Air transport agreements with Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
13-Apr-2012 The Government of Canada is committed to providing Canadian businesses with the tools they need to excel in the Americas and beyond. The air transport agreements announced today 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. The new air transportation agreement is a significant milestone for both countries.
This first-time agreement allows airlines to operate passenger and all-cargo services between Canada and Colombia 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 code-sharing. The rights under the agreement are being applied on an administrative basis, allowing air carriers to take advantage of the negotiated rights immediately.
Honduras, Nicaragua, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten
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. The main objectives of Canada's Blue Sky policy are to:
- Provide a framework that encourages competition and the development of new and expanded international air services to benefit Canadian travellers, shippers, and the tourism and business sectors;
- Allow Canadian airlines to realize opportunities to grow and compete successfully in a more liberalized global environment; and
- Enable airports to market themselves in a manner that is unhindered by bilateral constraints to the greatest extent possible.