The voice of Canada’s airports.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007 -
CAC encourages Canadian government rather to pursue Open Skies agreements
OTTAWA (Nov. 7, 2007) – The Canadian Airports Council today said it was encouraged that the new Canada-Singapore air service agreement will create new air service opportunities between Canada and Singapore.Although not an Open Skies agreement, Canada’s airports now have something on which to build. Pursuit of Open Skies is a key aim of the federal government’s new Blue Sky international air policy.“The new agreement between Canada and Singapore opens to Canadian
international travellers and shippers one of the world’s biggest transit hubs
for flights through Asia-Pacific,” said CAC President and CEO Jim Facette.“Canada’s airports
believe it will lead to new opportunities for air service between the two
countries and increased competition to Asia-Pacific, but are disappointed that
the Canadian government did not achieve an Open Skies agreement such as the
ones it already has concluded with the U.S.,
Britain, Iceland, Ireland
and New Zealand.”
The city state of Singapore is host to one of the
world’s busiest transit hub airports, Singapore Changi International, which
handled some 35 million passengers last year. Under the new agreement, any
Canadian or Singaporean carrier will be able to fly between Singapore and any point in Canada without restrictions on frequency
or capacity.The agreement also contains
provisions for all-cargo service.
According to the Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade, in 2006, two-way trade between Canada and Singapore
totalled $1.7 billion, and Singapore
was the third-biggest destination for Canadian investment in Asia after Japan and Hong Kong. (1)
Changi Airport currently
is served by 81 airlines operating some 4,220 weekly scheduled flights to 192
cities in 59 countries.Changi also is
the ninth busiest cargo airport in the world, handling some 1.9 million tonnes. (2)
An Open Skies agreement would have
eliminated restrictions on pricing and allowed carriers from both countries to
exercise “fifth freedoms” – the ability to pick up passengers and carry them on
to a third destination.Open Skies is a
key goal of Canada’s
airports in upcoming talks with the European Union scheduled for later this
month.
“As Canada
prepares to engage in Open Skies talks with the EU later this month, Canada’s airports urge the government to
continue its pace for reform by seeking no less that an Open Aviation Agreement
across the North Atlantic similar to the one concluded between the EU and the U.S.,”
said Mr. Facette.
About the Canadian Airports Council
The
Canadian Airports Council (CAC) is the voice for Canada’s airports.Its 47 members represent more than 180 airports,
including all of the National Airports System (NAS) airports and most
significant municipal airports in every province and territory. Together, CAC
members handle virtually all of the nation’s air cargo and international
passenger traffic and 95% of domestic passenger traffic.They create well in excess of $30 billion in
economic activity in the communities they serve.And more than 150,000 jobs are directly
associated with CAC member airports, generating a payroll of more than $8
billion annually.
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For more
information:
Daniel-Robert
Gooch,
Director of
Communications
Canadian
Airports Council
(613) 560-9302
ext 16
daniel.gooch@cacairports.ca