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( For retirees of the new Air Canada family)
Number 475 April 23rd, 2000, We first Published in October 1995
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson - Co-pilot - Terry Baker
<NEW> e-mail address is:
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. PIONAIRS AGM
Just thought we'd let you all know that if you're attending the Pionairs AGM
on April 29, 2000 we might see you there.
Alan Rust (ACFamily.Net),
Terry Baker (The NetLetter),
and Tom Grant (A-Crew & RAPCAN) will be setting up a little display to explain
the workings of our respective Internet areas of the AC Family Network.
We hope to meet as many of you as possible.
Vesta won't be able to make it, but will be there in spirit!
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. We welcome -
Bliss FitzRandolph retired Passenger Sales and Service, Airport lives
in Bridgetown, NS email
Claire Ash I am immediate past chairman of the national board of CAIRE
retired Manager Leisure Travel Canadian Airlines International
and living in Richmond, BC email <mailto:
Mike Davidson. I was a Flight Dispatcher in Toronto for 28yrs.
My email address is <mailto:
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. May like to know!
Subject: Website Update
The editor of the Air Canada Retired Employees' Website (A-Crew)
www.acfamily.net/acrew announces that major renovations to the website
have been completed.
These include consolidation of sections from the
AVIA Aviation Links website (e.g photo gallery. exhibits & history,
Canadian airports and airlines, airshows), shared sections and pages with
the Retired Airline Pilots of Canada website (RAPCAN) and the introduction
of Headline News.
A structural outline can be seen at
www.acfamily.net/airshared/sitemap.htm
- Tom Grant
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. Subject: Industry Update, April 20.2000
Integration teams have successful meeting in Montreal
Last week integration team leaders attended a two-day meeting in
Montreal to present an overview of integration progress in their
individual areas. Each team presented a full plan which included
detailed business strategies, financial targets, and broad timelines
of events which will take place over the next 12-18 months. The
results of the meetings were presented to the Integration Steering
Committee on Monday, April 17 for review. This review process should
be completed in a few weeks. More details will be provided when they
are available.
CANADIAN'S DEBT RESTRUCTURING MAKING PROGRESS
Those creditors of Canadian Airlines who will be affected by a plan of
arrangement will be provided with copies of the plan and a disclosure
statement beginning April 25, and will be able to review Canadian's
plan for restructuring its debt. Those creditors will have until May
26 - when a vote of the creditors will be held - to decide whether to
support the plan. In March, Canadian was granted court protection from
its creditors under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA)
while it restructured approximately $3.4 billion in debt. On Friday,
Alberta's Court of Queen's Bench in Calgary approved the letters of
intent that had been entered into with a number of Canadian's
creditors in conjunction with the restructuring. The letters required
court approval under the terms of the CCAA. To date, Canadian has
reached agreement with creditors representing over 90 per cent of the
aircraft that Canadian intends to continue operating
post-restructuring, and is on target to complete restructuring by
early June.
AIR CANADA PILOTS ASSOCIATION (ACPA) FILES FOR CONCILIATION.
ACPA, the union representing Air Canada's pilots, has requested the
assistance of a conciliation officer in an attempt to resolve the
remaining issues involved in this round of collective bargaining.
Under the Canada Labour Code, a conciliator must be appointed no later
than 15 days from the request being submitted. Air Canada welcomes the
assistance of a conciliator.
VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAROGRAM PACKAGE (VSP) UPDATE.
On April 17, VSP packages were mailed to the homes of all eligible
Management and non-unionised Administrative & Technical Support (AT&S)
employees at Air Canada and Canadian Airlines. At this time, pending
the outcome of continuing discussions with union representatives, the
VSP isn't being made available to CAW and other unionised groups. The
VSP Call Centre is only able to answer questions from employees who've
received VSP packages. CAW and other unionised employees are asked not
to phone the VSP Call Centre.
THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS CONTINUES ITS STUDY OF BILL C-26.
A number of witnesses, including the Commissioner of Competition,
representatives from Canada 3000 and Air Transat, and groups like the
Canadian Bar Association have already appeared before the Committee.
More hearings are scheduled for the week of May 1. Several customer
service issues have been raised along with others such as creating an
airline industry ombudsman and providing service to small communities.
On May 4, Robert Milton will appear before the Committee. Stay tuned
for more on the progress of Bill C-26 through Parliament!
PARTIAL CLOSURE OF DOMESTIC EMPRESS LOUNGE AT T3
On Thursday, April 13, the second floor of Canadian Airlines' Domestic
Empress Lounge closed. Air Transat will renovate the area and turn it
into office space. The main floor will remain open until late May. To
accommodate passenger overflow, customers will be provided with
transportation to the International Lounge.
NEW MAINTENANCE TRAINING IN LONDON, ENGLAND
Canadian Airlines maintenance staff currently operate from Terminal 2
at London, Heathrow, and will continue to service Canadian Airlines
flights when they move to T3 in June. Line Maintenance management at
both Canadian and Air Canada are working on integration strategies to
provide better coverage to each carrier's aircraft. Because of the
requirements of the Department of Transport, Air Canada and Canadian
Airlines staff will be undertaking additional training to enable
service to be provided to each carrier's aircraft when the maintenance
operations move towards integration.
Canadian Flight Attendants graduate from Air Canada program
72 Flight Attendants on Leave of Absence to work for Air Canada
graduated this past week. By all accounts, Air Canada is pleased with
the quality of the successful participants. The second class of Flight
Attendants on leave with AC are expected to graduate at the end of
April.
