AirCanada News / Jazz News / Rouge News

[Kip Powick]

12 hours ago, deicer said:

It’s unclear what charges, if any, the removed passenger will face as a result of the incident

Speechless    

[dagger]

On 10/23/2023 at 6:00 PM, PinC said:

A previous 777 diverted to Baku....the second 777 was to pick up the pax and take them to DEL.

 Thanks, that makes sense

[Malcolm]

Hopefully a solution .

Here's how Air Canada's new baggage tracking app works

Air Canada has launched a new bag tracking feature on its mobile app to instill "added confidence(opens in a new tab)" for travellers.

According to a Dec. 1 press release, the app will help its customers keep track of their luggage or mobility aid in "real time."

•  Business news stories from across Canada and the world

By scanning the baggage tag on their luggage, the app will allow Canadians to see what stage their bags are in during handling. The feature is only available for domestic flights so far.

RELATED STORIES

• Air Canada apologizes, introduces new
•  

"Initially available to customers travelling within Canada during final development, the tracking feature will be expanded to the airline's U.S. flights next year and, over time, select international destinations," the press release reads.

According to the company, the move will give travellers a sense of security.

"The new tracking feature is designed to provide travellers with added confidence and improve the overall customer experience through greater convenience," the press release reads.

This comes after reported issues from customers who have gone without their luggage(opens in a new tab) or mobility aids this past year.(opens in a new tab) The company has vowed to do better for its customers.(opens in a new tab)

The tracker will tell customers where their bags are before the plane leaves and include information on where they need to collect them.

If there is a delay in returning luggage, the app will alert the owner by text or email.

The traveller then has the option to "easily" file a report from their phone and arrange a delivery, the company says. 

 

[Airband]

Air Canada Tests Jet De-Icing Strips to End Blasts of Glycol

Tape heated by jiggling electrons to be installed on an A320

Tue Dec 5, 2023 - Bloomberg News
By Kate Duffy

As winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, airlines are wheeling their de-icing equipment out of storage, typically a heavy truck with a large tank and boom-mounted cannon that sprays ice-melting glycol onto an aircraft’s wings and upper fuselage.

What’s been a routine process for decades can add half an hour or more to an aircraft’s preparation for takeoff — a costly nuisance when quick turnarounds on the tarmac at congested airports are key. Last year in December, Southwest Airlines Co. suffered severe travel disruptions during a massive winter storm, in part because it couldn’t keep up with de-icing its jets.

Air Canada is now exploring a novel concept to thaw its aircraft — one that does away with the hundreds of gallons of glycol and crew that spray it onto waiting jets. Instead, the airline will use heated tape strips to get the plane takeoff ready with just the flip of a switch.

Canada’s flagship carrier is the first airline to fit hundreds of adhesive ice-melting strips to the upper fuselage, wings and tail of an Airbus SE A320 aircraft, with the rest of the fleet following next year. Electrons on the plane’s surface begin to shake when animated by a high-frequency current, which travels from an electric box inside the aircraft through to the strips. The movement generates heat, causing the ice to melt.

The concept was developed by a Boston startup aptly called De-Ice. Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Alexander Bratianu-Badea, a trained chemical engineer with a finance degree from MIT, said he was inspired to explore the technology a few years back while suffering a lengthy delay when his plane sat on the tarmac waiting for its glycol shower.

Since then, the 32-year-old has worked with the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada, as well as Air Canada and other airline executives, to create a technology that’s expected to complete regulatory tests next year. So far, the system has proved it’s safe and can withstand intense weather and in-flight conditions, Bratianu-Badea said in an interview.

“The idea would to be to start with Air Canada, to deliver systems and improve that experience for passengers,” he said.

 

 

Air Canada says it de-ices aircraft about 45,000 times each year in Canada, and a single A320 aircraft can be sprayed — usually with propylene glycol, an organic compound similar to automotive antifreeze — up to four times a day. Some airports have dedicated de-icing stations, while others have mobile trucks that often work in tandem on each side of an aircraft.

De-Ice’s technology promises to be “game-changer” for the industry, said Jason Brown, a technical manager at Air Canada who oversees winter operations and the ground icing program.

“The fact that the aircraft can push off the gate and go straight to the runway is a big deal,” Brown said in an interview. “This is like operating a summer schedule.”

Iced-up surfaces are potentially dangerous for aircraft because they can interrupt air flow required for lift. While glycol works on big surfaces like wings and tail stabilizers, some sensors like speed readers are heated separately to avoid freezing. A frozen pitot tube measuring air speed gained notoriety following the June 2009 crash of an Air France Airbus aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 people on board.

On top of long delays, de-icing fluid is subject to volatile cost swings and the chemicals can also harm the environment, said Simon Miles, managing director of consultancy Miles Aviation.

Yet there are no viable alternatives on the market, especially as the fluid doesn’t add weight — a huge concern for carriers. Airlines would be interested in equipment that eliminated de-icing delays and also had negligible weight additions, Miles said.

