Province pleased with Provincial Airline announcement

Tom Lush, chair of the provincial government cabinet committee on air access, aerospace and the military, said today that he is pleased Provincial Airlines will expand their flight schedule to cover many if not all of the recently discontinued Air Canada Jazz flights.

"We had hoped that a local carrier would move to fill the void left by Air Canada," said Minister Lush. "Today�s announcement is very good news for the communities that have been adversely affected by last weeks announcement. As a government, we look forward to working with Provincial Airlines, airport authorities, businesses and other stakeholder groups to ensure that access to air travel is maintained throughout the province."

Last week Air Canada announced that it would discontinue its domestic air service on several routes in Newfoundland and Labrador including routes affecting Stephenville, Deer Lake, Goose Bay, Wabush and St. John�s.

"We look at this announcement today as a reprieve but in no way as a solution to the problems we face in the air industry," said Minister Lush. "As a government, we will continue to lobby the federal government to improve its current legislation and work with the airline industry to ensure that service to smaller, rural areas of the country can be maintained."

Media contact: Janice Lockyer, Communications, (709) 729-1341.

2002 09 10                                         2:15 p.m.