CANZUK International To Pursue Closer Airline & Airport Cooperation

As freer movement and increased visa arrangements between the CANZUK countries start to be discussed following the COVID-19 pandemic, our organization’s policy work will also focus on special arrangements for CANZUK citizens when travelling via air between the four countries.

Policies regarding the airline and airport sectors will complement visa arrangements between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, ensuring travelers from these countries benefit from lower airfares, greater passenger rights and ease of access to the four jurisdictions.

Such policies will include:

Increased competition: Reviewing protectionist policies in each of the four nations (such as cabotage in Canada) and supporting preferential treatment for airlines based in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to operate within CANZUK jurisdictions, thereby increasing competition and reducing consumer fares.

Common passenger rights: Ensuring passengers within CANZUK jurisdictions are protected under a universal, gold-standard rights scheme, meaning more passengers will select flights to CANZUK countries above anywhere else, especially in uncertain economic times.

Healthcare exchanges: Expanding the already-existing Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) – which provides emergency healthcare coverage for UK, Australian and New Zealand citizens when travelling between these countries – to include Canada and expand the agreement to include certain non-medical coverages.

Airport express lanes: Guaranteeing CANZUK citizens swift entry and departure within airports across Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom while ensuring paramount safety and security protocols.

We also encourage members of the public who are interested in shaping these upcoming policies to provide their ideas and comments via our contact page.

CANZUK International looks forward to engaging with relevant government and private-sector partners in developing these policy proposals which will undoubtedly complement free movement negotiations between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.