Trudeau U-turn: Canada Drops Extra Checks on Indians

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Canada has withdrawn its previous decision to provide additional security checks for travelers going to India. According to the Canadian Transport Minister Anita Anand, these restrictions have been lifted. The new measures were implemented only last week. This is the second time the government has done this without giving any concrete reasons for reversing those protocols.

Long queues due to additional security checks

The procedures adopted by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, CATSA, included inspecting passengers and their luggage extensively before allowing them to enter secured areas within airports. Reports indicate that the additional checks on flights headed to India led to severe delays, causing long queues at different airports.

Announcement made on Monday

It was on Monday that Canada revealed that there was high alertness regarding people traveling to India. Air Canada also informed its customers that because of the stringent security check on every passenger, they can expect longer waiting than usually anticipated as they board their flights.

Improved checks implemented after an incident

Additional security measures were implemented after an Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago received a bomb threat in October. The plane was diverted to Iqaluit, Canada, where it underwent an exhaustive search, which confirmed that no explosives had been carried on the aircraft.