At least one major Canadian airline is applauding the Trudeau government’s offer of help for major areas of the economy, including the airline and tourism sectors.

In a statement sent to TravelPulse Canada, Sunwing spokeswoman Jacqueline Grossman said the airline was pleased to hear today's news.

“Throughout the pandemic and following associated bans on non-essential travel, Sunwing has vocally advocated for support for the air transportation industry and its employees,” she said. “Our discussions have been productive and we appreciate the understanding and attention that senior Government of Canada officials have paid to the specific challenges that airlines face, and their potentially adverse impacts on the Canadian economy.

“Today’s announcement shows that the government has been listening and we are pleased to see this major commitment to large employers. At this point, we are still reviewing the program for details on its potential application to Sunwing, but applaud the commitment to protect Canadian jobs and help businesses weather the current economic downturn.”

Other airlines said it’s still too early to comment, but that they’re reviewing the offer.

“WestJet acknowledges the creation of the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) and we will review the program specifics to determine our next steps,” a spokesperson said in an email. “In the meantime, we continue to do everything we can to mitigate the impacts on our operations and the critical investments we make that are essential to Canadian communities.”

Porter Airlines’ spokesman Brad Cicero offered up a similar comment to TravelPulse Canada, saying that officials are “reviewing this morning's announcement to fully understand the details and determine its applicability for Porter before making any decisions about applying to access these funds.”

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa is offering bridge financing for big Canadian businesses across all sectors but that there are conditions attached, including a requirement that companies receiving the loans disclose their environmental plans.

The CBC reports that the large employer emergency financing facility (LEEFF) will provide support to employers with annual revenues of more than $300 million whose credit needs aren't being met through conventional financing.

Trudeau stressed that the program is a bridge loan program, not a "bailout.”

Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Navdeep Bains said the program will help all sorts of business sectors, including tourism and the “aero sector.”