Skip to content
Join our Newsletter
  1. Home
  2. Local News

BCCDC identifies 19 new Vancouver flights for possible COVID-19 exposure

Any travellers returning to B.C. are encouraged to check the public health agency's website for updates about flights identified for the risk of exposure.
Elana Shepert
Elana Shepert
vancouver-international-airport-new
The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is warning airline passengers they may have been exposed to COVID-19 on multiple recent Vancouver flights.  Photo: yvrairport / Instagram

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is warning airline passengers they may have been exposed to COVID-19 on multiple recent Vancouver flights. 

On Monday, Nov. 9, Vancouver Is Awesome shared five new Vancouver flights that were added to the list of potential COVID-19 public exposures.

Since then, the following 19 new flights have been added to the BCCDC's list of affected flights:

  • Oct 22: Lufthansa 492, Frankfurt to Vancouver (Rows 22 - 27)
  • Oct 27, Air Canada 226, Vancouver to Calgary (Rows 1 -7)
  • Oct 27, Air Canada 855, London to Vancouver  (Rows 20 - 26)
  • Oct 28, WestJet 164, Vancouver to Edmonton (Rows 17 - 23)
  • Oct 29: Air Canada/Jazz 8084, Seattle to Vancouver (Rows 
  • Oct 30: Air Canada 114, Vancouver to Toronto (Rows 43.- 49)
  • Oct 30: Aeromexico 696, Mexico City to Vancouver (Rows 13 - 19)
  • Oct 30: Air Canada Flight 25, Vancouver to Incheon (Rows 50 - 55)
  • Oct 31, Alaska Airlines 3304, Seattle to Vancouver (Rows 18 - 21)
  • Nov 1, Air Canada 314, Vancouver to Montreal (Not reported)
  • Nov 2, WestJet 711, Toronto to Vancouver (Rows 14 - 20)
  • Nov 2: Flair 8157, Toronto to Vancouver (Rows 29 - 32)
  • Nov 3, Air Canada 305, Montreal to Vancouver (Not reported)
  • Nov 3: Air Canada 8418, Vancouver to Kelowna (Rows 1 - 7)
  • Nov 3: WestJet 706, Vancouver to Toronto (Rows 25 - 29)
  • Nov 4: United Airlines 1641, Denver to Vancouver (Rows 22 - 27)
  • Nov 4, Air Canada 106, Vancouver to Toronto (Rows 25 - 29)
  • Nov 4, Air Canada 123, Toronto to Vancouver (Rows 31 - 35)
  • Nov 5: WestJet 0129, Calgary to Vancouver (Rows 4 - 10)

Any travellers returning to B.C. are encouraged to check the public health agency's website for updates about flights identified for the risk of exposure. Those travelling from outside of Canada, meanwhile, must arrive prepared with a 14-day self-isolation plan. 

The country's two largest airlines ended their onboard seat distancing policies on July 1, raising health concerns amid a pandemic that has devastated the travel industry.

On social media, a few people ask why airlines are permitted to ignore physical distancing protocol while other businesses must adhere to them; others simply say they won't travel with airlines that don't have distancing policies in place. 

Currently, the Government of Canada states that you should avoid all travel outside of the country until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a global travel advisory, the government notes that "This advisory overrides other risk levels on this page, with the exception of any risk levels for countries or regions where we advise to avoid all travel."

With files from The Canadian Press and Lindsay William-Ross.