Products entering the aviation sector must clear steep regulatory hurdles for safety reasons. The aviation industry has long struggled to find an alternative to glycol spray. Boeing Co. said in 2016 that it would test out an ice-phobic paint on aircraft but eventually shelved the project. Others have experienced malfunctions with de-icing equipment, including Qantas Airways Ltd., which had to turn back a flight to Fiji in January.

De-Ice’s strips stick onto the plane with aerospace-grade, acrylic-based adhesive backing. During regulatory tests, the system was exposed to different temperatures, humidities and chemicals, Bratianu-Badea said. Even UV light and submersion in a heated oil bath couldn’t damage it, he said.

One appeal to Air Canada was the weight of De-Ice’s technology. The target weight of the system typically comes in at the equivalent of two to three passengers, but this can vary, De-Ice said. The system is designed to be fitted during scheduled maintenance so an aircraft isn’t out of action for long, and most of the components can be removed during the summer season.

Don Carty, former chairman and CEO of American Airlines, said de-icing has caused anguish throughout his career primarily because of the cost and lack of glycol. Bratianu-Badea cold-called him during the pandemic to showcase the technology and Carty, who is now an adviser and board member of De-Ice, said nothing like it had crossed his path before.

“Once it has proved itself, the airlines will all jump on board,” Carty said.

[conehead]

8 hours ago, Airband said:

Air Canada Tests Jet De-Icing Strips to End Blasts of Glycol

Tape heated by jiggling electrons to be installed on an A320

Tue Dec 5, 2023 - Bloomberg News
By Kate Duffy

As winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, airlines are wheeling their de-icing equipment out of storage, typically a heavy truck with a large tank and boom-mounted cannon that sprays ice-melting glycol onto an aircraft’s wings and upper fuselage.

What’s been a routine process for decades can add half an hour or more to an aircraft’s preparation for takeoff — a costly nuisance when quick turnarounds on the tarmac at congested airports are key. Last year in December, Southwest Airlines Co. suffered severe travel disruptions during a massive winter storm, in part because it couldn’t keep up with de-icing its jets.

Air Canada is now exploring a novel concept to thaw its aircraft — one that does away with the hundreds of gallons of glycol and crew that spray it onto waiting jets. Instead, the airline will use heated tape strips to get the plane takeoff ready with just the flip of a switch.

Canada’s flagship carrier is the first airline to fit hundreds of adhesive ice-melting strips to the upper fuselage, wings and tail of an Airbus SE A320 aircraft, with the rest of the fleet following next year. Electrons on the plane’s surface begin to shake when animated by a high-frequency current, which travels from an electric box inside the aircraft through to the strips. The movement generates heat, causing the ice to melt.

The concept was developed by a Boston startup aptly called De-Ice. Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Alexander Bratianu-Badea, a trained chemical engineer with a finance degree from MIT, said he was inspired to explore the technology a few years back while suffering a lengthy delay when his plane sat on the tarmac waiting for its glycol shower.

Since then, the 32-year-old has worked with the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada, as well as Air Canada and other airline executives, to create a technology that’s expected to complete regulatory tests next year. So far, the system has proved it’s safe and can withstand intense weather and in-flight conditions, Bratianu-Badea said in an interview.

“The idea would to be to start with Air Canada, to deliver systems and improve that experience for passengers,” he said.

 

 

Air Canada says it de-ices aircraft about 45,000 times each year in Canada, and a single A320 aircraft can be sprayed — usually with propylene glycol, an organic compound similar to automotive antifreeze — up to four times a day. Some airports have dedicated de-icing stations, while others have mobile trucks that often work in tandem on each side of an aircraft.

De-Ice’s technology promises to be “game-changer” for the industry, said Jason Brown, a technical manager at Air Canada who oversees winter operations and the ground icing program.

“The fact that the aircraft can push off the gate and go straight to the runway is a big deal,” Brown said in an interview. “This is like operating a summer schedule.”

Iced-up surfaces are potentially dangerous for aircraft because they can interrupt air flow required for lift. While glycol works on big surfaces like wings and tail stabilizers, some sensors like speed readers are heated separately to avoid freezing. A frozen pitot tube measuring air speed gained notoriety following the June 2009 crash of an Air France Airbus aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 people on board.

On top of long delays, de-icing fluid is subject to volatile cost swings and the chemicals can also harm the environment, said Simon Miles, managing director of consultancy Miles Aviation.

Yet there are no viable alternatives on the market, especially as the fluid doesn’t add weight — a huge concern for carriers. Airlines would be interested in equipment that eliminated de-icing delays and also had negligible weight additions, Miles said.

Products entering the aviation sector must clear steep regulatory hurdles for safety reasons. The aviation industry has long struggled to find an alternative to glycol spray. Boeing Co. said in 2016 that it would test out an ice-phobic paint on aircraft but eventually shelved the project. Others have experienced malfunctions with de-icing equipment, including Qantas Airways Ltd., which had to turn back a flight to Fiji in January.

