Annie
February 6, 2003, 08:28 AM
This is from AC press release yesterday. Don't think for one minute that we are not next. Can you just imagine how many companies would love to provide AC with inflight services at a fraction of the cost.
"Air Canada also intends to sell a significant stake in its Airport Ground
Handling Services business once it is constituted as a stand alone entity and
has commenced preliminary discussions with several strategic partners in this
regard. Air Canada's ground handling operations provide customer check-in,
ticketing, baggage handling, ground equipment service and aircraft ramp
handling. Air Canada employs approximately 8,500 staff in Canada, the U.S.,
Europe and Asia to handle ground handling responsibilities."
baloo
February 6, 2003, 08:17 PM
that is right noone is safe and if you think you are well I am feel sorry for you. :frown_2:
Annie
February 7, 2003, 08:27 AM
???????? I am confused by your reply.I do not think anyone is safe and I believe that is what I posted.
baloo
February 7, 2003, 10:48 AM
I was not refering specifically to you. I was saying it didn't mention flight attendants or some other departments
in the company but that doesn't mean they aren't looking at it.
Was_Moeman
February 7, 2003, 11:17 AM
I can foresee AC becoming kind of like AMR. They are the company with several parts underneath it. One would be the airline, another would be Aeroplan, then Maintenance, Ground Services, ZIP, Cargo... By selling off parts and keeping a controlling interest in the ones that they deem fit, they would get rid of a lot of debt by spreading it around, they could probably get their costs in line by splitting up the mechanics from the rampies (Instead of paying someone $20 an hour plus benefits to groom an aircraft, they pay Hudson General, or whoever buys the ground services company, $15 an hour for the service). By having outside companies who aren't tied to AC's Federally mandated rules running JAZZ, it could become profitable because it could fly wherever it wants instead of having to satisfy Ottawa. JAZZ enjoys a symbiotic relationship with AC, so that would probably continue regardless of ownership. AC may split itself into a Tango domestic product and AC, the international carrier. I wouldn't have a problem with that as they would be cutting domestic/trans-border costs while focusing on their world-renowned international product. I think Milton's got a lot of plans for us. He's a scrapper and won't give up, so I'm hopeful that together we can come up with a solution.
Also, Ottawa is already looking at tax cuts, E.I. benefits for job reduction programs, etc. Didn't they give CAIL a fuel tax rebate when things were looking really bad? Hopefully they do the same thing now but also include a reduction in the Security tax, Nav Canada fees, landing fees, etc.. Hey, who knows, maybe Ottawa can just buy back AC and make us a Crown Corp. again just to save the travelling public the hassle, and themselves the embarrassment and headaches, of AC filing for bankruptcy. Sounds like a good old-fashioned political solution to me. It ain't over yet.