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Vesta's Corner
 I received the following email from Laura Markley who wrote:Hello: BTW, The NetLetter is superb! It's a wonderful way for everyone to stay connected! I was curious, has anyone kept statistics on who had the most family members who worked at Air Canada? My family had 4. Do you think anyone would be interested in a story on how an AC reservations girl from YYZ met & married one of the first AC employees in BDA, then had a daughter who became a flight attendant in YWG who met up & married a load master from ORD? Of course, everyone is retired, and unfortunately the load master has passed away. I'm the widowed flight attendant. Just throwing it out there. Keep up the great work! I love reading your stories. Best regards, Laura Markley I responded to Laura - Gee thanks Laura, I'm so glad that you like the stories we bring to you and all the other 4,000 plus readers. !!! When I came up with this idea of communication and was able to recruit Terry and Alan we had no idea that 13 years later it would develop as it did has.. re Families of Air Canada stories. Yes, I personally would be very interested in carrying these biographies in the NetLetter and look forward to them. And if you can supply pictures that would be very very nice. (If there are any readers out there who would care to send us any information on their families working for our airline, please feel free to send them in - Vesta) This weeks postcard from my collection - HOLLAND  May 6 2007, Hi Vesta. This is such a lovely country, especially in the north province of Friesland. Also went to visit Delft, a very quaint town, Regards, Sheila Moscoe. |
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Air Canada - our first 70 years
1991 - Jan - All Air Canada flights were made a smoke free environment. 1992
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TCA/AC People Gallery
Musings from "Horizons" -Issue dated January 1992 - Air Canada agent at LHR crowned Miss Heathrow. We have this picture.  Issue dated February 1992 - The training of cabin staff for the introduction of B747-400 service commenced in February. We have this photo of the training instructors in the new in-flight Training Centre at YUL.  The A320 inaugural flight to Bermuda. We have this photograph.  CALPA held their 15th Annual General Meeting in Winnipeg. These attended.  Issue dated June 1992 - During April 1992, YMX achieved a 100% on time departures. We have this picture of the aircraft maintenance staff.  Issue dated October 1992 -  Winnipeg phase check crews achieved two consecutive monthswithout a delay on A320 work events. We have this picture of the crews. In NetLetter nr 1019 we published pictures of the crew on the inaugural flight to Athens. We have this response from Jean Marc Lamarche - Thank you so much for forwarding me some pictures of the Athens crew. The inaugural flight is still one of the best and fresh moment in my mind of a nearly 37 years of service as an In-Charge F/A. Mind you we only had a 4 day layover and there was lots to do but not too tiring considering that we only had 13 pax on the return flight. Although your name sounds familiar, I don't remember when and if I ever flown with you. My date of hiring was Jan. 71 and retirement came almost a year ago, June the 1st. JM |
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Bytes and Pieces
 AVG Antivirus software still freeA lot of readers use free antivirus software to protect their computers from the bad guys. One of the favorites out there is AVG Antivirus. Recently they discontinued their popular AVG 7.X version and if you had this on your computer the message popping up indicated that you needed to upgrade. Most people thought that the FREE version was discontinued (as it seems to give that impression), but if you check their web site, you can still get AVG 8.0 free off their website.  To get the free version, visit http://free.grisoft.com On the left side of the screen (under Free Basic Protection) click on "Get it now!" On the next page you can choose the Free version in the left hand column or purchase the other two versions if you choose to. There are a few other good anti-virus software vendors out their as well, but AVG Free fills most peoples needs.TTUL, Alan |
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Canadi>n/CPAir/PWA, Wardair, etc. Events & People
Vern Swerdfeger has kindly donated copies of the "Canadi>n Flyer" from the first issue April 1997 through to the final issue December 2000, with just 6 missing. We will extract some photos and information from them.  From the first issue, we have this one photo. As this was the inaugural issue which replaced the "InfoCanadi>n" magazine in April 1997, there was only one photograph of employees."Info Canadi>n" issue dated October 1993 (This is the only copy available from Vern) 1988 Sept 21 -One World Alliance launched by founder members- Canadi>n, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, British Airways and American Airlines. "Canadi>n Flyer" issue dated August 1997 - We have these photos of the staff in Manila. The airport staff and the downtown staff   Issue dated October 1997 -
