Canada lands new air transport agreements

In an effort to provide Canadian businesses with the tools they need to excel in the Americas and beyond, the Federal Government has reached air transport agreements with Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. According to officials, the initiative will generate economic growth and employment in Canada and the Americas by providing businesses, travellers and shippers with more flight options and routes to the following destinations: !!! Colombia is one of Canada’s largest air transport markets in South America and an important bilateral aviation partner. This first-time agreement allows airlines to operate passenger and all-cargo services between the two countries and to combine such air services with select third-countries. Additionally, the agreement allows maximum flexibility relating to air services using the flights of other airlines, commonly referred to as codesharing. !!! For Honduras, Nicaragua, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, Canada has successfully negotiated Open-Skies type agreements, which cover the following elements for scheduled passenger and all-cargo services: open bilateral markets/access (no limits on destinations); No limit on the number of airlines permitted to operate; No limit on the permitted frequency of service or aircraft type; Market-based pricing regime for bilateral and third-country services; Open and flexible regime for the operation of code-sharing services; Unrestricted services to and from third-countries; and rights for stand-alone all-cargo operations between the partner’s territory and third countries. The new agreement with Honduras will allow Canadian airlines to introduce and subsequently expand scheduled air services to Honduras. The agreement will take effect once it is ratified by both countries. The Open Skies-type agreements with Nicaragua, Curaçao and Sint Maarten will allow Canadian air carriers to expand existing services. The rights under these agreements are being applied on an administrative basis, allowing air carriers to take advantage of the negotiated rights immediately. These agreements are part of the implementation of Canada’s Blue Sky policy, introduced in 2006.