View all changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including mandatory vaccination for passengers travelling to Nunavik.
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Travel Information

What to expect when traveling with Air Inuit during COVID

In order to improve safety standards and focus on preventive measures throughout our operations, Air Inuit, following the directives of the Canadian, Quebec and Nunavik authorities, has implemented measures to ensure the security of its passengers. You will therefore notice changes in customer service and in-flight services resulting from these measures.

Since April 11, 2022, the following requirements apply to passengers travelling to Nunavik from the south:

  • Being adequately vaccinated with at least 2 doses of vaccine remain mandatory.
  • You are required to wear a mask to enter the various airports, at security checkpoints, during the boarding process, during the flight and upon landing and disembarking, even if fully vaccinated. You must comply with any instructions given by gate agents, airport security personnel or crew members with respect to wearing the face mask.

All of the details can be found at the NRBHSS web page. 

Proof of vaccination

All passengers aged 12 years and 4 months old and over must present proof of double vaccination in order to board an Air Inuit flight to Nunavik and/or from specified airports (ie: Sept-Îles, LaGrande, Quebec, Montreal, Schefferville if transiting in Sept-Îles). 

  • Proof of vaccination accepted by Transport Canada are limited to certain types of vaccines. 
    • Accepted vaccines
    • A combination of a positive COVID-19 result and 1 dose of the vaccines in the list above is not sufficient to travel. (Except Janssen/Johnson & Johnson, for which 1 dose is sufficient) 
  • The second dose of the vaccine must have been administered at least 14 full days before travel. Meaning that someone who has received their last dose on November 1 is only allowed to travel as of November 16. (November 2 to 15 = 14 full days.)
  • This rule also applies to all charter flights departing from all the airports and FBO terminals in the South.
  • Passengers in transit southbound passing through La Grande airport are exempt from this requirement for the purpose of security screening only, provided they are in possession of their boarding pass from the previous flight.
  • Please note that you could be liable to a monetary penalty if you provide false or misleading documentation or information pertaining to the vaccination requirements.

Alternatives and Exemptions

Passengers who are travelling to a remote community and are not fully vaccinated can, as an alternative, present one of the following:

  • a negative COVID-19 molecular test result taken within 72 hours of the departure time;
  • a positive COVID-19 molecular test result taken at least 10 days but no more than 180 days before the departure time (counting starts the day following the day of testing);
  • a negative COVID-19 antigen test performed or observed by an accredited lab or health care provider no more than one (1) calendar day before the departure.

Passengers can also apply for one of the exemptions listed below. To do so, you must contact us as early at possible by completing the corresponding form and returning it to us via email at airinuit.info@airinuit.com. 

    • Medical Inability to be Vaccinated Exemption Form. To be submitted 21 days prior to your scheduled departure date.
    • Travel for Essential Medical Services and Treatment Exemption Form. To be submitted 14 days prior to your scheduled departure date.
    • The exemption must be preapproved by Air Inuit prior to your departure date. Exemption requests without preapproval will not be accepted at the airport. At time of check-in, you must present the completed form approved by Air Inuit as well as one of the vaccine alternatives listed above.
    • The government has asked air carriers to administer exemption requests from passengers who may be considered for accommodation based on their sincerely held religious beliefs, indicating that requests must be submitted 21 days in advance of travel. We have carefully considered these types of exemption requests and their basis, the interests of all parties involved, and other factors relating to the accommodation of sincere religious beliefs, and do not anticipate being able to accommodate any exemption request on this basis in the present circumstances. However, if you still wish to submit a request or have any questions, please write to airinuit.info@airinuit.com.

Rapid Molecular Tests Available at Specified Airports 

Unvaccinated passengers travelling into remote communities have the opportunity to use a rapid Molecular test (Lucira Check-it Test Kits) available at the specified airports of our Network; Montreal, Quebec City, Sept-Îles and LaGrande. These tests require 30 minutes to return a result and can be presented as an alternative to the vaccination proof required above. The availability of such tests cannot be guaranteed by Air Inuit and should not be relied on if alternative testing options are available. Passengers will be responsible for any costs associated with trip interruption if time does not allow to test everyone who requests them on a specific day. We strongly suggest that you present yourself as early as possible at check-in if you are planning to use this option, tests will be offered on a first come first serve basis and no delay on the flight will be taken to accommodate anyone.

 

Online check-in at Montreal and Quebec City airports is suspended. You will have to go through the check-in counter, where the counter agents will validate your vaccination proof and will ask you a series of questions about your health status.

