COVID‑19 Flight Boarding Orders

Summary#

The federal government issued two temporary aviation orders on May 13, 2020 (published in the Canada Gazette on May 23, 2020) to reduce the spread of COVID‑19 on flights. The orders — Interim Order to Prevent Certain Persons from Boarding Flights in Canada due to COVID‑19, No. 5 and Interim Order to Prevent Certain Persons from Boarding Flights to Canada due to COVID‑19, No. 8 — set rules for health checks, face masks, and who can board international flights to Canada.

What it does#

• For flights departing Canadian airports (Order No. 5):

  • Requires operators (airlines and some private operators) to do a short health check of every passenger before boarding. Questions cover fever, cough, and breathing difficulties.
  • Says operators must refuse boarding if a passenger both has a fever and a cough or breathing difficulty, or answers “yes” to certain COVID‑related questions.
  • Imposes a waiting period of 14 days after a refusal to board, unless the passenger provides a medical certificate saying their symptoms are not related to COVID‑19.
  • Requires passengers to have and wear a face mask on board when they are within 2 m of someone who is not a household member.
  • Defines a face mask as a non‑medical covering with at least two layers of tightly woven material (like cotton or linen) that fully covers nose and mouth and can be secured with ties or ear loops.
  • Lists limited exceptions (infants; people with unrelated breathing difficulties; unconscious people; those who cannot remove a mask without help).
  • Lets screening authorities at checkpoints require masks and bar people who refuse from entering restricted/sterile areas.
  • Repeals the earlier Interim Order No. 4.

• For flights to Canada from other countries (Order No. 8):

  • Prohibits private operators and air carriers from permitting a foreign national (someone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident) to board flights to Canada if the flight departs from countries other than the United States, with narrow exceptions tied to the federal Quarantine Act order and transit cases.
  • For flights from the United States, requires notification and a confirmation from foreign nationals that they understand the Quarantine Act entry rules; carriers must refuse boarding if the person won’t confirm.
  • Requires similar health checks, mask requirements, verification, exceptions, the 14‑day waiting rule, and record‑keeping/reporting rules as in Order No. 5.
  • Repeals the earlier Interim Order No. 7.

• Penalties:

  • Certain breaches can trigger administrative penalties up to $5,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations, depending on the provision.

Who's affected#

• Passengers on commercial and certain private flights leaving Canada or coming to Canada.
• Foreign nationals trying to travel to Canada — especially those on flights from countries other than the United States.
• Airlines, private operators and air carriers who operate those flights.
• Airport screening authorities and screening officers, including entities named under the CATSA rules (for example, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)).
• Not affected (for some rules): crew members (exempt from the health check) and people with a valid medical certificate that symptoms are not COVID‑19 related.

If anything about who must follow a rule is unclear in the orders, the text makes that clear; this summary only lists the main groups the orders target.

Why it matters#

• Passengers could be denied boarding if they show symptoms or answer “yes” to the health questions, and they may have to wait 14 days to travel again unless they can show a medical certificate.
• Travellers must bring a suitable face mask and be prepared to wear it on board when near others. Airlines must check and enforce that rule.
• Foreign nationals face new limits on boarding flights to Canada from outside the United States, which could change travel plans or lead to denied boarding at departure.
• Airlines and airports have new duties to check health, verify masks, keep records, and report refusals — which affects boarding procedures and staffing at airports.
• There are financial penalties for breaking some of the requirements, which adds consequences for operators and individuals who refuse to comply.