Canada Just Doubled The Number Of Passenger Flights Allowed To This Transatlantic Destination

Credit: Ross Howey Photo & Cangavi | Shutterstock | Simple Flying Published Oct 7, 2026, 12:37 PM EDT Louis is a military historian and the staff writer for History of War magazine, a leading military history monthly. He also has an interest in private and commercial aviation. Sign in to your Simple Flying account Yesterday, Transport Canadaannounced that it was expanding international air transport agreements between Canada and the Côte d'Ivoire. The agreement increases the locations that can be flown to, the frequencies of passenger and cargo flights, and the possibilities for fifth freedom cargo flights. The development builds on a long-standing relationship between the two countries. Côte d'Ivoire is currently Canada's fourth-largest bilateral trading partner located in the sub-Saharan Africa region. It is also home to a rapidly growing aviation market. What's Included In The Canada-Côte d'Ivoire Deal? The main aspect of this deal is a growth in the total number of passenger flights allowed between the two countries, which will rise to 14 passenger-combination flights each week for each nation. This is a doubling of the previous capacity. These flights, along with cargo flights, will be permitted to any relevant airport in each of the two nations. A cargo expansion is another growth within the deal. There will now be a maximum of ten all-cargo flights allowed per week for both Canada and Côte d’Ivoire. The Canada-Côte d’Ivoire deal also accounts for a fifth freedom cargo expansion. This is the ability for flights between two foreign nations, providing that it starts or finishes within the carrier's home country. The deal gives fifth freedom rights for "all-cargo flights at points in Africa, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States." What The Politicians Are Saying The agreement has huge potential for both Canada and Côte d’Ivoire, who already had a close aviation and trade relationship. In 2025, bilateral trade between the two nations was worth $1.2 billion, according to Skies Mag. It adds to Canada's portfolio of air transport agreements, which currently cover 125 nations. The Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Canadian Government in the House of Commons, said: "Our government is proud to announce this new agreement with Cote d'Ivoire, which will help grow our two economies while creating new opportunities for our people and our businesses. This agreement reflects our shared commitment to growth, partnership, and prosperity." The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Canada's Minister of International Trade, also pointed to the growth of trade between the two countries by 32% over the past year. He hopes that the deal will lead to further investment ties that will benefit workers and businesses in Canada and the Côte d'Ivoire. The Deal Is Another Leap Forwards For Côte d'Ivoire's Aviation Sector The most recent deal signed with Canada is another signal that the Côte d'Ivoire's aviation sector is one of the most exciting ones to watch in sub-Saharan Africa. It has been making substantial steps forward in recent years, particularly from Air Côte d'Ivoire, the nation's flag carrier. An example was the 2024 announcement that it would be the official carrier for the Africa Cup of Nations. The airline was responsible for carrying national teams, officials, supporters, sports equipment and more between venues across Côte d'Ivoire. The airline showed it was able to deal with the pressures of a substantial capacity increase. The table below shows data for Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's most significant commercial airport. It makes use of data from Big Airports: Data point Number Position in Africa Position in the world Annual passengers 2.3 million 58th 470th Destinations 40+ 20th 345th Airlines 29 16th 274th Overall ranking N/A 75th 534th It has also been almost 12 months since Air Côte d'Ivoire began its first long-haul route. The carrier started Airbus A330-900 flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). This jet has a high-premium 242-seat layout. The nation's flag carrier does not currently fly to Canada or to any transatlantic destinations. Perhaps the most recent deal will give it an opportunity to do so.