Air Canada Revises Terms of CPA with Chorus Aviation

Air Canada has amended the Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) with Jazz Aviation LP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Inc., under which Jazz currently operates certain regional Air Canada Express flights.

Through the revised agreement, Air Canada will transfer operation of its Embraer E175 fleet to Jazz from Sky Regional and Jazz will become the sole operator of Air Canada Express services.

The revisions to the CPA are subject to Jazz reaching an agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association, International. If this condition is satisfied, the CPA will be amended on a retroactive basis to 1 January 2021.

"Air Canada is consolidating its regional flying with Jazz in response to the ongoing devastating impact of COVID19 upon the airline industry," said Richard Steer, Senior Vice President, Operations and Express Carriers. "This necessary realignment of our regional services will help Air Canada achieve efficiencies and reduce operating costs and cash burn by consolidating its regional operations with one provider. Moreover, by streamlining the regional fleet, this agreement will also position Air Canada to operate more competitively with a single provider as traffic returns following the pandemic."

As a result of the CPA revisions and consolidation of regional flying, Air Canada expects to realize $400 million in cost reductions over the 15-year term of the agreement ($43 million per year until 2026 and $18 million per year thereafter). This includes:

- Increasing near term-cost certainty as a result of the combined fleet under a single operator;

- Reducing Air Canada's overall regional flying compensation; and

- Creating related operational costs savings.

In addition, the revised CPA will lower future contractual capital expenditure and leasing costs through a restructured CPA fleet, avoiding an estimated $193 million in future capital expenditures.

"Sky Regional has provided excellent service to Air Canada and its passengers over the past decade with an impeccable safety record and excellent on time performance and cost management. We thank Sky and all of its employees for their effort, dedication and valued partnership," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.

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