Canada opens unlimited flights to India from Mississauga’s Pearson Airport

Expect more options for air travel between Canada and India as unlimited flights are set to connect GTA communities like Mississauga and Brampton to Mumbai, Bangalore and many more Indian destinations.

The federal government has a new deal with India allowing designated airlines to operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries – a huge increase from the previous agreement, which limited each country to just 35 flights per week.

Mississauga MPP and Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra made the announcement on Monday (Nov. 14) at Mississauga’s Pearson Airport, saying the new agreement will add more flexibility for airlines to serve this growing market.

“By making the movement of goods and people faster and easier, this expanded agreement will continue to facilitate trade and investment between Canada and India and help our businesses grow and succeed,” Alghabra said.

The feds say expanding Canada’s existing air transport relationships will allow airlines to introduce more flight options and routings, benefitting both passengers and businesses by providing greater choice.

India is Canada’s fourth largest international air transport market.

The agreement gives Canadian air carriers access to Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers will have access to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional locations to be selected by India.

Other cities in both countries can be served indirectly through code-share services.

“As we strengthen our trade and investment relationship with India, we will continue building bridges like this that enable our entrepreneurs, workers, and businesses to access new opportunities,” said Mary Ng, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development.

Ng said the expanded air transport agreement will help move more professionals, students, business people, and investors between Canada and India.

The new agreement comes some six months after Brampton MP Ruby Sahota called for direct flights to the Indian state of Punjab from Pearson Airport.

While the agreement has not added direct flights to cities in Punjab there will be improved access to Delhi, some 244 kilometres from Punjab’s Chandigarh International Airport.