George Petsikas is a native of Montreal. He is a lawyer and holds a masters degree in law from McGill University’s Institute of Air and Space Law. Since 1990, George has worked for Air Transat and its parent company Transat A.T. Inc., Canada’s leading holiday travel company and one of the largest integrated tour operators in the world.

He currently holds the position of Senior Director, Government and Industry Affairs, responsible for all aviation policy, legislative and regulatory matters, government, international and industry relations, bilateral and multilateral air transport negotiations, as well as issues relating to transport and aviation law. He was a senior industry advisor on the Canadian negotiating teams that concluded the landmark air transport agreements with the United States and the European Union.  

George was appointed the first president of the National Airlines Council of Canada in September 2008 and acts as chairman of its executive committee.  He is a co-founder of the National Travel and Tourism Coalition of Canada and also serves as chairman of the Board of Airline Representatives Canada (BAR Canada) He is a past chairman of the Canadian Bar Association’s Air and Space Law Section and of Toronto-Pearson Airport’s Airlines Consultative Committee. George is married and the father of two rambunctious boys.