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Readers Feedback
 Gretchen Aird of Maple Wings sends us this information -Subject: F/A, A "Cushy," Job AOL ran an article on the 10 cushiest jobs and the author, Ms. Lorenz, called a flight attendant's job "cushy", hence the following letter. Within minutes after this response was received, the career article was pulled from AOL's web page. This is such a perfect description of our job... and unless you walk the walk and talk the talk, you know nothing! Dear Ms. Lorenz, I have been a Flight Attendant for 33 years. I am so enraged at your notion that my job is 'cushy' that I am shaking as I write this email. Do you know how tiresome it is to travel through the process of the TSA at an airport? Imagine starting every work day with the same scrutiny..as if you intend to do nothing but bring harm to your customers and fellow coworkers. In other words, begin every working day treated as a suspected criminal with no one to back you up that you are the last line of defense for their loved ones against the very people they suspect you of being....EVERY day... Imagine being felt-up and touched every day you go to work, just to get to the office. Where else can someone be served several meals, with free cocktails and several types of wine, then snap their fingers to have the dishes removed and never be expected to leave a tip?! Such awesome respect , huh? Now imagine who saves their sorry butt if they choke on that meal or have chest pains from overeating? After 9/11, our job changed so much it is barely recognizable. We don't take merely coats stow carryon bags while boarding a plane now..we are also watching the behavior of every passenger coming onto that plane to make sure anyone who shows signs of harming anyone is removed BEFORE they have the chance to hurt anyone. WE answer to the passenger who is afraid to sit next to someone speaking Arabic into a cell phone. We are forced to act normal when the hair on our necks are standing up after watching someone board the flight we have been trained to watch out for. WE are the ones that move around the planes to guard suspicious activity, while passengers watching movies are too busy to even notice. WE are the ones who grab the heart defibrillator when someone collapses in the aisles and try to save a life that would be lost on a street corner. WE are the ones that stop a shoe bomber from blowing up the entire aircraft with your loved ones coming home for Christmas. Now let's discuss our 'cushy' job. I am now paid less than I was in 1979 and work 40% more hours because the executives were allowed to filed bankruptcy and take my pension and my pay to pad their own bank accounts. I cannot retire because I cannot live on $35 a month for every year I have worked days and nights without being with my family for holidays or soccer games so said CEO can reap millions of dollars of my money. My 17-hour work trip takes sometimes 4 days..over 75 hours on the job. To work an 85 hour month takes over 20 days..24 hour days..working all night, staying awake while everyone around me sleeps. My days are your nights and my nights your days. Do you feel odd for a day or two after the Daylight Savings Time changes? Try 24 of those every 6 days and see how you feel. Do you check in for work and not go on the clock until you have been working for over 3 or 4 hours for free? Do you stand up watching for terrorists all night on a job that you used to cover people with blankets and assure them of a safe night's sleep...all for 40% less of your 1979 pay? The weeks we are fighting Congress to be covered by OSHA and FMLA, as every other American worker is, you decide to publish this article to undermine our efforts. Thanks. Your assumption that my job is 'cushy' is the most incorrect and anger inciting thing written about a career that is there to make sure you and your family can go to grandma's for Christmas or to a vacation I have not had in years, and all in a safe and comfortable manner. You have all day..sometimes several days..to write an article several hundred words long...cool! Can you work a defibrillator? Save someone in a diabetic coma? Tell a terrorist from an idiot? Run to someone who collapses in a supermarket? Guess what..we have journalism degrees, medical degrees, law degrees...lots of degrees. We are not just overpaid waitresses. Waitresses make more money than we do and they go to their own beds in their own homes at night! I do have the choice to change my line of employment. I choose to do this job because it's not just a job, it's a way of life. When a jet crashes, we all feel the pain. When a plane is blown-up, we all feel the fear. I have been trained and retrained every year for my job and I am good at it. I hope you take a few moments to reinvestigate your feelings on my job. Feel free to join me for a week and walk in my shoes. Perhaps you will then understand how hideous and demeaning the word 'cushy' really was to thousands of professional Flight Attendants who lay down their lives every day to protect your travel across the world. Northwest Airlines F/A From Gretchen In NetLetter nr 1022, Gretchen Aird sent an appeal from Jack Logan for a photo of the interior of the Viscount for their restoration program. Gretchen sends us this response - Hi Terry, thanks for putting the request re interior of Viscount into the Netletter, below is a response from Betty Logan, Jack Logan's wife. He is happy! Cheers, Gretchen Thought that you would like to know that Jack had an e-mail from Al catteral telling him that the day after the notice came out, Gary Walters sent him a coloured picture of the interior of the viscount. Thanks to you. Betty |
