Air Canada and the U.S. DOT reach settlement on NHL charters

MONTREAL , Sept. 18 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today said it has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that will allow the resumption of NHL sports charter flights for the 2009-10 season to cities in both Canada and the U.S.

"Air Canada is pleased to announce that it has reached a settlement agreement with the DOT to resolve the NHL sports charter issue, which threatened to disrupt the travel schedules of NHL teams for the upcoming hockey season. I want to take this opportunity to thank Prime Minister Stephen Harper , Transport Minister John Baird and Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon for their critical interventions, which allowed this matter to be resolved in time for the start of the upcoming NHL season," said Duncan Dee , Air Canada's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Details of the settlement will be released by the U.S. DOT and will outline a number of initiatives that Air Canada's specialty charter operator, Jetz, will undertake in order to address concerns relating to the operation of season-long NHL sports charters.

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For further information: Isabelle Arthur, (Montréal), [phone]; Peter Fitzpatrick, (Toronto), [phone]; Angela Mah, (Vancouver), [phone]; aircanada.com