EU Air Agreement “Welcome News” for Travellers, Shippers, and the Aviation/Tourism Employment Sectors

Friday, May 8, 2009 -

For Immediate Release

EU Air Agreement “Welcome News” for Travellers, Shippers, and the Aviation/Tourism Employment Sectors

OTTAWA (May 8, 2009) – Canada’s airports hailed this week’s completion of an historic air service agreement between Canada and the European Union as “welcome news” for travellers, shippers and those who work in the aviation and tourism sectors.  Allowing Canadian and EU air carriers to fly between anywhere in Canada and anywhere within the EU will mean new air service to Canadian communities and more tourists from overseas.

Formal signature of the agreement will take place as soon as all language versions are authenticated by the parties. The rights of the agreement will be made available from the day of signature.

“Each new air carrier that comes to a Canadian community brings with it hundreds of local jobs,” said CAC Chairman Barry Rempel.  “This agreement and others like it put the interests of the community ahead of all others.”

More than half of Canada’s overseas tourists hail from Europe. The EU also is Canada’s second biggest trading partner after the U.S., with some $84.2 billion in imports/exports. According to a study from the European Commission, the number of passengers between the EU and Canada has the potential to increase from eight million to 14 million by 2011. In addition, the EC estimated that an Open Aviation Area would generate consumer benefits of at least $110 million through lower fares and could create 3,700 jobs in the first year.

“Of the 40 European passenger air carriers capable of serving Canada today, fewer than half currently do so,” said CAC President and CEO Jim Facette. “Attracting just a fraction of the remaining air carriers would translate into big business for Canada’s airports, a boon for consumers and tremendous economic benefits for the community through increased trade and tourism.”

The CAC noted that the federal government already has taken an important step toward the full liberalization between Canada and the EU envisioned in the agreement with the increase of foreign ownership limits on Canadian air carriers from 25 per cent to 49 per cent. 

About the Canadian Airports Council

The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) is the voice for Canada’s airports.  Its 45 members represent more than 150 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 in excess of $45 billion in economic activity in the communities they serve.  And more than 200,000 jobs are directly associated with CAC member airports, generating a payroll of more than $8 billion annually.