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Canada will end its pre-entry coronavirus testing requirement for inbound international travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The government of Canada says on 17 March that it will drop the measure by the end of the month. It is the latest move in the government’s successive relaxation of restrictions designed to mitigate the spread of the highly-contagious virus. “We are now entering into a transition phase of this pandemic,” Jean-Yves Duclos, the country’s minister of health, says on 17 March. “Effective April 1st, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to complete a pre-entry test for travel to Canada. Fully vaccinated travellers may still continue to undergo random testing upon entry to Canada but they are no longer required to quarantine while they are awaiting their results,” he adds. “Today’s announcement is encouraging, but let us remember that all measures are subject to review,” Duclos says. “We will continue to adjust them as the epidemiological situation here in Canada and abroad evolves.” Air Canada, the country’s biggest carrier, calls the move “excellent news”. “People are eager to travel and reconnect with their loved ones, and the end of pre-departure testing will provide travellers with more certainty, allowing them to plan their next trip with more confidence and without the worry of incurring additional costs,” says David Rheault, the airline’s vice-president of government and community relations. Air Canada adds that its recovery remains “strong and well underway” as it restores both domestic and international routes.<br/>

Air Canada has introduced a fuel stop on its hitherto non-stop service from Vancouver Int'l to Delhi Int'l due to a now necessary detour around Russian airspace. Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows that the daily B787-9 service started landing in Ireland on February 27 (the flight on February 26 was cancelled). What used to be a 14-hour non-stop flight is now two sectors of around nine and around eight hours each with an additional 1.5-2 hours stop in Ireland. Air Canada had operated via the Northern Polar route, which requires crossing Russian airspace. Air Canada services to India from Montréal Trudeau and Toronto Pearson continue as non-stop routes. The only direct competitor, Air India, continues to fly the same route non-stop, using B777-300(ER)s, as Indian airlines are not banned from Russian airspace. <br/>

Air Canada is set to return to Brisbane and also significantly ramp up its services to Sydney. However, the North American carrier will not return to Auckland until mid-November, and then only with a three times weekly service. The news comes as Australia, Canada and New Zealand all recently relaxed COVID restrictions and border rules. From 1 May, Vancouver–Sydney flights will increase to becoming daily, while a four times weekly service to Brisbane will resume from 1 July. Flights between the British Columbia and North Island city, though, won’t restart until 10 November, and then with only a three times weekly service. Air Canada senior vice president Mark Galardo said the business was accelerating the restoration of its Australian and New Zealand routes to respond to what he called pent-up travel between the three countries. The airline will operate its fleet of 298-seat 787-9 Dreamliners for the trips.<br/>

Lufthansa LEOS, the ground handling specialist of the Lufthansa Group, is the launch customer of the all-electric towbarless aircraft tractor Phoenix E from German manufacturer Goldhofer. The purely battery-electric vehicle operates at Frankfurt Airport. It can move aircraft with a take-off weight of up to 352 tons over short and long distances between parking areas, maintenance hangars, and departure positions. Emission-free aircraft towing at up to 25 kilometres per hour After extensive testing and training, Lufthansa LEOS added the electric vehicle to the fleet. The advantages of the electric tug are apparent; it moves aircraft without emissions and noise or vibration. With a battery capacity of 165-kilowatt hours and a drive power of 240 kilowatts, aircraft can be moved at speeds of up to 25 kilometres per hour. Because the nose wheel of the aircraft is lifted and locked, the tug can move relatively quickly and is easier to manoeuvre than tugs with a tow bar. When controlling the operation of the towbarless aircraft tractor, it is necessary to consider how the state of charge develops for a day because aircraft tow tractors are "workhorses." They taxi to new parking positions in Frankfurt with the aircraft in tow for up to ten hours a day.<br/>