De-Ice’s strips stick onto the plane with aerospace-grade, acrylic-based adhesive backing. During regulatory tests, the system was exposed to different temperatures, humidities and chemicals, Bratianu-Badea said. Even UV light and submersion in a heated oil bath couldn’t damage it, he said.

One appeal to Air Canada was the weight of De-Ice’s technology. The target weight of the system typically comes in at the equivalent of two to three passengers, but this can vary, De-Ice said. The system is designed to be fitted during scheduled maintenance so an aircraft isn’t out of action for long, and most of the components can be removed during the summer season.

Don Carty, former chairman and CEO of American Airlines, said de-icing has caused anguish throughout his career primarily because of the cost and lack of glycol. Bratianu-Badea cold-called him during the pandemic to showcase the technology and Carty, who is now an adviser and board member of De-Ice, said nothing like it had crossed his path before.

“Once it has proved itself, the airlines will all jump on board,” Carty said.

Fascinating!

[Specs]

 

[Airband]

copycat threat will put the Secret Service on its toes...

No charges laid after man in 'state of crisis' tries to open door mid-flight on Air Canada plane

Peel police said elderly man, his family provided with resources

Mon Jan 22, 2024 - CBC News

An elderly man in "a state of crisis" tried to open a door mid-flight on an Air Canada plane to Toronto on Sunday, Peel Regional Police said.

In an email to CBC Toronto, Const. Tyler Bell-Morena said the passenger attempted to open the door, which can't be done at cruising altitude. He was restrained by Air Canada employees during the flight as part of their safety protocols and met with officers once the plane landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport shortly after 3 p.m., he added.

"The passenger, an elderly male, had been in a state of crisis and confusion and it does not appear that his actions were intentional," he said.

"No criminal charges have been laid. The man and his family have been connected with additional resources."

Air Canada confirmed there was an "incident involving a disruptive passenger" on a flight headed to Toronto from London, U.K.

"Our crews are experienced and managed the situation appropriately, allowing the flight to continue normally to its destination," their written statement read.

"We have no additional details to provide."

[conehead]

4 hours ago, Airband said:

copycat threat will put the Secret Service on its toes...

No charges laid after man in 'state of crisis' tries to open door mid-flight on Air Canada plane

Peel police said elderly man, his family provided with resources

What does your statement mean, in relation to this story? I don’t get it…

[Airband]

Quote

"The passenger, an elderly male, had been in a state of crisis and confusion"

No such passengers ever aboard Air Force One 

[conehead]

7 minutes ago, Airband said:

No such passengers ever aboard Air Force One 

Now I get it.

[Kip Powick]

1 hour ago, conehead said:

What does your statement mean, in relation to this story? I don’t get it…

I believe the "resources"  would be trained mental health personnel attempting to help the family. 

[Kip Powick]

15 minutes ago, Airband said:

No such passengers ever aboard Air Force One 

That would depend upon the direction you lean...Democrats or Republicans..? 

[Airband]

Air Canada one-ups WestJet in the battle for hearts and minds ...

Couple fear they could be saddled with Air Canada’s legal bill for court challenge over $2,000 compensation

Fri Jan 26, 2024 - The Globe and Mail
by Erica Alini

Andrew and Anna Dyczkowski say they have lost sleep since learning that Air Canada decrease is taking them to court over a complaint they filed to the federal transport regulator about a delayed flight in January, 2020.

“What have I done to deserve this?” said Mr. Dyczkowski, 58, who works in the construction trades in Kelowna, B.C.

The decision that led Air Canada to seek legal action came from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), a regulator that also handles air passenger claims against airlines.

In November of last year, nearly four years after the couple had submitted their complaint, the agency ordered Air Canada to pay them $1,000 each in compensation by no later than Dec. 28.

But instead of getting the long-awaited funds on that date, Mr. Dyczkowski received a notice that Air Canada was seeking to quash the regulator’s decision in Federal Court – and that he and his wife might be on the hook for the airline’s legal costs.

The case has attracted the attention of consumer advocates and legal scholars. They say recent legislative changes that make it easier to challenge unfavourable CTA decisions in court have also created an uneven playing field where airlines enjoy many advantages and passengers face financial risks far larger than the compensation that’s at stake.

The amendments, which became law in June, allow both passengers and airlines dissatisfied with complaints-related decisions by the transport regulator to ask the Federal Court to review them. Previously, parties hoping to overturn CTA orders could only do so before the Federal Court of Appeal, generally a more narrow avenue for judicial review.

The changes are part of the federal government’s continuing overhaul of the country’s air passenger rules, which is meant to, among other things, streamline the processing of consumer complaints over issues such as flight delays, cancellations and lost or damaged luggage.

But some experts worry that the new rules on judicial review could do more harm than good for passengers. The risk isn’t just that airlines will use their considerable financial resources to drag consumers through lengthy court proceedings. It is also that airlines can ask that passengers cover their legal costs, if the latter lose in court.

That’s what lawyers for Air Canada are asking the Federal Court in the Dyczkowski case, which is believed to be the first instance of an airline using the recent amendments to challenge a CTA decision.

