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Practical guide in preparation for your trip

We created Traveller Care, a program that will accompany you throughout your travel experience and is designed to keep you and our employees safe. Prepare for your next trip by consulting this detailed guide and leave with peace of mind.

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IMPORTANT: Negative COVID-19 test mandatory to enter Canada

As of January 7, all air passengers five years of age or older must present a negative COVID-19 test result in order to be allowed to board a flight to Canada. Antigen tests are not accepted.

For further details regarding this announcement and to get the latest updates, please visit the Canadian Government website and our Practical Guide.

Travel admissibility

In preparation for your trip

    1. Before you travel, consult the Government of Canada’s travel advisories. An official global travel advisory and pandemic travel health notice are currently in effect.
    2. Make sure your health allows you to travel. See Point 1 in “Travel admissibility.”
    3. Download the Air Transat app* to stay informed.
    4. To avoid payments at the airport, we recommend you make your payments online, up to 72 hours before departure, for any extra bags, sports equipment or extra inflight services.
    5. Check in online 24 hours before your flight. You can do so on our website or via the Air Transat app*. It is available for most destinations, except Port-au-Prince in Haiti, and Lisbon, Porto and Faro in Portugal. For these destinations, you’ll need to check in at the check-in counters at the airport. You’ll need to respect the social distancing rules when queuing at the check-in counters.
    1. You will be able to get an electronic boarding pass on your phone, except for departures from Lisbon, Porto, Port-au-Prince and Punta Cana. For flights from these airports, we recommend that you print your boarding pass before arriving at the airport. You will also be able to print it at airport self-service kiosks, when available, or obtain it at Air Transat check-in counters.
    2. Inquire about the health and safety measures taken by your airport of departure.
    3. Make sure to bring at least one mask with you on your trip. You will be required to wear one upon your arrival at the airport and in the plane.
    4. Travel light. You’ll be allowed one carry-on on board, as usual, but please note that baggage regulations will be strictly enforced.
    5. Unaccompanied minors: Prior to departure, make sure that the minor has all the necessary documentation. Pay particular attention to the entry requirements of their destination; for instance, some countries require forms to be completed online prior to departure and/or proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Consult the links in the Travel Admissibility section of our practical guide for more details.

At the airport

    1. As part of screening procedures prior to departure, your temperature will be taken at the airport.
    2. If the authorities deny you boarding, an agent will cancel your trip and issue a travel credit valid for 12 months from the original return date so that you can postpone your trip. You would have to pay any difference in price for the new booking.

  • At check-in

    1. We recommend that you check in online via the Air Transat app* or on our website. Indicate the exact number of checked bags you have and pay any fees that may apply (such as excess baggage fees) in advance to avoid waiting and contact at the airport. For international travel, be sure to enter your passport information. 
    2. If you did not check in online, you will be able to do so at the self-service kiosks at the airport. These will be regularly disinfected. Remember to respect the social distancing rules.
    3. Use our self-service baggage drop-off stations at the airport, where available.
    4. Priority check-in counters for families and Club Class and Option Plus passengers will be available, but it is recommended that you check in online before arriving at the airport.
    5. To assist the various public health authorities, including without limitation the Public Health Agency of Canada, in their contact tracing efforts and the collective fight against COVID-19, you are invited to share your information (name, phone number and email) at check-in (online or otherwise). Participation is entirely voluntary. If you do accept to provide your information, we will pass it along to the public health authorities upon request. This is will allow them to contact you, for instance if you have been in close proximity to a COVID positive passenger on a flight. This initiative is deployed in addition to the various destination entry requirements.

  • During boarding

    1. Arrive at the boarding gate 60 minutes before your flight. You must remain seated until your group’s boarding call.  
    2. Priority boarding will only be offered to passengers with reduced mobility.
    3. Passengers sitting at the back of the aircraft will be asked to board first, followed by those at the front. You will be called in groups. The group number will be indicated on your boarding pass. You’ll be asked to keep two metres (six feet) distance from other passengers while boarding.
    4. If a shuttle is required for boarding, there will be an increased number of shuttles used to allow additional space for distancing between passengers.

Changes to on-board services

  • Cleaning of aircraft

    1. On board all our aircraft, our reliable HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters will eliminate 99.995% of small particles, such as bacteria and viruses, refreshing cabin air every three minutes.  
    2. It is important to note that according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the quality of supplied air on board an aircraft is much better than most indoor environments and that the risk of transmission is low. Discover the reasons why on IATA’s website.
    3. The entire aircraft will be cleaned every 24 hours with an electrostatic disinfectant sprayer. Before each flight, the aircraft will also be thoroughly cleaned with hospital-grade disinfectant, including seats, headrest covers, seat belt buckles, seat controls, seat-back pockets, armrests, light switches, air circulation controls, tray tables, individual entertainment screens, and overhead bins and handles. 
    4. Our pilots and flight attendants will wear masks in the cabin throughout the flight.
    5. You will also be required to wear a mask throughout the flight. Exempt from this requirement are children under the age of two and passengers with a medical condition that prevents them from wearing masks.
    6. You will receive a complimentary Traveller Care kit, which will include a mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.
    7. Lavatories will be sanitized regularly throughout the flight with disinfectant. A sticker on the floor outside the lavatory will allow one passenger at a time to wait their turn. Other passengers will have to wait for this space to become available before standing up.

