Travel firms take threat seriously

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/04/2009 (6011 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TRANSAT AT, Canada’s largest leisure travel company, announced on Tuesday it is bringing its customers and employees in Mexico back to this country and cancelling all flights until June 1.

As well, Carnival Cruise Lines has decided not to drop anchor at any Mexican ports.

Samantha Charron, spokeswoman for CAA Manitoba, said direct flights from Winnipeg to Mexico had already ended last month before the swine flu outbreak.

But Charron said Winnipeggers can still get to and from Mexico through Toronto, but even there people are changing their plans.

"Air Canada is giving their customers the option to reschedule flights at no extra cost," she said.

"We have a couple who are doing that right now."

Charron said CAA has already advised their travel agents what to say if someone calls wanting to go to Mexico.

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"We’ll advise them not to and refer them to the Health Canada update. If they still want to travel, we’ll tell them they are travelling at their own risk."

With the travel industry already reeling from a recession, Charron said the swine flu outbreak doesn’t help.

"But if this was winter, there would be a lot more damage," she said.

"Had this been in December there would have been a lot more trouble."