The CEO of the Regina International Airport says there is less traffic going through the facility these days and while fears about COVID-19 have a role, it is not the only thing.

“This situation hasn’t helped.” Bogusz said. “We’ve already seen declines in passenger traffic here and across the country because of the grounding of the MAX 8.  In the most recent month,  January started soft with 3,6 percent less travellers than that month the year before.”

Bogusz says travellers heading out of country should check out the website canada.ca because of all the advisories they have, but for outbound traffic you won’t experience anything out of the ordinary.

“There really isn’t much difference.” Bogusz says.  “We are making sure the 28 hand sanitizer stations we have  are kept full,  We have enhanced cleaning measures like wiping down things like the check-in computers more frequently, but there is nothing that different.”

Bogusz does add if you are entering the country whether it be in Regina or another airport, you will likely get more than the usual questions when coming back into the country from Canadian Border service officials and that if going to the United States or elsewhere, you may have to spend a little more time talking to American officials.

The situation is one that is evolving on a day-to-day basis so changes may be made in the future, but Bogusz says right now there is no real change in procedure