The request is customary practice for such proceedings before the court, said Suzanne Chiodo, a law professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School. And the Federal Court is highly unlikely to saddle the two passengers with Air Canada’s legal bill, she added.

“I’d be very, very surprised if the Federal Court awards costs against this couple, who literally just tried to pursue their rights,” she said.

But the court has the power to do so, and that financial risk – however small – must be “intimidating” for consumers who were only trying to claim a small amount of compensation, she said.

Mr. Dyczkowski said he and his wife had a conference call with CTA staff and a lawyer for the agency, who confirmed that they could be found liable for costs, should Air Canada win.

The issue isn’t whether CTA decisions on complaints should be subject to court challenges, said Erik Knutsen, a law professor at Queen’s University. The right to seek judicial review is standard for decisions issued by a variety of federal and provincial administrative tribunals that handle anything from landlord-tenant issues to questions around disability support and immigration matters.

But the case of complaints handled by the CTA presents a quandary for legislators because it pits consumers against corporate giants, he added.

“You’ve got someone seeking two grand and someone else who’s got billions and billions,” he said.

It’s an issue legislators heard about from consumer group Air Passenger Rights as Parliament was considering the amendments. “Given the imbalance of resources between airlines and passengers, this is likely to favour airlines that can afford the costs and risk of challenging unfavourable decisions in this way,” Gabor Lukacs, the group’s president, wrote in submissions to the House and the Senate in May.

One possible solution would be to introduce rules preventing airlines from being able to claim costs against passengers, Prof. Knutsen said.

In an e-mail statement, Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesperson for Air Canada, described the wording around costs in the airline’s application for judicial review as “a standard statement in a litigation claim.”

He added: “In a case such as this, we do not intend to claim costs against the passengers. It is unfortunate, but unavoidable in asking for a review, that passengers be party to this action.”

Mr. Fitzpatrick said the transport regulator has been hiring new complaint-resolution officers (CROs) to manage passenger claims under a new process, as part of the recent changes. In cases where Air Canada believes an officer did not properly assess the evidence, turning to the Federal Court is its only recourse, he said. “Our intent is that this will inform future CRO decision-making,” he added.

Transport Canada did not directly respond to a request for comment about the questions of consumer financial liability and power imbalance raised by the Dyczkowski case.

“The Air Passenger Protection Regulations are there to protect passengers, and we expect our airlines to follow the rules,” ministry spokesperson Laura Scaffidi said via e-mail.

[Malcolm]

From the NetLetter #1526 | January 27, 2024

Air Canada Will Take 4 Retired Alaska Airlines Airbus A320's (and 1 from China Southern Airlines) As demand for narrow body jets continues to surge, Air Canada has found a nifty solution in picking up several former Alaska Airlines Airbus A320-200 airframes to meet capacity demand. Four ex-Alaska Airlines A320's, averaging around 14 years, have been acquired by Air Canada, with their registrations freshly updated from their former U.S. 'N' designation to Canada’s 'C'. Three aircraft, C-FCZF (ex-N637VA), C-FCQX (ex-N847VA, photo below), and C-FCYX (ex-N853VA, photo below), are currently undergoing maintenance at Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, North Carolina. The oldest aircraft to be delivered, C-FCQD (ex-N632VA), remains in storage at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) after experiencing issues during in-flight testing earlier this week. An additional ex-China Southern Airlines A320, B-6267, previously stored at Larnaca International Airport (LCA), is expected to be delivered to Air Canada as C-FDGQ after its current lease expires on January 31. Source: SimpleFlying.com

[Specs]

30 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

Air Canada has found a nifty solution in picking up several former Alaska Airlines Airbus A320-200 airframes to meet capacity demand.

All doors included I hope.

[Malcolm]

1 minute ago, Specs said:

All doors included I hope.

No Boeings....

[Airband]

Stand your ground Air Canada - show 'em what you're made of; don't be bullied by the whiners and snivellers.

Air Canada found liable for chatbot's bad advice on plane tickets

Airline's claim that online helper was responsible for its own actions was 'remarkable': small claims court

Thu Feb 15, 2024 - CBC News

Air Canada has been ordered to pay compensation to a grieving grandchild who claimed they were misled into purchasing full-price flight tickets by an ill-informed chatbot.

In an argument that appeared to flabbergast a small claims adjudicator in British Columbia, the airline attempted to distance itself from its own chatbot's bad advice by claiming the online tool was "a separate legal entity that is responsible for its own actions."

"This is a remarkable submission," Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) member Christopher Rivers wrote.

"While a chatbot has an interactive component, it is still just a part of Air Canada's website. It should be obvious to Air Canada that it is responsible for all the information on its website. It makes no difference whether the information comes from a static page or a chatbot."

'Misleading words'

In a decision released this week, Rivers ordered Air Canada to pay Jake Moffatt $812 to cover the difference between the airline's bereavement rates and the $1,630.36 they paid for full-price tickets to and from Toronto bought after their grandmother died.

