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_| TCA |_ B E T W E E N Y O U R S E L V E S
_|\| AIR |/|_ N E T L E T T E R
> CANADA <
>_./|\._< for Air Canada retirees
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Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson
http://www.acra.ca/between/vesta/
Co-pilot - Terry Baker
http://www.acra.ca/between
number 328 date Nov 15th, 1998 1st Published in October 1995
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. Special edition of the NetLetter -
Internet etiquette suggests that capital letters imply shouting,
the following information was received in captial letters - we are not
intending to shout at you!
. NEED TO KNOW.
TRAVEL PARTNER.
INDUSTRY TRAVEL FREQUENTLY REVIEWS AND AMENDS OUR TRAVEL
PRIVILEGE PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE OUR PEOPLE WITH
A COMPETITIVE PACKAGE OF TRAVEL PRIVILEGES, COMPARABLE TO
INDUSTRY NORMS AND IN LINE WITH SOCIAL PRACTICES. IN 1994
AIR CANADA JOINED AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR AIRLINE TREND
BY INTRODUCING THE TRAVEL PARTNER VACATION PROGRAM AND A
NUMBER OF ENHANCEMENTS TO THE PROGRAM HAVE BEEN ADOPTED
SINCE THAT TIME. IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR WE EXTENDED PARTNER
TRAVEL PRIVILEGES TO THE STAR ALLIANCE CARRIERS (EXCEPT
THAI) AND THE CONNECTORS, AND AGAIN IN JULY WE ANNOUNCED
SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES, INCLUDING:
. THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE A PARTIAL SERVICE CHARGE REFUND
IN THE CASE OF ZONAL DOWNGRADES FOR PARTNER TRAVEL.
. THE REMOVAL OF THE ADDITIONAL $50.00 CHARGE FOR PARTNER
TRAVEL ON A COMBINED AC/CONNECTORS ROUTING.
. THE EXTENSION OF EMPLOYEE/RETIREE PERSONAL TRIP PASS
TICKET VALIDITY TO 365 DAYS (OUTBOUND/RETURN)
WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE FURTHER CHANGES TO THE TRAVEL
PARTNER VACATION PROGRAM FOR 1999, WHICH ARE COMPETITIVE -
1. THE ALLOTMENT OF PARTNER PASSES WILL BE INCREASED TO
8 FOR BOTH MARRIED/COMMON-LAW AND SINGLE EMPLOYEES AND
RETIREES. THIS ENHANCEMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH
THE STAR ALLIANCE CARRIER PARTNER PROGRAMS.
WIDOWS/WIDOWERS OF EMPLOYEES/RETIREES, WHO HAVE NOT
REMARRIED, WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE AN ALLOTMENT OF
4 PARTNER PASSES PER YEAR.
2. THE NOMINATED PARTNER PROGRAM WILL BE DISCONTINUED,
PRIMARILY BECAUSE OUR ANALYSIS HAS REVEALED THAT A
RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF SINGLE EMPLOYEES/RETIREES
ARE USING THIS PROGRAM. THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS
REQUIRED TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATED PROGRAM IS VERY
LABOUR INTENSIVE AND COSTLY. FURTHERMORE, NONE OF THE
OTHER CARRIERS RECENTLY SURVEYED DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN
PARTNER TYPES (NOMINATED) OR PROVIDE MARRIED AND SINGLE
EMPLOYEES WITH A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF PARTNER PASSES.
3. WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH
UNRESTRICTED NUMBERS OF TRAVEL PARTNERS ACCOMPANYING AN
EMPLOYEE/RETIREE ON THE SAME FLIGHT. THEREFORE, WHILE
THE NUMBER OF PARTNERS THAT CAN ACCOMPANY AN EMPLOYEE/
RETIREE ON A TRIP WILL NOT BE RESTRICTED, WE WILL ONLY
ALLOW A MAXIMUM OF 3 PARTNERS PER TRIP TO USE THE
EMPLOYEE,S /RETIREE,S PRIORITY. THIS MEANS THAT
IF AN EMPLOYEE/RETIREE TAKES 5 TRAVEL PARTNERS ON A
TRIP, ONLY 3 CAN USE THE EMPLOYEE,S/RETIREE,S TRAVEL
PRIORITY, THE OTHER 2 WILL TRAVEL AS A PRIORITY
C5/Y10. GIVEN THAT THE NUMBER OF SEATS
AVAILABLE FOR STANDBY TRAVEL ON MANY ROUTES IS
LIMITED, THIS RESTRICTION WILL PERMIT A MORE FAIR
AND EQUITABLE TRAVEL PROGRAM FOR BOTH JUNIOR AND SENIOR
EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS RETIREES. YOU ARE REMINDED
THAT THE STAR ALLIANCE CARRIERS ONLY PERMIT A MAXIMUM
OF 2 PARTNERS ON THEIR SERVICES. IT SHOULD BE NOTED
THAT WHILE AC DOES NOT REQUIRE A PARTNER TO TRAVEL
WITH THE EMPLOYEE/RETIREE, THE MAJORITY OF AIRLINES
SURVEYED REQUIRE THAT THE EMPLOYEE ACCOMPANY THE
PARTNER ON A TRIP (I.E. NO SEPARATE PARTNER TRAVEL
PERMITTED). IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT UNDER
THE TERMS OF THE TRAVEL PARTNER PROGRAM, THE TRAVEL
PARTNER CAN ONLY BE GRANTED THE EMPLOYEE,S/RETIREE,S
TRAVEL PRIORITY IF THE EMPLOYEE/RETIREE IS PRESENT
ON THE SAME FLIGHT.
4. EMPLOYEE TRAVEL CHARGES HAVE BEEN STABLE FOR A
SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME, HOWEVER, IN AN EFFORT
TO OFFSET RISING COSTS FOR ALL EMPLOYEE PERSONAL TRAVEL,
PARTNER TRAVEL SERVICE CHARGES WILL BE INCREASED TO
THE FOLLOWING AMOUNTS:
ZONE 1 - $60.00 / ZONE 2 - $ 90.00 / ZONE 3 - $150.00
EMPLOYEE/RETIREE SERVICE CHARGES FOR PERSONAL AND PARENT
TRAVEL WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED.
WE WILL ALSO BE STREAMLINING TWO OTHER ASPECTS OF PARTNER
TRAVEL WITH OUR EMPLOYEE/RETIREE TRAVEL POLICY:
. THE PARTNER DRESS CODE WILL BE ALIGNED WITH THE EMPLOYEE
AS FOLLOWS -
DRESS CODE. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT EMPLOYEES, RETIREES AND
TRAVEL PARTNERS WEARING JEANS OR ANY OTHER LESS FORMAL
ATTIRE WILL NOT BE ACCOMMODATED IN EXECUTIVE CLASS IF
ECONOMY CLASS IS FULL. AS A REMINDER, OTHER AIRLINES
MAY NOT ACCEPT CASUAL OR INFORMAL ATTIRE. TO AVOID ANY
INCONVENIENCE PLEASE VERIFY WITH THE AIRLINE DIRECTLY
BEFORE TRAVELLING.
. IN ADDITION, A PARTNER SERVICE CHARGE AND ALLOTMENT
DECREMENT WILL NO LONGER BE APPLIED TO INFANTS TRAVELING
ON THEIR PARENT,S LAP. IF A SEAT IS REQUESTED FOR THE
INFANT, THE NORMAL PARTNER PROCESS WILL APPLY (SERVICE
CHARGE, DECREMENT PARTNER ALLOTMENT).