Employee Communications, YULNNAC
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. We recently related an experience by Ken Flach on a cruise, here is some more -
After some 2 days of rough seas in the Pacific, we came to Easter Island. The
weather prevented some 300 passengers from tendering back to the ship. It got
dark as there were no lights on the dock, and with the severe storm, there was
only a barn for shelter which had no sides and was not much help with driving
wind and rain. All the passengers were standing huddled in the barn, cold and
standing in about 3 inches of mud. With a population of 2,000, it seemed everyone
turned out to bring blankets and plastic sheeting. The locals entertained by
singing and dancing in their native attire in the rain and mud. The light from cars
assisted in seeing. Some passengers were taken into local homes for over night
shelter. We were fortunate enough to go into a hotel around midnight. It was an
experience I was glad to be part of. With the island people sharing their homes
the hospitality was overwhelming.
The next stop was Pitcairn Island. The lesson had been learnt, with marginal
weather, there was no tendering. Instead, all 44 people came out to the ship.
The brought their handicrafts, carvings, straw articles etc. After the passengers
had purchased most of the articles, they were served with lunch. Visiting with
them was very interesting, it seems every other one was named Christian.
Then on to Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Fiji, New Calendonia and Australia.
Moorea Island was by far the most beautiful, but Bali the least expensive.
Dinner for four, wine and atmosphere etc, the waiter, when we were paying
the bill asked if we had anything smaller than the $20.00 bill we gave him.
Sailing in the Strait of Malacca between Indonesia and Malaysia, you have
to be prepared for pirates. They have been known to throw a hook and line
onto the railing of ships and armed with guns and knives,climb aboard easily.
Freighters are most vulnerable because of having few people on board. As a
precaution at night, our crew members patrol with large machetes and lights
with two fire hoses mounted astern and turn on full blast. There was a rumour
that 5 ships had been attacked the previous week.
We crossed the equator 3 times during our trip.
Ken Flach.
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. Found on the internet.
Atlanta International has overtaken Chicago O'Hare as the world's busiest
airport with a 909,000 movements in 1999. This figure is more than double
that of London's Heathrow and more than all the London airports combined.
Air France's last Boeing B747-100 reg F-BPVL msn 20798 departed Paris
on Feb 9th for Thailand where it will serve as a restaurant.
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. Terry's travel tips.
"Interlining Plus" formerly Canadian Interline Travel offers these -
Seabourn on Sale! Approx. $8,000us retail - NOW $1,045us
Won't Last CALL NOW!
Visit the British Isles Sailing June 15, 2000 for 14 Days
Incredible Price from $1045us from Copenhagen, Denmark return
or
Visit Scandinavia/Russia ...Aboard the Seabourn Sun
Sailing June 29, 2000 for 14 Days
Incredible Price from $1045us from Copenhagen, Denmark return
LAST MINUTE DEALS!
WOW!
Mexican Baja Aboard the Viking Serenade 3 Days
from $100us Sailing Dates: May 15-29
MEDITERRANEAN, 5 Star Deals!
...Aboard the Legend of the Sea, Sailing May 27, 2000 from Barcelona return
for 7 Day from $244us (Inside or from $444us (Ocean View)
Note: This cruise retail price starts at $1380us
ALASKA, Huge Savings!
...Aboard the Mercury Sailing May 26, 2000 from Seward to Vancouver
for 7 Day from $299us (Inside) or from $499us (Ocean View)
Note: This cruise retail price starts at $919us
Or
...Aboard the Mercury Sailing May 19, 2000 from Vancouver to Seward
for 7 Day from $499us (Inside) or from $599us (Ocean View)
All rates are per person double occupancy - taxes + port charges NOT
included. All Interline fares are at the discretion of the particular
supplier and C.I.T. reserves the right to secure and\or
obtain alternatives to the above fares offered where conditions warrant.
Call 1-800-665-3100
From: "Dargal"
May 27 - 7 nights - Royal Caribbean - Legend of the Seas.
Barcelona/Spain, Palma de Mallorca/Spain, Marseilles/France,
Livorno (Florence)/Italy, Naples/Italy, Olbia/Sardinia, At Sea, Barcelona
Inside $244 Outside $444 Superior Ocean View Stateroom or Suite $644
3rd and 4th sharing $44. Port Charges $155 are additional.
All rates are US$ per person, based on double occupancy
and subject to availability and eligibility. Applies to New Bookings Only.
For more information on these and other specials - contact us at:
DARGAL Interline 1-800-690-3223
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. Smilies.
Some 'squawks' or maintenance complaints submitted by US Air Force -
Problem: 'Left inside main tire almost needs replacement'
Answer: 'Almost replaced left inside tire'
Problem: 'Dead bugs on windshield'
Answer: "Live bugs on order'
Problem: 'Evidence of leak on right main landing gear'
Answer: 'Evidence removed'.
Problem: 'Aircraft handles funny'
Answer: 'Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious'
Problem" 'Target Radar hums'
Answer: 'Reprogrammed Target Radar with the words'
Problem: 'Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick'
Answer: 'That's what they are there for.
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Important reminder, for all new articles, submissions and or comments
for the "The Netletter" please send to:
Our joint e-mail address is:
please change your Address Books.
This e-mail address has been set up so that both of us (exclusively)
will get an automatic copy and can keep up with the continuity of
news for the NetLetter.
Why not check out the Air Canada Retired Employees Web Site
http://www.acfamily.net/acrew/
Independently operated by webmaster Tom Grant.
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Mailing of 'the NetLetter" is courtesy of Alan Rust administrator of
the "AC Family Network" at: http://www.acfamily.net
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