News
Canada reaches air transport agreement with Qatar
Feb. 3, 2011, Ottawa - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade, today announced that Canada and Qatar have successfully concluded an air transport agreement that allows for direct scheduled air services between the two countries for the first time.
February 3, 2011 By Carey Fredericks
This agreement responds to the needs of the Canada-Qatar travel market and puts in place a framework that allows more convenient, direct air services,” said Minister Strahl. “This is a first but important step in developing Canada-Qatar air relations.”
The agreement provides opportunities for airlines to operate flights between Canada and Qatar, as well as the flexibility to adjust prices between Canada and Qatar according to market forces. Airlines may also choose to offer air services using the flights of other airlines, commonly known as code-sharing services. The air transport agreement contains strong provisions dealing with aviation safety and security, reflecting their importance.
“Enhanced air services between our countries will help boost trade during this critical time in the global economic recovery,” said Minister Van Loan. “I visited Doha, Qatar, where Canada intends to open a new embassy this year. The new embassy will provide additional support to Canadian businesses wishing to expand their operations in this growing region.”
The agreement is being applied on an administrative basis, allowing airlines to offer new services immediately.
Since the launch of the Blue Sky policy in November 2006, the Government of Canada has negotiated air transport agreements with more than 50 countries, including:
open skies-type agreements with 11 countries: Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, South Korea, El Salvador, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica;
expanded agreements with nine countries: Mexico, Japan, Jordan, Singapore, the Philippines, Morocco, Cuba, Egypt and Algeria; new “first-time” agreements with nine countries: Kuwait, Serbia, Croatia, Panama, Turkey, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Qatar; and a comprehensive air transport agreement between Canada and the European Union’s 27 member states. This includes Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia, with which Canada did not previously have air agreements.
