Canada's Air Transat to deploy two A330s as freighters

Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) restarted operations on July 23 offering both domestic and transatlantic flights. The carrier announced in a press release that it operated six flights on the first day of operations after a "112-day shutdown", from Montréal Trudeau to Toulouse Blagnac, Paris CDG, and Toronto Pearson as well as from Toronto Pearson to London Gatwick, Montréal Trudeau, and Vancouver Int'l.

Many European countries have reopened to Canadians during the past couple of weeks after the European Union listed Canada as one of 14 countries from which travellers have again been recommended unrestricted entry. Every European Union and Schengen zone member state still makes its own decisions regarding entry restrictions. As such, Air Transat's capacity is predominantly deployed to Europe with flights currently being offered out of Montreal and Toronto to France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and the UK. It has also resumed flights to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Mexico.

In its press release, Transat said its leisure carrier would primarily use its fleet of six A321-200NX(LR)...

The European Union's competition regulators have paused their antitrust probe into the bid by Air Canada (AC, Montréal Trudeau) to buy the tour operator Transat AT and its carrier Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau), for as long as it takes for the companies to provide further data.

As previously reported, the European Commission opened a four-month investigation on May 25, spurred by worries that the deal may result in less choice and higher fares for flights between Europe and Canada.

It said at the time that it would take 90 working days, until September 30, to make a decision. But on June 18, it halted the probe.

A preliminary review by the EU's executive branch found that the deal may significantly reduce competition on 33 city pairs between the two jurisdictions.

"This procedure in merger investigations is activated if the parties fail to provide, in a timely fashion, an important piece of information that the Commission has requested from them," it explained to the Reuters news agency.

"Once the missing information...

Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) parent Transat AT has said it expects to complete its deal with Air Canada (AC, Montréal Trudeau) in the fourth quarter of 2020, once it finally obtains the necessary approvals and the right conditions are in place.

It is not possible to extend the deadline for obtaining the regulatory approvals it is awaiting from Canada and the European Union beyond December 27, 2020, it explained in a note to investors as it released its second-quarter results.

Factors beyond the tour operator's control and related to the coronavirus pandemic may yet influence Air Canada's intention to buy it, it warned.

“The arrangement remains subject to certain customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, particularly authorities in Canada and the European Union,” it said referring specifically to the state-run regulator Transport Canada and the European Commission, both of which are studying the deal's potential impact on competition.

On May 25, the European Commission decided to open an in-depth investigation to assess the transaction, which could take until anywhere between September...

Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) plans to resume flight operations on July 23, after a hiatus of almost four months, starting with 22 routes to destinations in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe at least until the end of the summer season on October 31, it said in a statement on June 11.

Its tour operator parent, Transat, will also offer packages to the south and to Europe during this period as its network of travel agencies gradually reopen from June 15.

Provided that travel restrictions applicable on that date allow it, Air Transat will gradually operate direct flights from Montréal Trudeau to Athens Int'l, Bordeaux, Lisbon, Lyon St. Exupéry, Marseilles, Nantes, Paris CDG, and Toulouse Blagnac.

From Toronto Pearson, direct flights will open up to Athens, Glasgow Int'l, London Gatwick, Manchester Int'l, Porto, and Rome Fiumicino.

From both Canadian cities, Air Transat will fly direct to Cayo Coco, Cancún, Fort Lauderdale Int'l, and Punta Cana...