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20 minutes ago, CanadaEH said:

So AC is back to being owned by the government (albeit a small amount)?

Sure is, very small, but potentially rewarding. Government gets a 15% to today's closing share price of $27. And it gets warrants at just under $28.

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1 hour ago, Kargokings said:


Waiting for reaction from other Canadian Airlines. Could be interesting.  ?

Each package is likely to be different, although Transat's support is likely to be closer to that of AC's since it, too, is a publicly traded corporation. How the feds deal with the others, especially WS which is owned by a wealthy holding company, will be most interesting. 

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CANADIAN AVIATION NEWS

CANADIAN AIRLINE AND INDUSTRY NEWS

Government Protects Canadian Air Travellers, Jobs, and Airline Sector

April 12, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

In a country as vast as Canada, it is essential we maintain connections between people and our communities.

To that end, today the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced financial support for Air Canada.

As a condition to receiving this support, Air Canada will ensure that:

  1. Regional communities retain air connections to the rest of Canada through the restart of service at airports temporarily suspended by Air Canada;
  2. Any customer of Air Canada who wants a refund will receive one for certain pandemic-related cancelations;
  3. Airline jobs, pensions, and collective agreements are protected; and
  4. Air Canada remains a customer for Canada’s aerospace sector.

The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting people who work in the air sector and Canadian airlines during this unprecedented and difficult time for the industry. The government is also committed to supporting the gradual return of commercial activity in the aviation sector in Canada in a way that continues to prioritize the health, safety, and security of all Canadians.

Negotiations continue with other Canadian carriers on financial support and any agreement reached in those negotiations will include a requirement that the airline also refund pandemic related-cancelations. In the event that an airline does not need liquidity support from the government, the government remains open to helping all airlines provide voucher refunds to their customers. 

This financial support announced today, in the form of repayable loans and an equity investment, will help Air Canada weather the current economic downturn and will protect thousands of Canadian jobs.

Quotes

“From coast to coast to coast, it is essential we maintain connections between people and our communities, large and small. Protecting Canadian customers is important. And maintaining a competitive Canadian air sector, Canadian airlines, and the thousands of good jobs in this sector is a priority. This is what today’s announcement with Air Canada guarantees.”

– The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

“For our economic recovery and to build back better, we need a strong Canadian air sector that creates good jobs, grows the economy and helps connect communities across Canada. Today’s announcement with Air Canada is another important step in that direction.”

– The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport

Quick facts

  • Since the beginning of the global pandemic, the government has supported the airline sector and other hard-hit sectors through a suite of targeted support measures, including the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. To date, airline sector workers have received over $2.1 billion in support through the wage subsidy. 
  • In addition, in the Fall Economic Statement 2020, the government announced over $1 billion in support for airports and smaller airlines.
  • In the Fall Economic Statement 2020, the government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring Canadians receive refunds as a condition of financial assistance to major carriers.
  • The air sector, including airlines, supports 235,000 jobs in communities across Canada.
  • The government’s financial support to Air Canada is being provided under the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF). Canada Enterprise Emergency Funding Corporation (CEEFC) is a federal Crown corporation, incorporated in May 2020 and wholly owned by Canada Development Investment Corporation (CDEV), a parent Crown corporation.

Associated links

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1 hour ago, dagger said:

Each package is likely to be different, although Transat's support is likely to be closer to that of AC's since it, too, is a publicly traded corporation. How the feds deal with the others, especially WS which is owned by a wealthy holding company, will be most interesting. 

Don't think that they will get anywhere near the same deal AC got, unless of course they are buying 220's.....

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On 4/12/2021 at 9:20 PM, conehead said:

About 6%.

The government becomes the 4th largest shareholder and would be the largest shareholder if all warrants are exercised. I wonder what preferential treatment AC will get to maximize its return on investment?

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4 minutes ago, CanadaEH said:

I wonder what preferential treatment AC will get to maximize its return on investment?

Maybe it'll be sufficient to offset the preferential treatment Westjet gets in not being mandated to do everything in both official languages. ?

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18 minutes ago, FA@AC said:

Maybe it'll be sufficient to offset the preferential treatment Westjet gets in not being mandated to do everything in both official languages. ?

