Canada Govt lifts extra security screening for Indian travellers
Transport Minister Anita Anand's office announced that recent security measures for passengers travelling to India had been lifted
- Nov 22, 2024,
- Updated Nov 22, 2024 12:54 PM IST
The Canadian government has announced the cessation of additional security screening measures for travellers heading to India, which were implemented earlier this week in response to security concerns.
Transport Minister Anita Anand's office confirmed the decision, which was initially driven "out of an abundance of caution" following a bomb scare involving an Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago last month. The incident, which resulted in the flight being diverted to Iqaluit, ultimately found no explosives on board.
These measures had been in effect since at least the previous weekend, with Anand mentioning on Monday that additional security screenings were being implemented for travellers to India as a precaution.
The enhanced screenings, enforced by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), required thorough checks of passengers and their baggage before they could access restricted areas in airports. These measures were introduced amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, which intensified after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alleged connections between Indian government agents and various criminal activities within Canada, including murder and extortion. In retaliation, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, prompting a reciprocal response from India.
Despite these ongoing diplomatic strains, the Canadian government has now deemed the additional security measures unnecessary and has returned to standard travel procedures for flights to India.
Air Canada had informed passengers travelling to Indian destinations that due to increased security requirements from Transport Canada, they should expect longer wait times at security checks. They recommended arriving four hours before departure to avoid disruptions.
On Monday, an Air Canada spokesperson confirmed that the airline was adhering to the new security requirements. Additionally, Toronto Pearson Airport had warned travellers about potential delays at international screenings over the weekend, although it was unclear if this was related to the recently lifted measures.
In October, the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) published a list of routes and Air India flights to “target” between November 1 and November 19, all of which were departing from New Delhi. In November 2023, SFJ’s general counsel, Gurpatwant Pannun, released a video in Punjabi warning Sikhs, “Don’t fly Air India after November 19, your lives may be in danger,” a statement he repeated twice.
He clarified that he was “calling for a boycott” of the airline, not issuing a threat. Nonetheless, at that time, India’s High Commission in Ottawa had formally alerted the Canadian government about the threat, leading Transport Canada to increase security measures for Air India flights.
The Canadian government has announced the cessation of additional security screening measures for travellers heading to India, which were implemented earlier this week in response to security concerns.
Transport Minister Anita Anand's office confirmed the decision, which was initially driven "out of an abundance of caution" following a bomb scare involving an Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago last month. The incident, which resulted in the flight being diverted to Iqaluit, ultimately found no explosives on board.
These measures had been in effect since at least the previous weekend, with Anand mentioning on Monday that additional security screenings were being implemented for travellers to India as a precaution.
The enhanced screenings, enforced by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), required thorough checks of passengers and their baggage before they could access restricted areas in airports. These measures were introduced amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, which intensified after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alleged connections between Indian government agents and various criminal activities within Canada, including murder and extortion. In retaliation, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, prompting a reciprocal response from India.
Despite these ongoing diplomatic strains, the Canadian government has now deemed the additional security measures unnecessary and has returned to standard travel procedures for flights to India.
Air Canada had informed passengers travelling to Indian destinations that due to increased security requirements from Transport Canada, they should expect longer wait times at security checks. They recommended arriving four hours before departure to avoid disruptions.
On Monday, an Air Canada spokesperson confirmed that the airline was adhering to the new security requirements. Additionally, Toronto Pearson Airport had warned travellers about potential delays at international screenings over the weekend, although it was unclear if this was related to the recently lifted measures.
In October, the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) published a list of routes and Air India flights to “target” between November 1 and November 19, all of which were departing from New Delhi. In November 2023, SFJ’s general counsel, Gurpatwant Pannun, released a video in Punjabi warning Sikhs, “Don’t fly Air India after November 19, your lives may be in danger,” a statement he repeated twice.
He clarified that he was “calling for a boycott” of the airline, not issuing a threat. Nonetheless, at that time, India’s High Commission in Ottawa had formally alerted the Canadian government about the threat, leading Transport Canada to increase security measures for Air India flights.