One of the countries where it is slightly tough to get access to their skies is Canada. The country has had very limited relationships with India regarding air connectivity as a consequence, even though a significant Indian diaspora resides in Canada. Earlier on, India and Canada were connected by Jet Airways, but after they closed operations, Air India launched flights between India and Canada in September 2019. Air Canada also returned to India, subsequently. All these operations were hampered during 2020/21, but they are now back.

India and Canada Open Skies coming up

India and Canada had first discussed an open skies agreement in May 2022, when Indian Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia met his Canadian counterpart, Omar Alghabra, on a visit to Canada. Both sides had agreed on an open skies agreement in principle then. Open Skies essentially refers to an arrangement with no constraints on the number of passengers who can fly between the two countries or the number of flight departures that can be conducted between the two countries.

India is Canada’s 4th largest international air transport market. 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 2011 agreement put a cap of 35 weekly flights per side between the two countries.

India has such an agreement with the USA, which allows Indian carriers to fly to the US subject to them being able to get slots at US airports, and similarly for the American carriers to operate flights to India.

Under the deal, which was announced by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the ongoing G20 summit, Canadian carriers can fly to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata without restrictions. Meanwhile, Indian airlines can fly to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, and two other destinations the Indian government can choose. Other cities in both countries can be served indirectly through code-share services.

Air India currently operates flights between Delhi – Toronto, and Vancouver, albeit the frequency varies. Air Canada presently offers flights between Delhi and Montreal, and Toronto, Mumbai and Toronto (with a stop at London Heathrow), et al. Some of Air Canada’s plans are not being executed right now, given the fact that Ukrainian Airspace is unavailable, and their 787-9 aircraft, hence cannot fly non-stop to India.

This move means that there will be more connectivity between points such as Bengaluru and Toronto, for instance, which are currently one-stop. Also, Indian carriers such as Air India could launch flights between Canadian ports and Amritsar, a significant origin and destination for the Indian diaspora that goes to Canada.

As per Transport Canada, The expanded rights are available immediately. However, the planes are not. But watch this space to see more updates on flights between India and Canada when they happen.

Bottomline

India and Canada have signed an expanded air services agreement, which will allow Indian carriers to mount an uncapped number of flights to six airports in Canada, and similarly, Canadian airlines will be able to operate an uncapped number of flights to six Indian airports. This is overall a good move and should allow for more connectivity to spring up between the two countries. It should specifically benefit Air India for now while Air Canada waits for the Ukrainian airspace to be available to it again for more flights to be launched from its end.

What do you make of this expanded Air Services Agreement between Canada and India?

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