Canadian airlines cut down seats to US amid intense trade war, revised travel rules, BA

Canadian airlines have begun reducing seats for the United States as early as April, during the peak tourism season between the two countries, as reported by the New York Times. The aviation industry is feeling the impact of the US-Canada trade war. The United States has implemented new rules for Canadians traveling to the country, and Canada is boycotting US products as President Donald Trump expresses a desire for Canada to become the 51st state. While there is no official call for boycotting US destinations this season, there is a noticeable decrease in demand.

Air Canada is reducing some US flights to warmer destinations “to reflect commercial demand,” as stated by the airline to NYT. Advance bookings for routes between Canada and the United States from April to October have decreased by approximately 70% compared to the same period last year, according to OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited. Canadian residents made about 586,000 trips to the United States in February, a 13% decrease from the previous year. US airlines are also reducing the frequency of routes to Canada due to the significant drop in Canadian traffic into the US.

New US travel rules for Canada

Effective April 11, Canadians staying in the US for more than 30 days will be required to register with the authorities. Failure to do so could result in penalties, fines, and misdemeanors.