Hong Kong bans Air Canada flights from Vancouver after passenger tests positive for COVID-19

An Air Canada jet is shown in an image from promotional video.

Vancouver -

The government of Hong Kong has banned Air Canada flights from Vancouver after a passenger on a recent flight tested positive for COVID-19.

The Chinese special administrative region announced the ban in its update on the pandemic on Friday, saying that one person on Air Canada flight 7 from Vancouver to Hong Kong on Oct. 13 had tested positive for the coronavirus on arrival.

One additional passenger failed to comply with local regulations, according to the update. The Hong Kong government did not specify what the traveller did that was against the rules.

The ban on Air Canada flights from Vancouver to Hong Kong will be in place from Oct. 16 to 29.

In a statement, Air Canada told CTV News Vancouver it has four flights between Vancouver and Hong Kong during that window, which have all been cancelled.

"Air Canada’s Toronto-Hong Kong passenger flights and Vancouver-Hong Kong cargo flights are not affected and will continue to operate as scheduled," the airline said.

Travellers who were booked on the four cancelled flights are being rebooked and offered alternatives such as travel on a later date, Air Canada said.

"Customers are also eligible for a refund of the remaining value of their tickets if we are unable to rebook them on a new flight departing within three hours of their original departure time," the statement reads.

International travellers bound for Canada are required to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their departure.

The rules for international flights departing Canada depend on the destination country. In the case of Hong Kong, fully vaccinated travellers arriving from Canada are required to provide proof of vaccination and a negative test. They're also required to spend 14 days in quarantine upon arrival, unless the reason for their travel meets the criteria for a quarantine exemption.