OTTAWA, June 13, 2016 − The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC), the trade association representing Canada’s largest air carriers, supports the Government of Canada’s continued commitment to educating drone operators and keeping our skies safe.

“We welcome the government’s initiative and recognition of the need to address the growing hazard that Unmanned Air Vehicles can pose to commercial aviation, said Marc-André O’Rourke, Executive Director of the NACC. “We support all efforts to educate the public on the requirements and responsibilities of operating drones.”

The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, today launched a national safety campaign and reiterated the Government of Canada’s intention to develop new regulations for drones. The Minister unveiled a ‘No Drone Zone’ sign to remind users to only operate their drones in approved areas. The “No Drone Zone” signs will be distributed to a number of airports and other organizations to promote the safe use of drones and to deter operators from flying in areas that put aviation safety at risk.

“As the number of drones sharing our skies continues to grow, increasing awareness of the potential consequences of operating them illegally and perilously is critical to the safety of our airlines and passengers”, added O’Rourke. “Our member airlines look forward to working with Transport Canada to establish new drone-operating regulations”.

About the National Airlines Council of Canada

The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) is the trade association representing Canada’s largest national and international passenger air carriers: Air Canada, Air Transat, Jazz Aviation LP and WestJet. We promote safe, sustainable and competitive air travel through the development of policies, regulations and legislation that foster a world-class transportation system. Collectively, our member airlines carry over 50 million passengers annually, directly employ 46,000 people and create over 260,000 jobs.

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For further information, please contact:

Marc-André O’Rourke, Executive Director
National Airlines Council of Canada
Tel.: 613-231-7223  morourke@airlinecouncil.ca