European travellers will have greater access to the Canadian market thanks to a new codeshare agreement between Porter Airlines and British Airways.
Codeshare agreements allow customers of one airline to book seats on flights operated by another. In this case, British Airways customers will be able to purchase tickets through the airline for Porter flights to 17 Canadian destinations, including Ottawa.
“It is our pleasure to welcome British Airways customers to the Porter experience,” Edmond Eldebs, senior vice-president and COO at Porter, said in a press release Tuesday.
“This codeshare agreement reflects our shared commitment to making travel seamless and enjoyable. More travellers have the opportunity to discover more of Canada the Porter way, with elevated service and comfort that we’re known for. We look forward to a strong and growing partnership.”
The agreement also allows British Airways Club members to earn Avios points on Porter flights.
Other destinations include Calgary, Charlottetown, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and St. John’s.
“We are delighted to launch this codeshare with Porter Airlines, meaning British Airways customers can now book flights on Porter Airlines’ network with convenience and ease,” said Neil Chernoff, chief planning and strategy officer at British Airways. “This agreement makes travel between London and Canada even easier, offering more options and flexibility. We look forward to working closely with Porter Airlines and further strengthening our partnership.”
Porter currently operates more flights through the capital than any other airline, including a variety of sun destination routes introduced in the last year. Earlier this year, Eldebs told OBJ that the city has become a cornerstone of its strategy.
“We’re very optimistic about Ottawa and we’re here for the long term,” Eldebs said at the time. “When you look at the business case, we’ve proven it out, that it’s a success. The fact that the catchment area of Ottawa is a million people and many of those people work across the public sector and, on average, the income is higher — these are people that want to fly. They want to travel and they want to travel from an airport that’s convenient to them.”
