Beijing and Ottawa are in talks aimed at increasing flights between China and Canada, following American deals and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, but diplomatic spats and the aviation sector's gradual pace of change could prolong the turbulence.
"It's a political problem; I don't think it's a one-day solution or that we'll have the green light right away," said Glynnis Chan, a longtime Vancouver travel agent.
At the peak of the summer 2019 travel period, Transport Canada said Chinese airlines operated 76 flights to Canada per week from various cities, while Air Canada operated 35 flights per week to Beijing and Shanghai combined as the sole Canadian carrier flying to the country at that time. "A lot of the airlines made the decision that they couldn't have their crews trapped in China for 14 days," she said. Now, with the restrictions lifted, there is still no direct flight between China and Canada.
But beyond the logistics, Beijing and Ottawa have ramped-up rhetoric, particularly after months of reported allegations of Chinese meddling in Canadian elections. China's embassy in Ottawa said the move was due to the Trudeau government having "hyped up" the issue of foreign interference, and said an uptick in anti-Asian discrimination put Chinese citizens in Canada at risk.
"The most important issue is our two countries, how they establish a good relationship, in order to get more flights back," she said.
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