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Found on the Internet
Northwest Airlines Corp. is testing a paperless boarding pass that will let fliers use mobile phones to board their plane. Starting Wednesday June 4th., Northwest will debut the service, called the E-Boarding Pass, in Indianapolis. The concept works like this: When a user checks in for a flight, they can choose to send their boarding pass to their cell phone or PDA instead of printing it out. The mobile device then displays a bar-code-like image on its screen, which can be scanned by gate attendants at the airport just like a paper boarding pass. The system is similar to one being tested by Continental Airlines at Houston Bush Intercontinental and other airports, under the guidance of the Transportation Security Administration. Northwest's offering will be available to travellers on non-stop domestic flights out of Indianapolis when they check in at www.nwa.com using a PC or a handheld mobile device. Northwest plans to expand the system to other cities in the future. |
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Terry's Travel Tips
 WestJet announce that, effective Sept 9th, they will inaugurate a three times a week flight between Victoria and Las Vegas.Food for thought - from the UK Pionairs monthly newsletter issue June - A cautionary tale from Penny Proudlock. On a recent planned trip to Canada, an eagle eyed security checker noticed that although Penny had a British passport endorsed "British Subject" and "has the right of abode in the UK", she was in fact born in Dublin, and therefore needed a visa for Canada. Although she has travelled extensively without a problem, and has held 5 previous British passports, this time it was no-go. Penny has three options, apply for a 5 year visa for Canada at a cost of £70.00, become a UK citizen for £480.00 or get an Irish passport for £58.00. We suggest that you all make sure your documents are up to date before you travel. Steve Charlton sends us this information - Subject: Stand-by out of Beijing There are two Canada-bound flights out of Beijing: AC030 to YVR at 16:20 followed by AC032 to YYZ (on some days) an-hour-&-a-half later. Please note that if you register for the YVR flight and miss it, the local (Air China ) staff will not "roll you over to the YYZ flight" - they cite something about "inability to properly calculate taxes" as being the reason, and strongly steer you to using an Internet terminal to register yourself for the YYZ-bound flight. Problem is: there are no public Internet terminals in the airport! When this was pointed out, the local supervisor suggested it could be done using the wireless network available in the airport, so for those of you who bring a laptop along on vacation just so you can register at Internet-starved airports, you'll be OK. But for the rest of us, I simply recommend registering for both flights if it looks tight, at least until the check-in staff agrees to do the simple command to transfer the standbys to the next flight. Yes, they have time..... Steve Charlton Dargal interline special Inaugural sailing Eurodam - Take advantage of your interline privileges and get in on the new ship excitement! $99 upgrades on these already reduced interline rates! Interior - best available - $999 - upgrade to Oceanview for only $99 Oceanview - best available - $1299 - upgrade to Balcony for only $99 Balcony - best available - $1499 Call your travel planner to book these fantastic Interline rates! 10 Night Europe aboard Eurodam Jul 05 - Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Norway; At Sea; Alesund, Norway; Vik, Norway; Flaam, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Newcastle, England; South Queensferry, Scotland; Invergordon, Scotland; At Sea; Copenhagen, Denmark Bring your friends and family for as little as $900 more. From: Interior: $999 Oceanview: $1,299 Balcony: $1,499 Call Toll Free: 1-800-690-3223 International Toll Free: (country code)-800-2832-7425 Suite 200-1632 Dickson Ave Kelowna BC V1Y 7T2 |
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Smilie
 Your copilot has solved the reason for the high cost of fuel. With the rising cost of fuel, the owners of the super mega oil tankers cannot afford the fuel for their own fleets, therefore insufficient oil is being shipped, making for short supply to the rising demand - hence, oil goes to the highest bidder. |