Moffat's grandmother died on Remembrance Day 2022. Moffat visited Air Canada's website the same day.

"While using Air Canada's website, they interacted with a support chatbot," the decision says.

Moffat provided the CRT with a screenshot of the chatbot's words: "If you need to travel immediately or have already travelled and would like to submit your ticket for a reduced bereavement rate, kindly do so within 90 days of the date your ticket was issued by completing our Ticket Refund Application form." 

Based on that assurance, Moffatt claimed they booked full-fare tickets to and from Toronto.

But when they contacted Air Canada to get their money back, they were told bereavement rates don't apply to completed travel — something explained on a different part of their website.

Moffatt sent a copy of the screenshot to Air Canada — pointing out the chatbot's advice to the contrary.

"An Air Canada representative responded and admitted the chatbot had provided 'misleading words,'" Rivers wrote.

"The representative pointed out the chatbot's link to the bereavement travel webpage and said Air Canada had noted the issue so it could update the chatbot."

Apparently, Moffatt found that cold comfort — and opted to sue instead.

'Reasonable care' not taken to ensure accuracy: CRT

According to the decision, Air Canada argued that it can't be held liable for information provided by one its "agents, servants or representatives — including a chatbot."

But Rivers noted that the airline "does not explain why it believes that is the case."

"I find Air Canada did not take reasonable care to ensure its chatbot was accurate," Rivers concluded.

Air Canada argued Moffatt could have found the correct information about bereavement rates on another part of the airline's website.

But as Rivers pointed out, "it does not explain why the webpage titled "Bereavement Travel" was inherently more trustworthy than its chatbot."

"There is no reason why Mr. Moffatt should know that one section of Air Canada's webpage is accurate, and another is not," Rivers wrote.

A survey of the Canadian Legal Information Institute — which maintains a database of Canadian legal decisions — shows a paucity of cases featuring bad advice from chatbots; Moffatt's appears to be the first.

[Malcolm]

By Allison Lampert

MONTREAL (Reuters) -Air Canada pilots are seeing progress in contract talks after a private independent mediator was hired to bridge gaps with the country’s largest carrier over pay and quality-of-life demands, a union representative said on Thursday.

Air Canada’s aviators, who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), are pressing for historic gains to narrow a wage gap with higher-paid U.S. counterparts who secured record contracts in 2023 amid strong travel demand.

 

“We found that using this professional mediator in this private mediation agreement is starting to get the ball rolling,” said Charlene Hudy, who heads the local union representing Air Canada pilots.

Montreal-based Air Canada, which reports earnings on Friday, said in a statement that its goal is to give pilots an improved contract.

The carrier said an agreement reached with pilots in January largely commits both sides to mediation until June 1, with both sides agreeing to not file for conciliation, which starts the clock toward a potential strike or a lock out.

"This gives Air Canada customers certainty and the ability to book with full confidence for the important summer travel period," the carrier said.“Right now, we’re committed to negotiating at the table,” Hudy said. “If we get to that point where there is an actual impasse at the table, then we would look at exercising our rights.”

 

About 500 Air Canada pilots are considering going to the United States “if the contract isn’t what they expect,” Hudy said, citing internal union survey data. Air Canada has about 4,500 pilots.

While flying in the United States involves a costly and long-term immigration process for foreigners, Reuters reported in September that more Canadian pilots are trying.

Air Canada's pilots started bargaining in the summer, after ending a decade-long contract framework.

(Reporting By Allison Lampert in MontrealEditing by Nick Zieminski and Leslie Adler)

 

•  
• Quote

[Malcolm]

Air Canada to offer bus service to Toronto Pearson Airport from Hamilton, Waterloo Region

By Kevin Nielsen  Global News

Posted February 21, 2024 8:19 am

 1 min read

Air Canada did not provide a price tag for the bus trip but says it will include full itinerary protection and baggage transfers and earn Aeroplan points. CNW Group/Air Canada

Air Canada is launching a pilot project in Hamilton and Waterloo Region that will allow travellers to check in at local airports before before being whisked off to Toronto Pearson Airport in the “luxury” of a bus.

While the service will not be available from Hamilton International Airport and Waterloo International Airport until May, Air Canada says passengers can now book the new service.

Air Canada did not provide a price tag for the bus trip but it is offering the service in partnership with a company called Landline.

The company currently has partnerships with United Airlines in Denver and Sun Country Airlines in Minnesota, according to its website. It also runs shuttle services in those areas.

“Air Canada is focused on improving regional services and through this innovative partnership with The Landline Company, we are connecting communities and extending our network by offering customers a convenient, stress-free multimodal option,” said Alexandre Lefevre of Air Canada.

“We will look to further expand our regional network in Canada through our Landline partnership, as it also advances our sustainability programs by potentially removing tens of thousands of vehicles from the road each year.”

The buses, which will be fully decked out in Air Canada branding, will travel six times daily between Toronto and Hamilton as well as between Toronto and Breslau.