AS AS REMINDER, THE TRAVEL PARTNER PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED
TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES WITH A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE,
TO PRIMARILY ALLOW STANDBY TRAVEL FOR CLOSE FRIENDS,
RELATIVES OR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF JOINT
OF TRAVEL PRIVILEGES TO THESE PEOPLE, PERMITTED INDIVIDUALS
WITH SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR STAFF, TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO FLY WITH THEM OR VISIT EACH OTHER.
PLEASE KEEP THE ABOVE IN MIND WHEN USING THE TRAVEL PARTNER
PROGRAM.
DURING RECENT MONTHS, WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED A NUMBER OF
INSTANCES OF PASS ABUSE, MAINLY INVOLVING TRAVEL PARTNER
PASSES, WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR
THE EMPLOYEES INVOLVED. THESE ABUSES HAVE GENERALLY
INVOLVED UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR OR CONDUCT OF TRAVEL
PARTNERS* OR EVEN MORE SEVERE SITUATIONS INVOLVING THE
USE OF PARTNER PASSES FOR OTHER THAN THEIR INTENDED USE.
THIS HAS INCLUDING BARTERING, SELLING OR EXCHANGING
PARTNER PASSES FOR OTHER SERVICES, OR ALLOWING PASSES TO BE
USED BY PERSONS NOT KNOWN BY THE EMPLOYEE/RETIREE. THESES
INCIDENTS HAVE RESULTED IN THE PERMANENT REMOVAL OF ALL PASS
PRIVILEGES AND, IN MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE, TERMINATION
OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY. AS HAS BEEN STATED
REPEATEDLY IN COMPANY DOCUMENTATION AND HORIZONS,
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE STAFF PERMITTED TO USE
THE PARTNER TRAVEL PROGRAM FOR OTHER THAN THE INTENDED USE.
EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES MUST REMEMBER, THAT IN ANY CASE OF
PASS ABUSE, INCLUDING THE BEHAVIOR OF ALL INDIVIDUALS USING
PASS PRIVILEGES, THE EMPLOYEE OR RETIREE IS ULTIMATELY
RESPONSIBLE.
AS STATED EARLIER, STAR ALLIANCE AIRLINES DO NOT PERMIT
INDEPENDENT PARTNER TRAVEL. WHILE THE PRIVILEGE OF
INDEPENDENT PARTNER TRAVEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE PERMITTED
AT AIR CANADA, WE WILL MONITOR THIS ELEMENT OF THE PROGRAM
ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE CONTINUE
TO PERMIT INDEPENDENT PARTNER TRAVEL - OR REQUIRE THAT
THE EMPLOYEE ACCOMPANY THE PARTNER ON A TRIP.
THE 1998 PARTNER PROGRAM TERMINATES ON FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 11, 1998 AND EMPLOYEES/RETIREES HAVE UNTIL THAT
DATE TO ORDER THEIR TRAVEL PARTNER ALLOTMENT FOR 1998. FOR
A PERIOD OF TWO DAYS - DECEMBER 12-13 A FREEZE WILL BE
PLACED ON TRAVEL PARTNER REQUESTS IN ORDER TO UPDATE AND
LOAD THE 1999 ALLOTMENT INTO RESIII.
THE 1999 PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 AND
RUNS UNTIL JANUARY 28, 2000. EACH YEAR THEREAFTER, THE
CHANGEOVER DATE WILL BE IN JANUARY. ANY TRAVEL PARTNER
TICKETS ORDERED ON OR AFTER DECEMBER 14, WILL COME OUT OF
THE 1999 ALLOTMENT AND CAN BE USED IMMEDIATELY UPON
RECEIPT. THESE DATES ALSO APPLY TO OTHER EMPLOYEE
TRAVEL PROGRAMS I.E. ID80, PARENTS.
WE HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE PRIVILEGES OF THE
TRAVEL PARTNER PROGRAM, AND WILL FIND THE CHANGES THAT
HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PAST AND IN THE FUTURE TO BE OF
OVERALL BENEFIT.
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'---o-o-0-o-o---'
" ' "
. That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.
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