Thank you, Mr. Chair and my committee colleagues, for allowing me to intervene on an important issue related to the economy and viability of smaller airports and airlines. It's an issue of particular relevance for rural Canadians.
As you're aware, Mr. Oommen, one of CTA's core mandates is to make sure our transportation system runs efficiently and smoothly in the interest of all Canadians, so I bring to you the issue of interline connections for smaller, regional airlines. My example is based here in the Yukon, the proud home of Air North, which provides regional air transport around the Yukon and also carries Yukoners south to destinations such as Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and seasonally to Ottawa and Toronto. Whitehorse, Yukon, is also serviced by major carriers, including Air Canada and WestJet, so that passengers have a choice of carrier.
It's worth noting that Air North is a locally owned and operated airline with substantial investments in local employment of ground crews, flight crews, pilots and maintenance, and a call centre for reservations. There are employment opportunities, as well as local training and capacity development. Air North even has an acclaimed flight kitchen based here in Whitehorse.
A robust local airline means successful investment and, therefore, sustainability in regional airports and the local economy. An interline agreement allows passengers to book connecting flights, hopefully, without issues. They don't need a second ticket, even if they have to change airlines. If they want to go from Toronto to Whitehorse, they book one ticket and one itinerary, even if they're changing air carriers along the way. For ease of travel and moving baggage, and to maximize airline capacity and efficiency, it's a sensible, consumer-focused measure.
According to Air North CEO Joe Sparling, from every community in Canada that gets scheduled air service, residents should be able to get to any other community, or even outside the country, as seamlessly and affordably as possible, and that's not the case now. In fact, a previous iteration of this committee called for interline agreements to be required—that was more than 20 years ago—to better serve Canadians, particularly those who rely on routes primarily flown by or connecting with regional airlines.
It's an issue of concern to Yukoners, but it's also an issue shared in widespread regions of Canada.
Mr. Oommen, as I understand it, Canada does not currently have mandatory interline agreements. I don't know, within your role at CTA, whether you can comment on that at all, or the importance that this could bring.