Or reporting anything about the value of their entire holdings.  I wonder how, if funds will be provided (loans that is) how any accounting will be done or surety be provided?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Air Canada pleads with Trudeau for plan to relax travel rules

From BNN Bloomberg – link to source story

Sandrine Rastello, Bloomberg News | 7 May 2021

Flush with bailout funds, Air Canada called on the government of its home country to lay out a plan for reopening borders as vaccination progresses.

Canada’s biggest air carrier is in a position to ramp up operations after reaching a deal for nearly $5.9 billion (US$4.8 billion) in debt and equity with the federal government last month. Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau said it’s now “essential” for officials to follow the U.S. in easing rules that have stopped most air travel.

“Starting with replacing blanket restrictions with science-based testing and limited quarantine measures where appropriate, Canada can reopen and safely ease travel restrictions as vaccination programs roll out,” Rousseau said in a statement accompanying first quarter results that saw an 80 per cent revenue decline from the same period in 2020.

“We have seen elsewhere, notably in the U.S., that travel rebounds sharply as Covid-19 recedes and restrictions are lifted, and we fully expect this can be replicated in Canada,” Rousseau said.

Canada has barred many foreign nationals from entering the country since last March and has a two-week quarantine for some arriving travelers — including a hotel stay at their own cost. Eastern provinces also have adopted restrictions on travelers from other parts of Canada.

That approach has reduced Canadian air travel to a trickle. Average passenger traffic at the largest Canadian airports’ checkpoints in April was just 8 per cent of 2019 levels, versus 59 per cent in the U.S., where vaccination has proceeded more quickly, according to data from the countries’ transport security authorities.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has shared no details about when border rules might ease or what the criteria are for doing so, though he signaled support for a vaccine passport and raised the possibility of summer travel during a news conference this week.

For now, the country is still grappling with a third wave of infections and its vaccination campaign is still beset by supply hurdles and confusion. About 30 per cent of Canadians have received a first dose, compared with 45 per cent in the U.S. and 52 per cent in the U.K, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker. But fewer than 3 per cent in Canada are fully vaccinated.

Montreal-based Air Canada, which ramped up cargo operations during the crisis, reported operating revenue that beat analysts’ estimates. Still, it expects capacity in the second quarter to be 84 per cent lower than the 2019 level.

During the quarter, it burned about $14 million a day on average, less than the $15 million to $17 million it previously expected. In expects about the same for the current quarter, with a range of $13 million to $15 million a day, it said.

1st qtr report extension  Air Canada Reports First Quarter 2021 Results – Canadian Aviation News (wordpress.com)

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On 4/15/2021 at 7:17 PM, CanadaEH said:

The government becomes the 4th largest shareholder and would be the largest shareholder if all warrants are exercised. I wonder what preferential treatment AC will get to maximize its return on investment?

In spite of the usual whitewash from some AC crowd, this is a legitimate concern about how the federal government is going to balance regulating the industry against making a profit on its investment. It is mind boggling that the liberals not only have failed Canadians on every level in handling the pandemic, but they also stubbornly refuse to support the industry as a whole like other developed countries. This stems from their socialist agenda to appear different from other “capitalist” (read Trump administration) countries and their usual pursuit of favouritism.

Public or private, an airline is affected the same from the government’s inane and arbitrary interference and as such must be compensated by the entity which restricts it from conducting business. Some seem to think that it is ok  for private companies to continually pay for the government’s mismanagement on the account that they may appear “rich” to them! What a communist perspective!

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26 minutes ago, MD2 said:

In spite of the usual whitewash from some AC crowd, this is a legitimate concern about how the federal government is going to balance regulating the industry against making a profit on its investment.

What areas of regulation are you concerned about?  Route authorities hardly seem to matter now that open skies agreements are in place with many countries.

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1 hour ago, MD2 said:

In spite of the usual whitewash from some AC crowd, this is a legitimate concern about how the federal government is going to balance regulating the industry against making a profit on its investment.

Of more concern to me is how in hell are they going to balance the need of a privately traded airline vs the balance statement of their owners.   Hardly a level playing field when you consider AC is public and as such publishes their financials.  Do the owners of WestJet need the money or are they doing very well and just looking for cheap funding?

