TORONTO: There is good news for Indo-Canadian travellers. The Canadian government has announced that the government will allow an unlimited number of flights from designated airlines between Canada and India. The announcement is part of the transport agreement expansion that previously limited each country to 35 flights per week.
From visiting friends and family to getting goods to markets around the world, Indo-Canadians have been struggling to book flights to and from India. The ever increasing cost of the flights have forced many Indo-Canadians to either postpone or cancel their plans to visit their loved ones.
This significant move will allow airlines of Canada and India to better respond to the needs of the Canada-India air transport market.
The Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra made the announcement at the recent conclusion of an expanded air transport agreement between Canada and India.
Expanding Canada’s existing air transport relationships allow airlines to introduce more flight options and routings, which benefit passengers and businesses by providing greater choice and convenience.
India is Canada’s 4th largest international air transport market. “The expanded air transport agreement between Canada and India is a positive development for air transport relations between our countries. We are pleased to expand this relationship with additional flexibility for airlines to serve this growing market. By making the movement of goods and people faster and easier, this expanded agreement will continue to facilitate trade and investment between Canada and India and help our businesses grow and succeed,” said Alghabra.
Canada’s first air transport agreement with India was concluded in 1982, and was last expanded in 2011. This new agreement was reached under Canada’s Blue Sky policy, which encourages long-term, sustainable competition and the development of international air services.
The agreement gives Canadian air carriers access to Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, and Indian air carriers access to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India.
Air India has 14 weekly direct flights with a daily between Delhi and Toronto and another daily between Delhi and Vancouver.
“The Canada-India economic relationship is built on deep-rooted people to people ties. With this expanded air transport agreement, we are facilitating even more exchanges of professionals, students, business people, and investors. As we strengthen our trade and investment relationship with India, we will continue building bridges like this that enable our entrepreneurs, workers, and businesses to access new opportunities,” said Mary Ng, Canada’s Minister of International Trade.
Other cities in both countries can be served indirectly through code-share services. Rights for all-cargo services are already unrestricted.
