Canada enhances security screening for passengers flying to India

In a statement issued on Monday evening, Canada’s Transport Minister Anita Anand said her department “has implemented temporary additional security screening measures” for those travelling to India out of “an abundance of caution”.

Air Canada sent out notifications over the weekend to passengers bound for Indian destinations, which stated, “Due to heightened security mandates by Transport Canada for all passengers travelling to India, security wait times are expected to be longer than anticipated for your upcoming flight.”

“To minimise any disruption to your travel plans, we recommend you arrive 4 hours prior to your flight’s departure. We appreciate your patience and understanding,” the notification, a copy of which was shared with the Hindustan Times, stated.

On Monday, a spokesperson for Air Canada confirmed this development in an emailed response, stating, “Transport Canada has introduced additional requirements for travellers to India and Air Canada, like other carriers is complying with these.”

However, passengers and relatives of those travelling to India have told the Hindustan Times, on condition of anonymity, that additional security measures appear to have been instituted, including more secondary screenings to for those bound for India.

On Sunday, Toronto Pearson Airport, in a post on X, stated, “Departing passengers may experience longer than usual wait times at international pre-board screening at Toronto Pearson this evening. If travelling, please check with your airline and leave plenty of time to catch your flight.”

It was not known whether that was connected to the enhanced measures that have been implemented.

In October, the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) had released a list of routes and Air India flights to “target” from November 1 to November 19. Those flights, however, were originating from New Delhi.

In November 2023, SFJ’s general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun had released a video warning Sikhs, in Punjabi, “Don’t fly Air India after November 19, your lives may be in danger.” That sentence was repeated twice. He clarified he was “calling for a boycott” of the airline and not issuing a threat.

However, India’s High Commission in Ottawa had formally raised the threat with the Canadian government and Transport Canada had heightened security for Air India flights at Canadian airports.