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The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, has announced an expanded Canada-Australia Air Transport Agreement, effective immediately, which allows airlines to serve any number of cities in Canada and Australia.
Under this expanded agreement, capacity available to Canadian and Australian airlines for services to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth will increase from 3,000 to 6,000 seats per week for each country effective immediately, and then increase to 9,000 seats starting in December 2016.
A number of regulatory requirements regarding airline pricing are also removed, which will give airlines much greater flexibility when offering fares to travellers.
Canadian and Australian airlines will also be able to operate dedicated all-cargo services with no restrictions on capacity which will benefit trade between the two countries.
Reached under Canada’s Blue Sky policy, which encourages long-term, sustainable competition and the development of international air services, these enhanced rights build on the 1988 Canada-Australia Air Transport Agreement.
Quick Facts
- In 2014, around 400,000 passengers travelled on direct flights between Australia and Canada;
- The expansion of the Canada-Australia agreement will facilitate both existing and planned services by airlines;
- Canada’s approach to air transport liberalization is guided by the Blue Sky policy, under which the government has concluded new or expanded air transport agreements with more than 85 countries.
