Ontario woman with vaccine medical exemption denied boarding at Pearson airport


Ashley Da Silva of Vaughan wished to be totally vaccinated however couldn’t for well being causes, however she thought her medical exemption from her physician can be sufficient to permit her to board an airplane.


“I acquired my first dose of the vaccine and I had an allergic response to it, so I acquired an medical exception from my physician for the second," mentioned da Silva.


Da Silva and her boyfriend Liam London are highschool sweethearts who had their promenade cancelled because of the pandemic, so that they determined to e-book a vacation to Mexico.


Da Silva and London paid a complete of $4,310 on their Sunwing trip package deal and confirmed up at Pearson Airport able to board. Da Silva mentioned she thought her physician's notice citing her medical exemption would enable her to board the aircraft.


“I actually did not actually see the issue. I've the exception, I'd present it and we will probably be good to go," mentioned Da Silva.


However Da Silva was instructed she wasn't allowed to board the aircraft and her boyfriend would not go on the journey with out her.


“It is $2,000 every. That’s not good. It is simply so disappointing," mentioned Da Silva.


“Lastly we get to go on trip and we get denied," London added.


Somebody who's unvaccinated could possibly fly with a medical exemption, however there are procedures that have to be intently adopted and the paperwork have to be submitted 30 days upfront of the journey.


Martin Firestone, the President of Journey Safe Inc. mentioned, "the airline has a type you are taking to your physician and your physician completes the the reason why you might have the medical exemption. You then submit it to the airline and so they want three weeks approval time to get this performed."


When CTV Information Toronto reached out to Sunwing a spokesperson mentioned, “with respect to vaccination exemptions, we comply with rules set forth by Transport Canada. Purposes are thought of on a case-by-case foundation, and Sunwing Airways prospects looking for exemption requests for upcoming journey should full our required type and submit the request to our Particular Providers Division three weeks earlier than their departure date.”


“Because the prescribed exemption course of was not adopted on this buyer’s case, and our frontline airport workers are unable to evaluate particular person requests or problem exemptions, the client’s boarding was sadly denied. Ought to the client want to focus on the explanation for denied boarding in better element, present suggestions on their expertise or specific their issues, an internet request might be submitted by way of Sunwingcares.ca and a buyer relations consultant will probably be in contact straight.”


In response to the federal authorities, 82 per cent of the Canadian inhabitants has been totally vaccinated towards COVID-19, which means roughly 5 million Canadians usually are not in a position to fly.


The Federal Conservatives have been calling on the Liberal authorities in Ottawa to revert to pre-pandemic guidelines and repair ranges for journey and raise the requirement that travellers have to be vaccinated.


Melissa Lantsman, the Conservative Transport Critic and MP for Thornhill instructed CTV Information Toronto, “we nonetheless have about 5 million Canadians who cannot journey. We're outliers relating to the worldwide neighborhood."


The Conservatives put ahead a movement within the Home of Commons immediately to return to pre-pandemic journey guidelines and rules, which might additionally enable Canadians to fly inside Canada, but it surely was defeated.


"It appears vindictive. It appears to be punishing a sure variety of Canadians who do not agree with the federal government," mentioned Lantsman.


In lots of different international locations like the USA, passengers who're unvaccinated are allowed to fly domestically, resembling from New York to Chicago. However in Canada you aren't allowed to fly from Calgary to Toronto in case you’re unvaccinated except you might have a medical exemption and 30 days discover.


Da Silva and London have been hoping to get a journey credit score for his or her journey, however they gained’t and misplaced the $4,310 they paid for his or her journey.

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