Trade, tourism and cultural relations between the UAE and Canada are set to increase in the wake of the signing of an air transport agreement on Sunday, said Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, Bahrain’s Minister of Communications.
"UAE-Canada relations in all sectors are excellent. The UAE looks forward to enhanced cooperation in aviation and other sectors with Canada," the minister said after the signing, quoted by the Gulf News.
The UAE has signed 72 aviation agreements.
The air transport agreement for scheduled air services allows airlines designated by each government to operate services between any city in both countries.
The air carriers have the option of operating their own aircraft or using code-sharing arrangements, Canadian Ambassador Christoper Thomson said, cited by the paper.
"We would like to see both Emirates and Gulf Air operate on the UAE-Canada route, direct or through code-sharing," he said.
Air Canada or other Canadian airlines could operate on this route via air cooperation agreements with airlines such as Lufthansa. Airlines could benefit not only from the passenger side but through cargo operations as well in view of the re-exports from the UAE, he said.
“Now that the agreement has been signed, it is up to the airlines to take advantage of this lucrative sector, which has huge demand in passengers and cargo,” Al Tayer said – Albawaba.com