Air Canada says that passengers will check in at the airports, including their baggage. They will then travel on the 36-seat motorcoach to Pearson, where they will immediately go through security while having their bags sent along to their connecting flights.

The airline says that if there are delays, they will extend the same protection as its other customers.

[JL]

I do believe Canadian Airlines had a similar arrangement with a "flight" segment from CYYC to Banff. The idea was to appeal to the Asian market who could book a trip all the way to Banff with the air carrier.

[Airband]

70 per cent of Air Canada pilots willing to walk away if pay doesn't improve, union boss says

Canadian pilots took a cut to help airlines survive 9/11. Now they make half of what American pilots do

Air Canada logos are seen on the tails of planes at the airport in Montreal, Que.

Mon Mar 11, 2024 - National Post 
by Donna Kennedy-Glans

“It’s not justifiable that our American counterparts — flying the same airplanes, same airspace, same routes — that they’re making twice as much as us, if not more,” declares Charlene Hudy, first officer on the 737 Max and chair of the Air Canada pilots union.

For the past seven months, Hudy, 41, has been hammering this message at the negotiating table with Air Canada, demanding parity with American counterparts on behalf of the nearly 5,300 pilots on Air Canada’s roster. A decade ago, pilot salaries at Air Canada and United Airlines were nearly equal; today, the Americans earn twice as much.

The salary range for Canadian pilots is roughly $40,000 for a new hire to more than $200,000 for an experienced captain.

Make no mistake, I’m not inclined to be overly sympathetic to unions. But this airline’s antics — ranking dead last among North America’s 10 major airlines in on-time performance in 2023, and the axing of western Canadian routes — predispose me, a million-mile flyer with the carrier, to listen to what the pilots have to say.

And the airline can afford to be fair. The company posted a $2.28-billion profit in 2023 ($1.71-billion in adjusted net income). For that, Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau was rewarded with a $2.6-million bonus. And, Hudy confirms, executives at Air Canada get compensated at rates on par with their counterparts working for legacy airlines in the U.S.

Hudy is an airline pilot. It’s not inconceivable that she could fly from Saskatoon, where she lives, to meet me in Calgary for an interview to talk about this unfolding situation. It’s just a short hop between prairie cities. But no. “I can’t fly on Air Canada from Saskatoon to Calgary, or Regina to Calgary,” she winces, “without being routed through Toronto or Vancouver.” We agree to meet online instead.

Hudy isn’t exactly who I expect to find in the captain’s seat, negotiating on behalf of a union where only 7.7 per cent of the pilots are female. Her peers assure me she’s the kind of “next generation leader needed at this watershed moment in Canada’s aviation history.” After a few meetings with Hudy, I concur; she’s as talented as this job requires, and not another affirmative action program gone wrong. In airline vernacular, she’s a spitfire.

She joined the Air Cadets in junior high and earned a glider’s licence before she even held a licence to drive a car. Prior to joining Air Canada, she was a flight instructor in Yorkton, Sask., and then headed north, and farther north, flying above the 60th parallel for First Air.

“I would fly from Iqaluit to Resolute Bay,” she grins, “and they would have a notice saying, when you’re doing your walk around — to make sure the airplane’s OK before you take it flying — beware of the polar bears.”

Like many pilots, Hudy’s first love is flying. And, as she explains, that’s the root of the challenge for the pilots union: “Because you love your job so much, you get undervalued right away. Since you love your work, you’re not going to really be paid all that well. You’re expected to work long hours and give a lot because, hey, at the end of the day, you get to love what you do, whereas a lot of people can’t say the same thing.”

[dagger]

Anyone care to suggest why AC operated a 2000-numbered RT between Singapore and Sydney the past two days with a 777-200LR? 

All I can think of is training for Singapore service. If it was just post-maintenance testing, why do a SIN-SYD-SIN RT and not just fly the plane back to Vancouver from SIN or SYD?

[st27]

Extra cargo section?

[Malcolm]

Air Canada’s Hong Kong jet maintenance deal amid China discord raises security concerns

By Andrew McIntosh  Global News

Posted April 1, 2024 4:00 am

 Updated March 29, 2024 8:47 am

 9 min read

WATCH: According to a CSIS briefing that Global News obtained under the Access to Information Act, CSIS knew "that the People's Republic of China (PRC) sought to clandestinely and deceptively influence the 2019 and 2021 federal elections." David Akin explains the details, and why the top secret report predicts Canada's foreign interference problem will get worse – Feb 1, 2024

 

Air Canada has awarded a Hong Kong company a major contract to perform heavy maintenance on 56 of its wide-body jets, sparking concerns about Chinese spies bugging the planes and aircraft becoming trapped in China if a military conflict erupts with Taiwan.

The maintenance company, HAECO, unveiled its major Air Canada deal with fanfare on Feb. 28, 2024, replacing ST Aerospace company, which performed the work at its Texas facility from 2017 to 2022.

The arrangement with HAECO was signed last September during a period of increasingly acrimonious political discord and military tensions between Canada and China, which has assumed a great deal of political and judicial control over Hong Kong. The deal, whose value is unknown, was not announced last fall.