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Air Canada says “Aloha” to Winter 2022 from Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver

  • New non-stop Montreal-Honolulu service starts Dec. 12, 2021
  • New non-stop Toronto-Maui service starts Dec. 18, 2021
  • Toronto-Honolulu non-stop service resumes Dec. 17, 2021
  • Calgary new non-stop Honolulu service and resumption of Maui service begin Dec. 18, 2021
  • Vancouver non-stop services to Honolulu, Maui and Kona resumes

MONTREAL, May 12, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ – Air Canada will launch more non-stop options from Canada to Hawaii this winter, including the first Montreal-Honolulu and Toronto-Maui services. These new flights complement the airline’s long-standing services from Calgary and Vancouver to the Hawaiian Islands and will enable convenient connections across Canada as well as from Europe. 

“We are seeing strong demand in the sun markets this winter with people in Canada and around the world looking ahead to holiday travel. As we finalize our schedule to position Air Canada’s leadership in leisure travel this winter, we have added new non-stop flights to Hawaii from Montreal and Toronto in addition to our flights from Calgary and Vancouver, making it more convenient than ever for Canadians across the country to experience the Hawaiian Islands. From Europe, customers will be able to easily connect to our Hawaii flights from our Montreal and Toronto gateways. We know people will be excited to travel this winter, and we look forward to welcoming our customers onboard,” said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada.

“We are very happy that Air Canada is launching additional options to fly to Hawai’i. We are looking forward to welcoming back our Canadian friends. We would like to say a big mahalo to our trusted partner Air Canada for the continuous support in sharing the aloha spirit and always embracing the Hawaiian value of mālama,” said Lorenzo Campos, Account Director for Hawai’i Tourism Canada. 

Air Canada’s new Hawaii flights from Montreal and Toronto feature a choice of three cabins of service, including the airline’s premium travel experiences and Air Canada Signature Class featuring lie-flat Executive Pods.  Seats are available for sale now for next winter.  Air Canada’s new refund policy of offering customers options of refunds, an Air Canada Travel Voucher or equivalent value in Aeroplan Points with a 65% bonus should the airline cancel or reschedule a flight by more than three hours, is applicable to all tickets purchased.

Montreal to Honolulu Schedule:

  • Connects to/from Brussels, Frankfurt, intra-Quebec and Atlantic Canada
Flight Route Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Day of Operation Begins
AC521 Montreal (YUL) to
Honolulu (HNL)
13:30 19:54 Boeing 787 Dreamliner Wed, Sun Dec. 12, 2021
AC520 Honolulu (HNL) to
Montreal (YUL)
21:30 12:02 (+1 day) Boeing 787 Dreamliner Wed, Sun Dec. 12, 2021

Toronto to Hawaii Schedule:

  • Connects to/from London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Vienna, Atlantic Canada, intra-Ontario and Manitoba
Flight Route Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Day of Operation Begins
AC531 Toronto (YYZ) to
Maui (OGG)
17:10 22:14 Boeing 787 Dreamliner Sat Dec. 18, 2021
AC530 Maui (OGG) to
Toronto (YYZ)
23.55 13:27 Boeing 787 Dreamliner Sat Dec. 18, 2021
AC589 Toronto (YYZ) to
Honolulu (HNL)
17:05 21:15 Boeing 787 Dreamliner Mon, Fri, Sun Dec. 17, 2021
AC590 Honolulu (HNL) to
Toronto (YYZ)
22:55 13:37 (+1 day) Boeing 787 Dreamliner Mon, Fri, Sun Dec. 17, 2021

Calgary to Hawaii schedule

  • Connects to/from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and other Canadian markets
Flight Route Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Day of Operation Begins
AC529 Calgary (YYC) to
Honolulu (HNL)
14:50 19:20 Boeing 737 Tue, Thur, Sat Dec. 18, 2021
AC528 Honolulu (HNL) to
Calgary (YYC)
22:45 08:20 (+1 day) Boeing 737 Tue, Thur, Sat Dec. 18, 2021
AC587 Calgary (YYC) to
Maui (OGG)
14:50 19:06 Boeing 737 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun Dec. 17, 2021
AC588 Maui (OGG) to
Calgary (YYC)
21:45 08:17 (+1 day) Boeing 737 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun Dec. 17, 2021

