Travellers heading to India from Canada will be subject to increased security screening under new measures just implemented.
According to an Air Canada spokesperson, Transport Canada has introduced additional requirements for those travelling by air to India.
The enhanced security screening measures have already been implemented. Passengers flying from Toronto have reported the change in recent days.
Toronto Pearson International Airport issued a post via their social media account. It advises international passengers of longer than usual wait times for pre-boarding screening. It remains unclear whether this is directly linked to the new measures for passengers to Indian destinations.
Imposition of Additional Security Screening
The Canadian Transport Minister Anita Anand issued a statement on Monday evening 18 November 2024. Minister Anand confirmed that her department has implemented “temporary additional security screening measures”. Transport Canada introduced the new measures out of “an abundance of caution.”
According to a news report by the Hindustan Times, Air India shared a notification sent to passengers bound for Indian destinations over the weekend. The notification read: “Due to heightened security mandates by Transport Canada for all passengers travelling to India. Security wait times are expected to be longer than anticipated for your upcoming flight.”
The airline made a recommendation to those travellers to arrive four hours prior to their flight’s intended departure. Air Canada confirmed that it was complying with the additional requirements placed upon Indian travel by Transport Canada.
Reason for Increased Measures Unconfirmed
The new enhanced security measures comes in the wake of an extended period of bomb threats made against Indian domestic and international passenger flights. The statement issued yesterday by the Canadian Transport Minister did not make any reference to these incidents.
Last year’s assassination of a Sikh separatist in Canada resulted in a diplomatic rift between the two nations.
The enhanced security measures for flights from Canada to India are likely related to the recent diplomatic rift between the two countries. Allegations of Indian government involvement in the assassination of a Canadian Sikh leader sparked this rift. The additional security measures may be a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of flights and passengers. However, Transport Canada has not officially confirmed the exact reasons for the increased security screening.
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