NLIS 7
November 27, 2001
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

 

Minister comments on arrival of Tango in the province

Kevin Aylward, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, says that while the confirmation that Tango, the discount airline of Air Canada, will help answer some of the problems of air access in the province, he hopes that the arrival of Tango does not discourage other airlines from providing much needed air service to and from Newfoundland and Labrador.

"My understanding is that Tango will operate one flight a day to Halifax and Toronto out of St. John�s, beginning in January. This is encouraging, but not enough to bring the capacity numbers up to the necessary standard. I must question Air Canada�s intention to come to the province on the heels of information that another airline is considering operating out of the province and in light of local industry participants looking to establishing a jet liner service out of St. John�s. I would suggest that a level of healthy competition is needed to ensure satisfactory ticket prices and an acceptable number of seats."

The issue of air access that is affordable and efficient is a priority for me and my colleagues across Canada. In September, tourism ministers from five provinces and Minister Brian Tobin, the federal minister responsible for tourism, met in St. John�s. The airline industry was identified as a priority for all of us," said Minister Aylward. "We intend to meet again in January, this time with Minister Tobin and Minister David Collinette, the federal Minister of Transportation. At this time, we will enter into more discussions on the whole structure of the airline industry from the participants to the regulatory environment airlines operate under."

Media contact: Catherina Kennedy, (709) 729-0928.

2001 11 27


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