Home for the holidays: Despite advice to stay put, some Manitobans travelling to see family
Flights out of Winnipeg are few and far between as pandemic keeps most people from flying
Manitobans are being told to stay home this holiday season, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
But for many, home is where family is — and some are making the journey elsewhere in order to lock down with loved ones.
"I'm going to Toronto to stay with my sister for the holidays," said Judy Willan, who was among the travellers at the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson Airport on a recent blustery Monday morning.
"I usually go every Christmas and this year I'm making it no exception either."
Provincial health orders, which have now been extended until Jan. 8, mean most people can't have visitors into their homes — so no big gatherings are allowed in Manitoba this year.
However, while the federal government is advising against international travel, and Manitobans who leave the province may have to self-isolate on their return, travel isn't actually prohibited under the health orders.
Willan lives alone in Winnipeg, "so rather than stay by myself I wish to join my family for the holidays," she said.
On the morning of Dec. 14, the airport was quiet as passengers trickled in to board planes, most heading east or west to other Canadian cities.
There aren't many choices these days.
The Winnipeg Airports Authority says during this time last year, there were 42 direct flight destinations offered out of Manitoba's capital. This year, there are just 15.
"The airport is usually packed during this time but it's still empty everywhere you go," said Sartu Osman, who was returning from Edmonton after helping family with child care for the last two months.
While she felt safe travelling, she said it wouldn't be something she'd consider doing often.
"I feel like only if it's necessary you should — definitely not something [to do] for fun."
Many people CBC spoke to at the airport this week didn't want to be interviewed, saying they didn't want to publicize the fact they were travelling, fearing it would be looked on unfavourably by their employers or peers.
'I don't want to be alone'
Willan said since she works from home and is off for a month, she has no issue with having to isolate for 14 days when she returns from Toronto.
The public health messaging that advises staying home this holiday season gives her pause.
But "it would mean that I would be by myself, and I don't really want to spend the holidays by myself. So then to me, it's worth taking the, I suppose, risk to go," she said.
She feels safe visiting her sister, who also lives alone.
"At least we'll be together."
Like Willan, Precious Uwagboe doesn't have anyone in Manitoba to spend the holidays with, so the Brandon man was travelling to Calgary to stay with a friend over Christmas.
"I don't want to be alone … without a family," said Uwagboe.
"I believe it's going to be a better opportunity with a family, and I'm going to enjoy it [and] have Christmas dinner and everything."
Uwagboe also said he felt safe travelling because of the precautions being taken.
Anastasia Ivanova was on her way to Russia with her mom and two kids. The lack of flights during the pandemic means it would take five days to get to Moscow, and her mom had to do the last leg of the trip separately due to flight availability.
"It's really scary, but we have lots of sanitizers and masks," said Ivanova.
"I really want to see my dad and my brother."
Ivanova said she's making the trip to escort her mother, whose visa has run out, and to take her youngest child to stay in Russia with her parents. Because of the pandemic, the daycare her son goes to is closed.
"I don't have a spot in another one and I have to work," she said.
Ivanova said she worries about the long journey and the possibility of being stranded somewhere during her return trip in January, but was trying to stay positive.
"It's a really hard time, but we are all in together," she said.
"Kindness is contagious as well."
Few plan to travel over holidays: poll
An online Angus Reid Institute poll conducted with Cardus over a one-week period in November found just 10 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they would consider travelling to see family over Christmas this year.
According to the online poll, conducted from Nov. 24-30, 51 per cent of Canadians would travel to see friends and family in a normal year.
In Manitoba, just five per cent of people polled said they planned to visit friends or relatives outside their community over the holidays this year.
The poll surveyed a representative randomized sample of 5,003 Canadian adults. Because it's an online poll, a margin of error can't be assigned, but for comparison purposes, a probability sample of that size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, the pollster says.
Travel restrictions due to the pandemic have kept airports quiet for most of the year.
"We continue to sit between 10 to 15 per cent of our 2019 traffic and we don't expect that to change over the holidays," said Winnipeg Airports Authority spokesperson Tyler MacAfee.
"In fact, if anything we will see a further decline compared to last year."
On its busiest day of the holidays last year, the Winnipeg airport saw about 17,000 passengers, MacAfee said. This year, it's anticipated the busiest day will see about 2,000 travellers.
