil.

If you’ve already been awarded a YYZ-GRU pairing for January and do not wish to do a COVID-19 test, you have the option to be made unavailable for duty with no fault (519) and have the opportunity for makeup. When submitting your bids for February, if you are awarded a GRU flight, you’ll be expected to operate as per normal protocol.

London (LHR)
Effective December 23, please be advised that all layovers for crew operating outbound flights to London (LHR) from Toronto (YYZ) will be relocated to the airport location, regardless of pairing length, in accordance with updated travel regulations. Additionally, all crew are required to self-isolate in the hotel room upon arrival for the duration of the layover.

Until further notice, all layovers in LHR will be accommodated by:

Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel
Bath Road, Hounslow TW6 2AQ

Seoul (ICN)
The Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) has mandated that crew members remain within the hotel’s property while on layover. To ensure the safety, comfort, and security of our crews, layovers in Seoul (ICN) starting December 21, 2020 will be accommodated at:

Grand Hyatt Incheon
208 Yeongjonghaeannam-Ro,
321 Baekbeom-ro 910 beon-gil, Jung-gu,
Incheon, South Korea

Shanghai/Vancouver to Seoul – All crew members must complete the following 2 forms prior to arrival in Seoul (ICN).
1. Health Declaration Form
2. Special Quarantine Declaration on the Self Diagnosis Mobile App

Seoul to Shanghai – Crew members are not required to complete the Entry & Exit Health Declaration for PVG. PVG staff will meet crew on arrival of each flight and be available to assist with any documentation should the need arise.

As there are updates, we will attempt to get you the information you need, however, please always feel free to reach out to your local management or crew scheduling on any of the above or new COVID processes that may come into effect.

Be safe, and please continue to report your concerns through  Crew Care and the Health and Safety Reporting tools available.

In solidarity,