Canadian Transportation Agency proposes co-operation in implementing order

OTTAWA – January 10, 2008 – The Canadian Transportation Agency has offered to facilitate a collaborative process to develop a screening process to implement the one-person-one-fare Decision it announced today for domestic air travel.

In a statement supplementing an order today to Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, WestJet and the Gander International Airport Authority, the Agency said all affected parties would benefit from working out common terms of compliance with Agency Decision No. 6-AT-A-2008.

“It would be desirable to have a common screening approach to determine eligibility to benefit under the one-person-one-fare policy,” said Geoffrey Hare, Chairman and CEO of the Agency. “A co-operative approach would be potentially beneficial to Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, WestJet and the Gander International Airport Authority as well as other Canadian air carriers and airport authorities that may consider voluntary implementation of the one-person-one-fare policy.

“This approach could include input from the medical community, the community of persons with disabilities and other interested parties. It would offer an opportunity to consider other practices and operational experiences, as well as examination of alternative ways that the objectives set out in the Agency’s Decision can be operationalized.

“The Canadian Transportation Agency is prepared to facilitate a consultative process with Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet if they believe it would assist them in determining how best to put the one-person-one-fare policy into practice.”

The Canadian Transportation Agency is an independent Government of Canada tribunal which operates like a court. Among its responsibilities, the Agency must facilitate the implementation of an effective and efficient federal transportation network. It deals with issues such as the removal of undue obstacles to persons with disabilities. The Agency’s jurisdiction with respect to persons with disabilities, stated in Part V of the Canada Transportation Act, is to ensure that persons with disabilities have proper access to effective transportation service.

The Agency’s Decision No. 6-AT-A-2008 on the one-person-one-fare application can be viewed at www.cta.gc.ca. The Executive Summary, two backgrounders and a related news release may be found in the Media Room at www.cta.gc.ca.