“It’s a head scratcher, for sure,” said Phil Gurski, president of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting, and a former senior analyst at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

“Given what China has done here in terms of interference in our elections, and running secret police stations, the prudent approach would be, for the time being, less China, not more China,” Gurski said. “I’d be hitting the pause button pretty damn quickly.”

Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, a board member at the China Strategic Risks Institute, also voiced disapproval and wasn’t surprised the new maintenance deal was kept under wraps for months as Canada and China traded barbs for most of 2022 and 2023.

“I have serious concerns about sending business away from our closest allies to a country that has treated Canada in the last six years with malign intent and has, as its first priority, Chinese interests,” said McCuaig-Johnston, also a senior fellow with the University of Ottawa’s Institute for Science, Society and Policy.  “Giving complete access to each of our planes does not strike me as a secure tactic.”

“We have to be careful not to be too suspicious, but at the same time, we’ve been shown so many times that China takes advantage of our naivete,” she added.

Track record for safety and reliability

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said the carrier hired HAECO after requesting proposals from different aircraft maintenance suppliers.

 

“Following prudent business practice, we do evaluate suppliers from time to time, and in this case we placed some of our base maintenance with HAECO following an RFP,” Fitzpatrick wrote. “We selected HAECO, which is fully certified by Transport Canada (TC), EASA and FAA regulatory authorities, because of their well-established track record for safety and reliability, and they are a supplier to major global airlines around the world.”

Transport Canada confirmed HAECO is a certified foreign maintenance organization.

For its part, HAECO says it undergoes regular audits and approvals by regulatory authorities to ensure adherence to international standards. “We reject any allegations that we would compromise our integrity, and remain committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and quality for all our customers,” wrote spokeswoman Tracey Kwong.

But McCuaig-Johnston explained companies operating in China are legally required to follow orders from Chinese intelligence services, or risk prosecution. They must keep spying operations secret.

Fitzpatrick did not respond to questions about why Air Canada picked a Hong Kong company, despite increasing Canada-China political and military tensions.2:02Ex-member of Chinese cyber warfare department was living in Winnipeg: officials

He also did not comment on Chinese intelligence agents potentially conducting  eavesdropping operations in first-class seating areas where top Canadian business and political leaders tend to sit and work on long trips.

 

Video cameras, hidden microphones and even Wi-Fi-enabled devices can be illicitly installed in passenger cabins — unbeknownst to flight crews — to capture screens, messages or chat as executives enjoy a drink or two over dinner.

French intelligence officers allegedly bugged Air France Concorde jets and other overseas flights in the 1990s. U.S. and Canadian security agencies warned executives travelling in first class, saying they should assume conversations were monitored. U.S. and U.K intelligence agencies have also monitored mobile phone calls from jet cabins.

Why airlines outsource maintenance to China

Aircraft maintenance technicians in China earn just over $10 an hour, compared to triple that in Japan and Australia, according to a 2023 study of the aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry in Northeast Asia.

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Chinese companies also enjoy lower costs to build, operate and maintain airplane hangars.

At the same time, U.S. MRO facilities are facing increasing capacity problems because of aircraft maintenance technician shortages.

HAECO’s Air Canada contract covers heavy maintenance on 38 Boeing Dreamliner 787 and 18 Airbus A330 jets for five years, with a five-year extension option.

HAECO did not respond to requests for comment. In its news release, HAECO Chief Commercial Officer Gerald Steinhoff said: “We are very pleased to partner with Air Canada and are confident that our expertise will ensure the highest level of service and support for their fleet.”

Deal kept under wraps

It was perhaps not surprising that HAECO didn’t announce Air Canada as a new client last fall, given the frictions in Sino-Canadian relations at the time.

In 2023, Canadian media organizations, lawmakers, and intelligence services exposed China’s efforts to interfere in several Canadian elections allegedly to undermine and defeat candidates critical of Beijing. A Chinese diplomat was expelled.

A Canadian public inquiry is underway into the alleged interference.

1:02Suspected Chinese spy balloon entered Canadian airspace: defence sources

China denied interfering in Canadian politics. In an apparent retaliation for the inquiry, China removed Canada from its list of approved Chinese tour group destinations.

China also was accused of operating secret police stations in greater Toronto and Montreal; it was caught flying a high-altitude spy balloon over Canada; and two Chinese scientists in Manitoba allegedly misappropriated dangerous virus cultures from a high security federal government laboratory in Winnipeg. The scientists were fired and left Canada. RCMP are investigating.

Military tensions

In mid-September 2023, Canadian and U.S. naval ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait between mainland China and Taiwan as part of a freedom of navigation operation.

 

The Canadian support infuriated Beijing. China responded by sending a carrier strike group into the area that included an aircraft carrier,12 other warships and 26 fighter jets.

China claims historic rights to all South China Sea waterways. An international tribunal rejected its claim.

A Chinese fighter jet also fired flares in front of a Canadian Navy helicopter patrolling the South China Sea on Oct. 29.

