Despite Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 airport not making it onto a list of approved international airports in Canada, senior staff are certain it soon will be.

In January, Transport Canada of designated 含羞草研究社業nternational含羞草研究社� airports in Canada. Among the 13 airports are Vancouver, Edmonton and Halifax, but a handful were excluded including Victoria, Kelowna, Regina, and others.

Known locally as the Kelowna International Airport, it will now have until June 30, 2021, to prove to Transport Canada they are fit to be designated as such.

If not, flights to and from international destinations may be diverted to other centres.

Senior Manager of Airport Operations at Kelowna International Airport, Phillip Elchitz, is certain Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 name will soon be added back onto the list.

To receive the 含羞草研究社業ntl.含羞草研究社� designation, airports must prove they meet the minimum requirements to service international flights, including the presence of the Canada Border Services Agency, immigration services, protection of the approach, and a few others.

Transport Canada has done this in an effort to align itself with the International Civil Aviation Organization含羞草研究社檚 (ICAO) definitions of an International airport. When airports align with ICAO regulations, the 含羞草研究社業ntl.含羞草研究社� designation appears in the flight publication.

While this allows for international arrivals and departures, it also makes it easier for international flight companies to choose where they might expand in the future.

含羞草研究社淪ome international charter and commercial operators will look for the international designation when they make their plans and route decisions, whether to operate in and out of a Canadian airport,含羞草研究社� said Elchitz.

含羞草研究社淎nd because Transport Canada hasn含羞草研究社檛 been aligned with ICAO, these charter and international operators have had to do more research into the airport to make sure it met the minimum requirements.含羞草研究社�

Elchitz assured the public that there are 含羞草研究社渮ero risks含羞草研究社� of them re-obtaining their international status before the June 30 deadline.

含羞草研究社淲e currently meet all of the requirements, so there are zero risks of not being able to operate internationally, once the COVID-19 restrictions are eventually lifted.含羞草研究社�

~With Files from Kelsey Yates

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com

Like us on and follow us on .