Vancouver to Hawaii schedule

  • Connects seamlessly to/from BC and other Canadian markets
Flight Route Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Day of Operation Begins
AC519 Vancouver (YVR)
to Honolulu (HNL)
14:05 -will vary
in peak winter
17:30 -will vary
in peak winter
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
in peak winter
Up to daily in
peak winter
Sept. 14, 2021
AC518 Honolulu (HNL)
to Vancouver (YVR)
21:55 -will vary
in peak winter
06:55 (+1 day) -will vary
in peak winter
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
in peak winter
Up to daily in
peak winter
Sept. 14, 2021
AC537 Vancouver (YVR)
to Maui (OGG)
18:00 -will vary
in peak winter
21:03 -will vary
in peak winter
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
in peak winter
Up to daily in
peak winter
Sept. 10, 2021
AC536 Maui (OGG)
to Vancouver (YVR)
22 :40 -will vary
in peak winter
07:00 (+1 day) – will vary
in peak winter
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
in peak winter
Up to daily in
peak winter
Sept. 10, 2021
AC545 Vancouver (YVR)
to Kona (KOA)
16:50 20:18 Boeing 737 Thur, Fri, Sun Dec. 19, 2021
AC544 Kona (KOA)
to Vancouver (YVR)
21:35 06:38 (+1 day) Boeing 737 Thur, Fri, Sun Dec. 19, 2021

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline and, in 2020, was among the top 20 largest airlines in the world. It is Canada’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax. In 2020, Air Canada was named Global Traveler’s Best Airline in North America for the second straight year. In January 2021, Air Canada received APEX’s Diamond Status Certification for the Air Canada CleanCare+ biosafety program for managing COVID-19, the only airline in Canada to attain the highest APEX ranking. Air Canada has also committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050.

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42 minutes ago, Fido said:

I cannot believe that the marketing monkies still use that cliché

Especially when the "seamless" connection involves a quarantine hotel stay as things now stand.

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Air Canada cancels flight to Israel amid fighting

From CP24 – link to source story

Air Canada

An Air Canada flight makes its final approach as it lands in Ottawa on July 3, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

CP24.com, Staff | Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Air Canada has cancelled a flight that was scheduled to depart for Israel on Tuesday amid violence in the region and says it is monitoring the situation to determine any further changes to its flight schedule. 

The flight had already been delayed for 24 hours and the airline said Wednesday it has now been cancelled, along with a flight that was set to return from the country today.

Another flight is scheduled to depart from Toronto over the weekend, however Air Canada said that it will “continue to monitor events and will adjust our schedule further if warranted.”

Militants have rained down hundreds of rockets into Israel over the past few days, including some fired toward the main airport in Tel-Aviv, while the Israeli military has carried out airstrikes in Gaza.

American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have also cancelled or suspended some flights into the country amid the fighting.

Air Canada said affected customers have been notified and a goodwill policy will be offered to them.

With files from AP

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17 hours ago, FA@AC said:

Especially when the "seamless" connection involves a quarantine hotel stay as things now stand.

Unless of course you fly into a "Non International Airport" by private or charter. 

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11 minutes ago, Kargokings said:

Unless of course you fly into a "Non International Airport" by private or charter. 

The same rules apply and there are a limited number of airports where such arrivals are being accommodated by CBSA.

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How do you gauge discreet?

Air Canada cabin crews no longer forced to cover ‘discreet’ tattoos or remove ear or nose piercings: arbitrator

The union said that forcing workers to cover their discreet tattoos and remove their additional piercings caused them stress and anxiety

Christopher Nardi  •  May 21, 2021

Air Canada cabin crews may be a little more decorated from now on. Air Canada cabin crews may be a little more decorated from now on. PHOTO BY BRYAN PASSIFIUME/POSTMEDIA

OTTAWA – In a reflection of changing social norms, a labour arbitrator has ruled that cabin crew on Air Canada flights should be allowed to sport discreet but visible tattoos, as well as piercings in their ears and nose without fear of disciplinary action.

