No. GC06/05
For release April 22, 2005

CANADA RESPONDS TO
UNITED STATES AIR SECURITY BAN ON LIGHTERS

OTTAWA — Transport Canada and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) today announced that, effective April 26, 2005, CATSA will intercept lighters at United States pre-clearance areas at Canadian airports.

"This measure will help air carriers comply with a decision by the United States Transportation Security Administration to ban lighters from aircraft," said Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre.

CATSA will intercept lighters at United States pre-clearance screening points at airports in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. In addition, vendors will not sell lighters in the protected pre-clearance areas.

The pre-clearance service speeds up cross-border travel by enabling passengers from Canada to land at domestic terminals at United States airports where they are treated as domestic travellers.

"The Government of Canada has worked with its aviation security partners to develop the appropriate Canadian response to the Transportation Security Administration’s new security requirements," said Mr. Lapierre. "These changes will enable Canadian carriers to continue serving these routes without any effect to their operations."

Passengers may still carry disposable lighters onto aircraft flying within Canada or to foreign destinations other than the United States.

"Transport Canada, CATSA, airlines and airports are working together to ensure that travellers understand the new requirements," said Jacques Duchesneau, CATSA's president and chief executive officer. "We strongly advise United States-bound passengers not to carry lighters when travelling by air."

Both Transport Canada and the United States Department of Transportation also prohibit lighters from being stowed in checked baggage.

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