You could therefore be refused access to our flights if:

  • you have COVID-19 or you had it within the previous 10 days, or you have reasonable grounds to suspect that you have COVID-19 or that you have developed signs and symptoms within the previous 10 days.
  • you exhibit a fever and a cough, or a fever and breathing difficulties, without presenting a medical certificate proving that these symptoms are not related to COVID-19;
  • we have reasons to believe that you could have COVID-19;
  • you have been ordered to quarantine yourself after travel or by a local or provincial medical authority.

During check-in, you will be required to answer specific questions issued by Transport Canada which will determine whether you are authorized to travel. Air Inuit will deny access to any passenger who refuses to answer questions and you should know that providing false or misleading answers could result in a fine of up to $ 5,000.

You will need to confirm that you are in possession of a facemask. This mask will have to be worn at all times from boarding up until you exit the aircraft, except:

  • a) when the safety of the person could be endangered by wearing a mask;
    b) when the person is drinking or eating, unless a crew member instructs the person to wear a mask;
    c) when the person is taking oral medications;
    d) when a gate agent or a crew member authorizes the removal of the mask to address unforeseen circumstances or the person’s special needs; or
    e) when a gate agent, a member of the aerodrome security personnel or a crew member authorizes the removal of the mask to verify the person’s identity.

Please be aware that despite the recent announcements made by the Québec government, masks will continue to be required in all public indoor areas of the Montreal Trudeau Terminal, including the restricted area, as well as on the parking shuttles. 

A mask remains mandatory inside our Montreal FBO terminal as well.  

A facemask means any mask, including a non-medical mask, that meets all of the following requirements:

  • a) it is made of multiple layers of tightly woven materials such as cotton or linen;
    b) it completely covers a person’s nose, mouth and chin without gaping;
    c) it can be secured to a person’s head with ties or ear loops.

The following passengers are exempted from the obligation to wear a mask:

  • a) a child who is less than two years of age;
    b) a child who is at least two years of age but less than six years of age who is unable to tolerate wearing a mask;
    c) a person who provides a medical certificate certifying that they are unable to wear a mask for a medical reason;
    d) a person who is unconscious;
    e) a person who is unable to remove their mask without assistance.

You will need to confirm that you understand that you may be subject to restriction measures taken by the federal, provincial or territorial government at the destination airport of your flight in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, when travelling within Canada.

Although highly recommended, blue procedural masks are no longer compulsory for passengers traveling on our planes. Our airport agents will continue to provide procedural masks for an undetermined period of time at boarding. You will need to ensure that the mask you wear covers your mouth, nose and chin.

Upon boarding, at a respectable distance, gate agents will ask you to lower your mask in order to proceed with passenger identification.

Your mask must be worn for the entire duration of the flight. Some exceptions apply, see the Check-in section of this page for more details

Drink, snack and meal service is reinstated on board.

Newspapers, magazines, pillows and blankets are not distributed on board at this time.

The cabin crew of Dash-8s and B737s wear procedural masks and nitrile gloves throughout the flight. Crews of smaller aircraft (King Air and Twin Otter) wear procedural masks when traveling inside the cabin.

An educational poster, placed into the aircraft seat pockets and displayed in all terminals of our network, reminds you of the sanitary rules to follow.

We continue to emphasize to our internal and external grooming crews to pay particular attention to the cleaning and sanitization of aircraft interior chair tables, armrests, seatbelt buckles, walls, handles and lavatories for those equipped aircraft.

Our crews have access to sanitizing products in case of particular situations, or when they deemed necessary.

As Air Inuit complies with all Health authorities and Transport Canada obligations, seating restrictions have been lifted except for certain particular aircraft types.

In addition, for the health and safety of our employees and other passengers and in accordance with government legislations, we reiterate the importance that all passengers with symptoms related to COVID-19 do NOT travel on Air Inuit flights. ANY PASSENGER THAT WOULD PRESENT SYMPTOMS RELATED TO COVID-19 WILL BE DENIED CHECK-IN, BOARDING OR WILL BE ADVISED TO DISEMBARK.

We take this opportunity to reiterate some important travel information:

  • Air Inuit’s Zero tolerance policy continues to be enforced by our team.
  • Don’t forget your ID to travel.
  • Be on time! Check-in cut-off times will be enforced to ensure on-time departures.

Consult the COVID page of our website to see all changes related to the pandemic, including specific restrictions applicable to the different regions of our network. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at airinuit.info@airinuit.com or through our reservations department at 1-800 361-2965.

Additionally, the following government sites list the different Directives in place related to travel.