Until last week, Air Canada’s personnel policy did not formally allow any cabin personnel from having any visible tattoos and piercings (minus a pair of matching stud earrings) while on duty.

But in a brief but impactful ruling, labour arbitrator William Kaplan put an end to much of the policy described by Air Canada’s cabin crew union as “unreasonable and discriminatory.”

So going forward, don’t be surprised if you see Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge cabin crew sporting any of the following, as now allowed by the arbitrator:

  • Henna tattoos, a temporary form of body art generally using a paste from certain plants, so long as they are worn for any religious, cultural or celebratory reason.
  • Visible but “discreet” tattoos anywhere except on most of the head or neck, so long as they are not offensive or refer to “nudity, hatred, violence, drugs, alcohol, discrimination or harassment.”

Kaplan also makes significant changes to both airlines’ very strict policy on piercings by bumping the maximum of acceptable earrings per ear from one to three, as well as allowing a single nose piercing.

But not anything goes in terms of piercings. For earrings, they must be made of either plain gold, rose gold, silver, diamond, wood or pearl and must be a stud “no larger than a quarter inch” or a hoop that is no bigger than a Canadian dime, the arbitrator ruled.

Nose piercings must also be either a stud or hoop that must fit “flush or snug against the nostril.” Any visible adornment that stretches the ear or nose in any way, such as spacers, gauges, plugs or tunnels are still forbidden.

In his ruling, Kaplan disagreed with Air Canada’s assertion that their policies were “reasonable and not discriminatory” and that they were necessary to both protect the companies’ image as well as ensure customers’ views and values were being respected.

“I agree that the Companies’ image is important to their brands, and that customers’ views and values are important.  Indeed, other airlines have policies regarding tattoos and piercings,” Kaplan wrote.

“However, it is not clear that the Companies’ tattoo and piercings policies, in their present form, are necessary to advance their business interests,” he added, noting that the changes are also to ensure the airlines’ policies comply with the collective bargaining agreement and the Canadian Human Rights Act.

In his ruling, the arbitrator also requires Air Canada to expunge any disciplinary action relating to the now-defunct tattoo and piercing policies from impacted employees’ records.

Kaplan’s decision formalizes an agreement between the Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the airline reached after the union filed a grievance back in 2019 against the company’s personal grooming standards.

On social media, the union said that forcing workers to cover their discreet tattoos and remove their additional piercings caused them stress and anxiety.

“We are extremely pleased we were able to work with our national carrier to come to an agreement on tattoos, henna and piercings being visible in the workplace,” local union president Wesley Lesosky said in a statement.

“This decision is good news for our members. It’s a precedent-setting award not just in the airline sector but across the board, and reflects an evolving and more accepting view towards free expression in the workplace.”

In a statement, Air Canada said the ruling is a sign of the times, where visible tattoos and multiple piercings are increasingly accepted without being viewed as a mark of unprofessionalism.

“Air Canada accepts this ruling as it provides clarity with respect to this matter. Social norms evolve and as a consequence corporate policies do change over time to reflect these, so we will be updating our policy accordingly and implementing this decision,” spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick wrote in a statement.

Citing confidentiality reasons, both CUPE and Air Canada declined to say how many employees had been disciplined in the past for visible tattoos and unacceptable piercings or what kind of sanctions they faced. But Lesosky said no financial compensation would be required by any employees.

He also hopes workers for other airlines with similarly restrictive tattoo and piercing are encouraged to speak up thanks to this case.

“This is the first ruling of its type for the sector, and certainly this would open the door for other groups within the airline sector to pursue a similar course of action,” the union president said.

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Air Canada to launch Flights to Manchester June 2022

From UK Aviation News – link to source story

24 May 2021

05D3E54B-8E4E-4D9C-BB30-B1BD092CC2DD.jpe

Air Canada is planning to launch a direct flight between Toronto and Manchester (MAN/EGCC) in Summer 2022.

According to filings the route will commence on 1st June 2022 and will be operated by a Boeing 737 Max.

The route is currently served by Canadian carrier, Air Transat.

 

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