Air Canada apologizes after barring passenger from flying to U.S. to see terminally ill husband

Air Canada has apologized to passengerMayette Musclow of Kelowna, B.C., after it barred her fromflyingto Cleveland last month to visit her terminally ill husband.

The airline told CBC Newsthat the mishap occurred due to a misinterpretation of complex border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I was at the airport crying," said Musclowabout the incident. "I didn't know what to do."

After she reada CBC News storyon Friday which outlined that Canadians canfly to the U.S. during the pandemicMusclow booked another flight and flew to Cleveland on Tuesdaywith no complications.

"I'm so overwhelmed right now, so overjoyed," she told CBC after passing through U.S. Customs.

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Canada-U.S. land border is closed to non-essential traffic on both sides of the border until at least July 21. However, Canadians can still enter the U.S. by plane.

But when Musclowtried to check in for her May 24flight from Kelowna to Cleveland, she said anAir Canada agent told her the U.S. border was closed to Canadians, and wouldn't let her board the plane.

"I was so upset because we had three months my husband has three months [to live] and I wanted to go over there and be with him," said Musclow.

Her husband, John Sarvis, has cirrhosis of the liver and a 20 per cent chance of dying within the next three months, according to a May 7 doctor's note provided by Musclow.

She married Sarvis, an American, last year in Akron, Ohio, near Cleveland, and planned to live with him at hishome in Akron once her application for animmigrant visa was approved.

When Sarvisreceived his dire diagnosis last month, Musclowtook time off from her job as a care aid, and booked a flight to be with him.

Canadians can still fly to the U.S.?

Musclow booked her flight with United Airlines, but Air Canada was the carrier for the first leg of the trip from Kelowna to Washington D.C.She said when she purchased her ticket by phone, a United agent assured her that she could fly to the U.S. as a Canadian citizen.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Canadian travellers can currently fly to the U.S. as long as they haven't visited Brazil, China, Iran, Ireland, the U.K. or 26 European countries in the Schengen Area 14 days prior.

But Musclow said the Air Canada agent at the Kelowna airport told her she needed writtenpermission to travelto the U.S., and wouldn't issue her a boarding pass.

Musclow said she consulted a second Air Canada agent at the airport who told her that if the airline let her enter the U.S., the U.S. government would fine her $1,000.

"I was shaking," saidMusclow. "It caused me a lot of stress and tears for days. I was just crushed."

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Musclow said United Airlinesreturned the reward miles she usedto book theflight,but didn't refund the $130 she paidin taxes and fees.

United told CBC News on Tuesday it will refund the money.

After being contacted by CBC, Air Canada sent Musclowan email on Tuesday offering a $500 travel voucher andits "sincere apologies" for what happened to her at check-in.

Musclow being refusedboarding was an "unfortunate situation" that "arose due to a misinterpretation of the complex and changing rules around border closings,"Air Canada spokespersonPeter Fitzpatricktold CBC News in an email.

Because the U.S. land border is closed to Canadian travellers, many Canadians have incorrectly assumed they can't fly to the U.S.

Two days before Musclow's flight, Air Canada announced that it had resumed flyingto the U.S. The online announcement included a link to a CBP website which states that Canadians can enter the country.

Fear of flying

After she was deniedboarding, Musclow was afraid to book another flight. She said she started losing hope of seeing her husband anytime soon, after learninglast week that the Canada-U.S. land border closure would be extended past its then end-date of June 21.

"I was sitting in my bed and saying, 'What's happening?'" said Musclow. "Like, I'm just gonna go there and bury my husband when the border's open?"

Musclow had renewed hope of travellingto Clevelandafter she read theJune 12 CBC News article about Canadians flying to the U.S.

The story featured a B.C. woman who had who had flown from Vancouver to Seattle last month to visit her sick grandson.

"It was a big, big relief when I found out this lady was able to fly to the U.S.," said Musclow. "I was like, 'Why did the agent at Air Canada turn me down?'"

On her second attempt to fly to Cleveland, Air Canada let her board herflight. Musclowlanded in Cleveland on Tuesday night.

When Musclow returns to Canada, she will have to self-isolate for 14 days if the federal rule is still in place when she flies home in September.