GOVERNMENT OF CANADA DESIGNATES AIR TRANSAT TO SERVE BAHAMAS

OTTAWA, Sept. 24 /CNW/ - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced the designation of Air Transat to operate scheduled international air services between Canada and the Bahamas.

"This designation provides Canadians with more options when choosing a carrier for service to the Bahamas," said Minister Strahl. "It will help to encourage competition and growth in the Canadian airline industry, while promoting international travel options for consumers from both countries."

Under Canada's international air transportation policy, all Canadian air carriers may apply to the Minister for designation to operate scheduled international air services. The designation was made possible by the bilateral air transport agreement already in place with the Bahamas.

The Bahamas is one of Canada's primary leisure markets. This new designation will facilitate planned new scheduled air services from Toronto to Nassau.

The Government of Canada is proud of its record in providing more choices to Canadians for their international air travel. Since November 2006, the Government of Canada has negotiated open, new or expanded air service agreements with more than 50 countries, including:

• open skies-type agreements with nine countries: the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, South Korea and El Salvador;
• expanded agreements with nine countries: Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Jordan, Singapore, the Philippines, Morocco and Cuba;
• new "first-time" agreements with nine countries: Algeria, Kuwait, Serbia, Croatia, Panama, Turkey, South Africa, Ethiopia and Tunisia; and
• a comprehensive air transport agreement between Canada and the European Union's 27 member states. This includes the UK, Ireland and Portugal, as well as Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia, with which Canada did not previously have air agreements.

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For further information:

John Babcock	Media Relations
Press Secretary	Transport Canada, Ottawa
Office of the Honourable Chuck Strahl	613-993-0055
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700