0:52Blair says Canada remains ‘very vigilant’ in defending itself against foreign interference

Defence Minister Bill Blair accused the Chinese pilots of being reckless and endangering lives.

China considers Taiwan a renegade province and aims to “reunify” the island with communist China. Most Taiwan citizens reject that plan.

At odds with 'friend-shoring'

Air Canada’s contract appears to be at odds with the Canadian government’s public policy of “decoupling” trade with China and other authoritarian nations, while engaging in “friend-shoring” or shifting trade to friendlier democratic foreign partners to cut supply chain risks.

“That’s why so many companies are getting out of China, not going in there right now,” McCuaig-Johnston said.

2:27Former Canadian Conservative leader targeted by China

Her Strategic China Risks Institute thinks China annex Taiwan is “not a remote possibility.”

“President Xi Jinping has repeatedly reiterated the Chinese Communist Party’s desire to ‘reunify’ the island with the mainland and refuses to rule out the use of force to do so. Top US intelligence officials claim that Xi has ordered the Chinese military to have the capabilities ready to invade Taiwan by 2027,” the institute said in a report.

If a conflict erupts, Canada may impose sanctions. However, China has shown it will retaliate against Canada and its companies “with anything it can,” McCuaig-Johnston said.

Canadian jets and other assets in Hong Kong risk being seized. After Russia illegally invaded Ukraine and faced sanctions, Russia seized 400 foreign-owned passenger jets.

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Canadian aerospace workers react

After HAECO announced its deal, Canadian aerospace workers reacted coolly on the LinkedIn professional networking platform.

Scott McNab, who identified himself as a civil aviation inspector at Transport Canada, stated:“Work that should be done in Canada. This is a Canadian Carrier and the skilled maintenance jobs should be in Canada where Canadians pay to fly on Air Canada.” Another Transport Canada inspector agreed. McNab did not respond to a phone message.

A third man who identified himself as an Air Canada aircraft maintenance worker questioned the economics and quality of work done by overseas heavy maintenance companies.

“Bring back our own heavy maintenance,” the worker said. “The poor work done by these third-party companies costs twice as much when the aircraft return from a check and require days of additional work to be done to fix all the problems caused by sub-par work at these companies.”

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Aerospace analyst Michel Merluzeau suggested Air Canada perhaps had “little choice” but to hire HAECO for Dreamliner and A330 heavy maintenance due to capacity shortages.

“You have to compromise where you go and get it. There’s a lot of demand and we’ll need to bring back (MRO) capacity to North America at some point. For now, the companies in China are really good companies and they do a good job.”

Air Canada’s Aveos chapter

Air Canada had a heavy maintenance operation until 2004, when it was spun off and renamed Aveos.

By 2012, Aveos went bankrupt. It was liquidated amid allegations that Air Canada did not deliver jets for repairs and solicited undercut bids from offshore rivals, breaching requirements in its privatization law that all its aircraft maintenance be performed in Canada.

By 2016, Ottawa removed the only-in-Canada maintenance requirement.

McCuaig-Johnston said Canadian lawmakers may want to revisit the issue.

Air Canada spends more than $700 million annually on aircraft maintenance but does not disclose how much is by its own workers versus outside vendors.

ST Aerospace, the Texas operation where Air Canada previously sent its Dreamliners, did not respond to messages. ST Aerospace still does “base maintenance” on Air Canada’s Boeing 777 airplanes.

Smaller Air Canada Boeing 737 and Airbus A 320 jets undergo heavy maintenance in Canada at U.S. aviation giant AAR Corp. facilities in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and Windsor, Ontario, and an Avianor facility near Montreal.

Who is HAECO?

HAECO Hong Kong is an affiliate of Swire Pacific, a publicly-traded Asian conglomerate that owns a 45% stake in the Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific, which it co-owns with government-owned Air China (30 per cent), and Beijing controlled Hong Kong government (9 per cent). Swire also has substantial real estate, sugar, Coca-Cola bottling operations, and other business interests across mainland China.

Under pressure from China in 2019, Cathay Pacific allegedly buckled and fired 26 of its Hong Kong employees who marched in pro-democracy airport protests against Beijing. Cathay Pacific CEO Rupert Hogg also was forced out.

Critics suggested those moves highlights how Swire Pacific acts to preserve its long-standing business interests in China.

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An interesting article on the maintenance deal, with pros and cons. The cons seem to be the Chinese might spy on people in Executive Class (seems far-fetched, are Chinese spooks waiting until someone takes a trip abroad to spy on them, that wouldn't be very efficient) or that an AC plane might be held in HKG (how many heavies are in major maintenance at any one time, not many I'd presume). The pros are financial and significant. AC got out of the heavy maintenance business for good reason. So have a lot of other airlines.

Right now, wars are a bigger issue for wide body utilization. No service to PEK and TLV means a reallocation of several aircraft, and a route like YYZ-BOM needs a fuel stop that wouldn't be necessary if Russian overflight was allowed.