Vancouver International Airport ditches plan for separate lines based on vaccination status

VANCOUVER -

Travellers passing through the Vancouver International Airport will no longer be separated based on whether they've been vaccinated against COVID-19.

YVR staff said it's doing away with its plan for dual lines at customs, an initiative it said was meant to "streamline the border clearance process."

There are different requirements for those who've only been partially vaccinated, or haven't gotten any of their shots, compared to those who are fully immunized.

The plan was for passengers entering Canada from the U.S. or other international destinations to wait in different lines, based on those requirements.

"However, the configuration of the two primary border control inspection lines and the volume of fully vaccinated passengers did not achieve anticipated goals for a smooth passenger flow and faster processing times," a YVR spokesperson wrote in an email to CTV News.

There were more fully-vaccinated passengers than expected coming into Canada, according to the airport.

Effective immediately, YVR said Monday, passengers coming into the airport will not be separated before reaching customs.

A similar decision was made by the operators of Canada's busiest airport.

Toronto Pearson Airport announced it too has eliminated the dual-line plan, citing the same reasons as noted on the West Coast.