J.O. Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 FWIW, navaids are not paid for through AIFs. Those are covered in the Nav Canada service fees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boestar Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 All employee Travel passes are ID coded fares. It is a throwback of sorts. Zed Fares as we know them now were once called ID-90 fares. We had ID-90 and ID-50 fares as well as standard passes which were essentially ID-90s on our own airline.Business travel fares are not ID fares as the Employee travelling is not paying for the fare.These changes are effective March 1 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inchman Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Inchman....You appear to be a fatalist to the extent that you recommend responding to change rather than attempting to initiate change.I can't argue with your conclusions; "Don't like parking fees? Don't drive." It's a simple solution and retains freedom of choice.However, my approach is to anticipate needs and then come to an agreement that satisfies those needs. I don't like mass transit ground transportation so I have a car. When I worked downtown Toronto, a term of my employment was the provision of parking.If the parking garage increased its charges, the employer covered the increased cost.One can continue with all of your examples. Don't like the price of cauliflower? Then make sure the cost increase potential is reflected in your wage agreement or bring it in from Mexico where it costs a LOT less. I'm paying $2.50 a head. Seriously...people are loudly complaining about recent price increases. They are not sitting stoically murmuring; "Oh, well."My point is that this fee is a change. Why the change? Why now? You can roll over or you can ask the questions and demand answers. The choice is yours (collectively).I do agree that questions should be asked. I am well known for kicking up dirt when big corporations try to roll over people. From the perspective of all employees using passes, I do think that it is unfortunate, but not necessarily unfair. With many of the other airports in Canada charging for pass travel, it seems that the GTAA held off charging for longer than the others. Why are we treating them like the bad guy now? I didn't hear anyone hear lauding them in the past as one of the few that didn't charge.And, after having been on opposite sides of the table from one branch of the GTAA, I am more than convinced that they are not going to budge.I guess the thing that stuck out for me on this thread was the apparent indignance that it was some horrendous burden on commuters, as if they had some special rights and that their travel should be somehow treated differently than when I use my pass. Why should a commuter be treated as business travel? When I come home from a week in the islands, I'm coming back to go to work. Commuting has become somewhat of a right... often demanding the use of negotiating currency during contract negots. If a fight is to be raised on this, commuters should not be the issue. Pass travel should be the only issue and commuters should benefit the same as all others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zan Vetter Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Couldn't agree more inchman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critter Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 All this being said though...getting the airport authorities to honour the MOA language would have benefits for ALL airline employees. Not just the commuters.Me thinks it's a worthy cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpperDeck Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Only two comments. Well, actually three.Inchman....I'm concerned that you're paying higher taxes than your neighbour in a similar townhome. The millage rate should be the same and you should both be paying taxes on your assessed market value. If you are over-paying, you should request reconsideration of your assessment.I fear one point was not adequately emphasized. I do not believe that the re-consideration of AIF fees was a unilateral decision by the GTAA. I believe it was collaboative.Finally...I understand the objection to characterization of commuters as a "special class" but I thought it assisted in focussing attention by referencing a group for whom the fee is not an occasional irritant but rather an economic burden.Compare it if you will to the occasional and reluctant purchase of a head of broccoli at $4.99 to the necessary purchase of same each and every week. Travelling two or three times a year on a pass....$90. a year. Not much to get agitated about. On the other hand, make that four times a month and it becomes $120 each month...$1440 per year...and of more concern.The principle however remains and I agree with you, Inchman.....should this fee be introduced to AC pass travellers at this time and under these circumstances? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moeman Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I fear one point was not adequately emphasized. I do not believe that the re-consideration of AIF fees was a unilateral decision by the GTAA. I believe it was collaboative.Why do you believe this to be so? Do you know something we don't, or is it just a "feeling" based on your suspicions as to the timing of the change? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moeman Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 All this being said though...getting the airport authorities to honour the MOA language would have benefits for ALL airline employees. Not just the commuters.Me thinks it's a worthy cause.Did you not say that the GTAA/YYZ wasn't a signatory to this MOA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boney Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Maybe all the unions and associations could work together and sue the airports, on the behalf of all crews members.Dare to dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critter Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Did you not say that the GTAA/YYZ wasn't a signatory to this MOA?That's right, but almost every other airport in Canada is and should honour the language in the MOA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpperDeck Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Why do you believe this to be so? Do you know something we don't, or is it just a "feeling" based on your suspicions as to the timing of the change?Moeman.....okay, I have feelings. I confess. However, my "suspicions" are based upon the knowledge that Air Canada entered into an agreement with the GTAA for a five year term. That term has not expired. The agreement related to "aeronautical fees" , a term which includes AIF. It provides for payment to AC of a percentage of AIF fees collected by AC for administrative expenses.See my post above in reference to this agreement. I concede that I may be wrong but I do not think that the GTAA arbitrarilly and unilaterally decided to revise this agreement. I am relatively certain that AC would not "roll-over" and accept any revisions without some ancillary concessions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpperDeck Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Moeman....I emphasize...Air Canada and the GTAA are parties to an existing agreement; they have a contractual relationship. The GTAA cannot vary the terms of that agreement without consent. Air Canada would not consent to the change unless there was something to be gained.I know that the agreement speaks of revenue neutrality....collect more here; take a corresponding amount less elsewhere. I am suggesting the possibility that AC put pass travel liability for AIF on the table. I am suggesting this was NOT requested by the GTAA. Why would AC do that? Because that money would come out of pockets other than those of AC and in exchange, AC would be required to pay less in apron fees or landing fees thereby putting more money into its pocket...increasing the bottom line.These things don't just happen, folks. They are planned and there is always a reason. What do they say? " Follow the money!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specs Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Does the AIF apply only to AC? What about the employees of the other carriers. Have they been paying the fee all along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaEH Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 This will affect WJ employees as well. We haven't been paying the AIF either but received notification that we will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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