Jeff Morrison, CEO of the National Airlines Council of Canada, says federal plans for private investment in airports should protect affordability while more details emerge.
The Story
Jeff Morrison, CEO of the National Airlines Council of Canada, says any federal plan to partially privatize airports should keep a lid on costs for travellers as aviation leaders gather in Ottawa for a conference on Oct. 8, 2026.
Morrison said he wants more details to emerge before he adopts a firm stance, but said affordability is key. He pointed to examples abroad as offering mixed results.
He said Australia is often cited by Ottawa because the country handed control of its airports to private investors between 1997 and 2003, a move that produced billions of dollars in capital investment and improvements such as faster baggage handling, passenger check-in processes and additional lounges.
However, Morrison also noted that Australia’s competition watchdog found the four biggest airports increased fees charged to carriers by 81 per cent in the decade leading up to 2015, fees that are often passed on to customers.
Morrison referenced federal comments from Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said last month he wants private investors to take over operations at Canada’s four largest airports for set lease periods, while oversight and ownership would remain with the federal government.
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