European airlines are walking an increasing line to meet both foreign immunisation and local privacy requirements, as more countries require flight crews to be vaccinated against COVID - 19, carriers say.
Canada is about to end an exemption that allowed entry of unvaccinated foreign flight crews, joining others that have vaccine mandates for pilots and passengers.
A spokeswoman for the trade group Airlines For Europe A 4 E said that the situation is creating a logistical headache for European carriers, who are unable to ask for their employees' vaccination status because they are bound to strict data protection laws in Europe.
A 4 E spokesman Jennifer Janzen said by email that carriers will have to find workarounds in order to comply with the Canadian entry requirement.
U.S. carriers like United Airlines require their cabin crew to be fully vaccinated, while competitors like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have delayed the effective date of vaccine mandates until 2022 for employees.
Airlines, which have suffered steep losses due to COVID 19 travel restrictions and bans, are blamed for a patchwork of rules for increased red-tape and depressed demand for international travel.
As the fast-spreading Omicron variant forces governments to tighten border restrictions, airlines expect to see more inoculation mandates for crew.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said more and more countries are mandating or considering immunization of flight crews.
Intercontinental flights to about 10 destinations, where crew are not currently exempt from vaccine requirements, were identified by the carrier.
A spokeswoman for Germany's Lufthansa AG said as more countries demand proof of inoculation from everyone on planes, international flights will no longer be practical without vaccinated crews.
Canada, which asked residents not to leave the country on Wednesday due to Omicron, is expected to announce on Friday that it will require people returning from short foreign trips to submit a negative COVID - 19 test.
Some countries give foreign flight crews a pass from the vaccination rules aimed at international travelers, as recommended by the U.N. s aviation agency.
International flight crews are exempted from U.S. requirements that all non-U. S. citizens traveling from abroad should be vaccinated.
Transport Canada is working closely with public health officials to determine the vaccine requirements that affect international aircrew. Since KLM does not require crew members to be inoculated or share their vaccination status, employees must seek a generalized travel restriction so they can not fly to a destination with entry requirements they can't meet, the carrier said.
Managers do not gain insight into the reason for the restriction, according to the airline's emailed statement. We can always fill in the rosters in a timely manner and keep our operation feasible.