Guest Dash eight Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Do you guys believe that the gov't will sit back and just watch Air Canada go under? Westjet is not in a position to take over as canada's national carrier. This country's economy would quickly collapse without a national carrier and the govt and A.C mgmt know this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 We went over this about 12 - 14 days ago. Reset your properties, then go have a look. If you find something there that the 50 or so respondants failed to mention, then by all means please bring ot to our attention. Otherwise, whatya say we leave it where it is/was?.. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virtual Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 WestJet's current one and/or half page ads (with either a picture of a Canadian flag flying from a cockpit window or a maple leaf) describe themselves as Canada's only true low- fare national airline ...so they might disagree with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjaer Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 I am an avid WJA Backer but i must admit we are in no position to fill the void if A/c were to go under. The government would have to step in to protect the international routes that we could not possibly serve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 and the domestic and transborder routes that you could not possibly serve either.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjaer Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 For now...wait a 18 months and see about the transborder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Roger that. Likely we agree it will be an interesting 18 months. cheers, dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigbigbus Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 WJ already covers most of Canada and would not take much to maintain(limited) the transborder routes sooner than 18 months to keep them going Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Yes, they could feed and maintain the trunk transcons plus transborder and the charters they do as well, with their 50 something 37s, 18 months from now. Nothing against WJ, I think they have done a masterful job so far, but there are limitations. By the way, how big is your bigbigbus?.. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigbigbus Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 it's the international stuff that is needed to keep Canada on the map ie AC 6 x day lhr(full prior to Sars), this is what some people at WJ don't realize, there is way more to this than just domestic sched. the 600 is the only one bigger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Ace Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 A repost of a couple of suggestions from a couple of weeks ago. Sorry for the repitition but I see the discussion is basically a repitition. Many of the unions representing Air Canada's labour groups have shown in the past that the airline could be shut down (strikes) and the world goes on. They didn't feel then that Air Canada was an essential service, why should they now? If Air Canada can't get its financial act together there are several options available to pick up the slack. Here are a couple of suggestions. 1. Cabotage on a limited and controlled basis to be phase out as other Canadian owned carriers expand and "pick up the slack". or 2. A lifeline to Air Canada with Air Canada's role being only to service routes that no other Canadian airline was ready, willing, and able to serve. As soon as another Canadian carrier was ready, willing, and able to service a route, Air Canada would have to pull off and could not compete with private enterprise. This would include international of course. Air Canada would eventually over time shrink into oblivion as it should if the taxpayer has to fund them. Much the same as the Ontario government NorOntair's purpose in life was. Scenario #2 would allow a nice controlled expansion and development of existing and new entrants and provide airline employment opportunities to those laid off from Air Canada as it shrinks. No large unemployment claims. That is about the only way the Canadian taxpayer could stomach another airline bailout. One last time that gets them out from under a monopoly that has the attitude of "there is no other carrier to pick up the slack". No more being held at ransom when a union decides to hold a strike. Methinks the concept of the "flag carrier" is a thing of the past. Airlines are a business now and should be treated as such. Dont't let your unions mislead you into believing you can't be replaced and therefore a government bailout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proview Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 If Air Canada were to (ahem) stop, it would indeed be difficult for people to fly anywhere for quite some time. On the other hand, it seems the world has started to think foreward to the "post Air Canada era". Incidently I have ressurrected some of the traffic stats from 1999 and it seems that by the end of this year Westjet's capacity will be roughly the same as was Canadian's domestic capacity just before they were swallowed up. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjaer Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 I totally agree. We are along way away from international flights and without A/C flying to other countries we as Canadains would be screwed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest manwest Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 There are other carriers flying to and from Canada internationally. Want to go to London fly British Airways, Amsterdam try KLM, Frankfurt try Lufthansa, Rome how about Alitalia, plus the many other foreign carriers that fly out of Canada. Transborder well theres lots to choose from there. I think any of these carriers would be more than willing to pick up the slack if Air Canada was to liquidate. Then eventually other new Canadian owned airlines would start new services, or maybe Air Transat would go from charter to sched. The demise of Air Canada does not put the travelling public in peril of NOT having an international or transborder carrier/service. Canadians may in fact find it refreshing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigbigbus Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 again you have no idea how important AC is to the Canadian economy , Transat does not have enough lift,code shares and to give it to other carriers would be a loss that would be gone forever, 18 monhts would be to late Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virtual Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 However, one of the overriding issues with booking on a foreign carrier is...that's where the $ is spent and sent. Doesn't do much for our own economy, I wouldn't think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest manwest Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 It will do enough for the economy that businessmen can still take their trips to conduct their business, the Canadian economy is not going to collaspe because there isn't a Air Canada to fly you somewhere. If it takes 12-18 months for a new start up, although I believe it would be a much shorter time span, a new carrier would emerge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjaer Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 wow...I have defended A/C alot in this thread. I have heard from pretty much anybody who flies internationally that A/C is the airline to choose if you can afford it. I believe their strongest part of the company is the international side of it. Domestically I am not so sure, but I have yet to hear too many negatives about them abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virtual Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 I didn't say the Canadian economy would collapse... it just doesn't help it any. I feel that, as Canadians, we 'sell out' way too much. (Don't you notice the difference when clients divert from using a travel agent to going 'on-line' to book? The businessmen still get to go about and do their business ... but it doesn't help yours....so you have less to spend, etc. etc. It's a much larger version of that.) On another note ...what's happening to the poor Canucks tonight? See, those Americans are after our cup, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virtual Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 I didn't hear him say that. (Maybe he does only shop at Zellers, The Bay, Revelstoke, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest manwest Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 The point I am trying to get across is there is alternative air service to many trans border and international destinations. The business of the country is not going to grind to a halt and cause a national economic problem for Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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