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Red tape challenging for airline service

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Your August 12 editorial (“It’s time to deregulate domestic air travel”) pointed out the challenges associated with providing air travel to smaller locales in regions such as Atlantic Canada.

As the national association representing Canada’s largest passenger airlines, we believe in a competitive air travel system – and we recognize greater competitiveness will not happen without reforms to Canada’s aviation system. The biggest challenge to a more competitive market is the uniquely Canadian approach of relying almost solely on a “user pay” model that imposes significant costs on passengers and airlines. In fact, many fees collected by the air travel system are not even fully reinvested in the system, such as federal airport rents.

It has made Canada’s system one of the most expensive in the world. The fees, charges, and taxes passengers, airlines, and airports must pay in Canada inhibit the ability to service our regional markets. In most other countries, including the U.S., many of these costs are borne by national governments. And as the four Atlantic premiers stated in a joint letter earlier this year, if proposed regulatory changes to the Airline Passenger Protection Regulations are enacted, they will further threaten regional connectivity in Atlantic Canada.

Moreover, there has been a 40 per cent reduction in American carriers flying to non-hub (ie, smaller) Canadian airports since 2019, according to the U.S. aviation trade association Airlines for America, because of the much higher cost of servicing Canadian markets – despite the open skies market with the U.S. Until we create a more cost competitive environment in Canada, American carriers will continue to lose interest in servicing smaller Canadian locations.

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We agree regional air service in Canada is critical. The Government of Canada needs to urgently address the underlying policy and cost barriers that are impeding a more competitive system.

Jeff Morrison

President, National Airlines Council of Canada

Atwin’s postcard reaction was out of line

Your recent editorial deploring Jenica Atwin`s drastic call for Canada Post to start cancelling mail that some of its workers think is offensive and that they also should be able decide what to deliver, was right on the mark. Their job description calls for delivering the mail, not judging it. 

As a recipient of the disputed postcard from Campaign Life Coalition, I found the information it contained quite accurate and easily verifiable, as you pointed out. 

MP Atkin, in her diatribe, offers no rebuttal to any of the assertions made in the postcard. It seems like a pure emotional outburst on her part. 

While you deserve praise for your objectivity in defending postal delivery of CLC`s postcard, I object to your cheap parting shot qualifying “Campaign Lifers (as) a loathsome bunch who`ve produced a disagreeable piece of mail.” Hate speech, Telegraph-Journal? 

Thaddée Renault 

Fredericton 

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