By John Flett
Canadian Carriers Announce Codeshare and Interline Agreements
Canadian airlines Air Transat and Porter Airlines announced a bilateral codeshare this week for select flights on each other’s networks. The codeshare agreement encompasses Porter Airlines’ domestic flights to and from Toronto’s Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Halifax, Canada and a number of Air Transat flights to and from Montreal, Canada’s Pierre Trudeau International Airport.
“We have found an ideal partner in Air Transat to launch Porter’s first codeshare agreement,” said Kevin Jackson, Porter Airlines’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. “Connecting passengers in two of our most important markets, Toronto and Halifax, with Air Transat’s European and North American network is a great benefit. This is just the beginning, as we intend to expand Porter’s own network to create many more travel opportunities between our two airlines.”
Air Transat has a leisure travel focus and operates a fleet of Airbus A321-200, Airbus A321LR, Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A330-300 aircraft. According to Air Transat’s website, the airline flies to 60 destinations in the Americas and Europe. Porter Airlines operates a fleet of De Havilland Dash 8-400 to a range of Canadian and U.S. destinations in addition to international routes in collaboration with partner JetBlue.
Michèle Barre, Air Transat’s Vice President, Network, Revenue Management and Pricing said, “We are delighted that our codeshare agreement with Porter Airlines is taking off. Our respective networks are highly complementary, with Porter serving Toronto and Halifax, and Air Transat serving some 15 countries. This will provide both our passengers with an expanded, yet seamless experience, and is perfectly in line with Air Transat’s strategy initiated earlier this year to develop our network through alliances.”
Air Transat is using its flight designator code on flights operated by Porter Airlines between Toronto City and Montreal as well as between Halifax and Montreal. Passengers on Porter Airlines flights can then connect to Air Transat destinations by transiting through Montreal.
The codeshare agreement will allow connections to and from London, Paris and Lisbon, Portugal this winter with domestic routes and several warmer, leisure destinations popular with Canadians. Transit codeshare connections to other parts of the United States are scheduled to be added by the end of 2022.
Earlier this week, Calgary, Canada-based WestJet announced a ‘reciprocal interline relationship’ with British Columbia, Canada-based Pacific Coastal Airlines. The cooperation agreement is the first for Pacific Coastal which operates to 17 airports in their home province and a number of other destinations with its affiliate, Wilderness Seaplanes.
“Pacific Coastal Airlines is proud to partner with WestJet on our first interline,” Johnathan Richardson, Vice President of Customer and Commercial, Pacific Coastal Airlines, said. “We look forward to working together to connect the communities we serve and bring them exciting new options for their global travel needs.”
John Weatherill, WestJet’s Chief Commercial Officer added, “This new interline complements our network growth in Western Canada and the strong schedule we’re bringing to the communities we serve directly and through our partners like Pacific Coastal.”
During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team that created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff, balancing a mix of corporate and social content.
John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a Masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. He has been the course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university and a member of Heathrow Community Trust’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.
John is currently living in Canada and is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and other aviation-related organizations.