  • On-board services

    To reduce contact and handling, our on-board services have been modified : click here to learn more.

    1. Bar service with soft drinks, juice, water, coffee and tea will be offered. Wine in single-serve bottles and beer will be sold at affordable prices in Economy Class on flights longer than three hours.
    2. In Club Class, a Gourmet prepackaged meal will be served, and a Comfort Kit will be placed on each seat before boarding. Bar service will be offered.
    3. In Economy Class, on flights to/from Europe, a prepackaged meal (sandwich, salad and dessert) and a snack will be served. On flights to/from the South, the United States and within Canada (longer than three hours), you can purchase light meals, sandwiches and snacks from the Bistro menu.
    4. The gourmet meals of Chef Daniel Vézina will not be available in Club Class, nor will they be sold in Economy Class.
    5. Special meals for passengers with dietary restrictions will not be available on our flights. We encourage you to bring your own meal on board. Please inquire with your airport of departure about what food you can bring on board.
    6. Club Class passengers no longer have access to an exclusive lavatory.
    7. The Comfort Kit will not be offered in Economy Class, except to passengers who have purchased Option Plus.
    8. The duty-free boutique will be offered.
    9. The on-board surprises for Kids Club members will be offered.

At destination

  • Deplaning and baggage handling

    1. Passengers sitting closest to the exit door(s) will deplane first, followed by the others, to avoid crossing each other.
    2. You will be asked to keep two metres (six feet) distance from the other passengers while deplaning.
    3. Your luggage will be delivered to the baggage carousel. It is recommended that only one passenger per family picks up the bags.

     

    Transfers (if you have an all-inclusive package)

    1. Make sure you have downloaded the Air Transat app*. It will be very useful at destination.
    2. The location of your transfer bus will be indicated in your e-document and the Air Transat app*. If you cannot find this information, a Transat representative will be available to assist you at a dedicated area right before exiting the airport.
    3. The transfer bus will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each transfer.
    4. All drivers and Transat representatives will wear masks.
    5. You will be required to wear a mask on the bus.
    6. You will be asked to place your bags in the luggage compartment of the bus yourself, if possible.
    7. Each bus will carry a reduced number of passengers to allow additional space for distancing.
    8. Passengers whose hotels are furthest will sit at the back and will therefore board the bus first. Transat representatives will provide boarding instructions.
    9. Please note that the services offered via the Air Transat app are not available in Cuba.

  • At the hotel (if you have an all-inclusive package)

    1. Transat representatives will not be admitted to the hotels. If you’re travelling to a destination in the Caribbean or Mexico, you can make an appointment with a Transat representative via the Air Transat app* or by phone. The representatives’ phone numbers will be included in your e-document.
    2. For assistance in Europe, a toll-free number offering 24/7 assistance will be indicated in your e-document.
    3. You will be able to find information on the destination and available excursions via the Air Transat app*.
    4. To ensure your safety and that of others, find out what your hotel’s health and safety measures are and comply with them at all times.

     

    Excursions (if you have an all-inclusive package)

    1. All excursions will be curated.
    2. We recommend you book your excursions online before your trip, or via the Air Transat app* once you’re at destination. You may also call your Transat representative to purchase an excursion.
    3. The bus to your excursion will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each transfer.
    4. Each bus will carry a reduced number of passengers to allow additional space for distancing.
    5. All drivers and guides will wear masks.
    6. You will be required to wear a mask on the bus.

    Tourist information

    1. Some destinations offer practical information for visitors, as well as updates about local tourist activities. If you’re planning on visiting one of the following destinations, check out the corresponding link:

Before your return flight

    1. As of November 21, 2020, it will be mandatory for all travellers flying to Canada to submit their COVID-related information digitally via the ArriveCAN app or ArriveCAN website before departure. Travellers must be ready to show their ArriveCAN receipt when seeking entry into Canada; a border services officer will verify that they have submitted their information digitally. Travellers who fail to do so could be subject to enforcement action, which can range from verbal warnings to $1,000 fine. Prior to this date, paper submission of this mandatory information is possible, but may result in additional delays at the airport, which is why we strongly recommend you to use ArriveCAN’s app or website. Plus, there are dedicated lanes for ArriveCAN users at Canadian airports, therefore reducing necessary waiting time.
    2. Make sure your health allows you to travel. Watch for common symptoms of COVID-19, and take your temperature.
    1. Check the website of your airport of departure to see if there are any additional health measures you would need to take.
    2. You will be required to wear a mask on the transfer bus to the airport (if you have an all-inclusive package) and in the plane, so make sure to bring at least one with you on your trip. You may also be required to wear one at the airport.
    3. Check in online 24 hours before your flight.
    4. To avoid payments at the airport, we recommend you make your payments online, up to 72 hours before departure, for any extra bags, sports equipment or extra inflight services.
    5. Some countries, including Canada, impose a 14-day quarantine on all travellers upon their return home. To ensure that you comply with the requirements put in place, visit your government’s website.