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About us!
Since October 1995, Vesta Stevenson and Terry Baker have been issuing an email newsletter for those ex Air Canada types who have provided us with their email addresses. The Newsletter was created by Vesta, who gave the name 'NetLetter' and added 'Between Ourselves' - a TCA periodical with which you are probably familiar with from the 50's and 60's. It was then changed to "Between Yourselves" to avoid confusion when "Horizons" resurrected the name. Then finally simplified to just "The NetLetter".
We believe that our NetLetter, which originates from Vancouver Island, was the FIRST to use this medium to disperse information for retirees of Air Canada.
The NetLetter contains airline related information such as anecdotes or stories supplied by some of the recipients, Internet tips, travel news, cheap... excuse me, "inexpensive" accommodations, tours, interline travel, and, in some small way, we help keep our Air Canada family together and in touch.
Our 'NetLetter' is NOT sponsored by any Pionair group, nor are we seeking any financial support, only the Internet email addresses of those who would like to receive our 'NetLetter'. Please forward this to other retirees who can then subscribe right from the forwarded link at the bottom of this email.
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Please visit our Sponsors
Nerds Back Up
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Dear NetLetter,
For our new readers
We now estimate that the NetLetter is read by over 2701 retirees when counting our email distribution and those that print the NetLetter and give them out to their friends.
To get in touch with either the Editor/Pilot or Co- Pilot our email address is still This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To make changes to your e-mail address or to unsubscribe, please see the links at the bottom of the page for "Update Profile/Email address" and SafeUnsubscribe. This is now automated so that you can remove yourself from the list or change your email address (or name) without our assistance. We will still do this manually if you have any difficulties.
Many of our members are having difficulty finding these links. You will need to scroll to the bottom of the page, the link in similar to the following image. (The image below doesn't work but your links at the bottom will).
Thank you
Alan Rust - ACFamily Administrator
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Must know...
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New Tax for Departures out of the United Kingdom Effective 01 Oct 05, the Passenger Service Charge (UB) for all departures out of the United Kingdom will be charged for pass travel. Pass travel was exempt from this duty until earlier this year. If you have registered for travel on/after the 01Oct05, the tax did not show up on the pricing screen, however, it will be applied at time of billing. This duty is not refundable even if you are only transiting in the UK. The amounts charged are: 11.90 GBP from LHR; 11.10GBP from GLA and 11.30GBP from MAN. This tax is in addition to the Air Passenger Duty Tax (GB) GBP 20.00 which is already being charged.
To reduce the number of missed connections when operational challenges arise, some adjustments will be made to our minimum connecting times, effective Nov. 1. In Toronto, connections between domestic and transborder flights will require 70 instead of 60 minutes. In Montreal, connections from transborder to domestic flights will require 60 instead of 50 minutes, and in Ottawa, minimum connection times from Canada and U.S. arrivals to our departure to London will be increased by 15 minutes to 45 and 60 minutes respectively.
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Nice to Know
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US APIS rules now in effect. Air Canada successfully implemented the program for the collection of data required by the new United States Advance Passenger Information (APIS) requirements. As the additional data is causing a slight increase in the customer contact time at Air Canada’s kiosks for transborder flights, all employees flying to the U.S. should check-in for their flights using www.aircanada.com. We’re also developing an upgrade to the Employee Travel website to collect the required APIS information before the end of the year.
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Air Canada News
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Air Canada expands network to India. - Effective Oct. 30, we will be expanding our service to India with the launch of daily code share flights to Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). The flights will be operated by our future Star Alliance partner Swiss via Zurich. On the same day, we will introduce daily flights from Toronto to Delhi via Zurich, on which Swiss will sell seats on a code share basis. This growth of our network to India via Switzerland will allow us to re-introduce year-round service to Zurich from Toronto while improving the schedule to Delhi with an increase to daily flights. In addition, there will be daily flights from Montreal to Zurich on a code share basis, operated by Swiss.
Air Canada will charge passengers ca $2.00 for pillows and blankets on its short-haul flights in an effort to offset the spiralling cost of fuel.
Vancouver DTF team will make dreams come true. The Vancouver chapter of Dreams Take Flight took off for Disneyland from the South Air Canada hangar at 5530 Miller Road at 6:15 a.m. the morning of Oct. 18th. The aircraft was filled with 120 very excited special needs children from B.C. For more information, visit www.dreamstakeflight.ca or call the Dreams Take Flight Info-line at (604) 270-KIDS.
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Found on the Internet
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European planemaker Airbus' parent company EADS will make a key piece of US rival Boeing's latest passenger jet, in a sign of how outsourcing can trump national pride.
(Out here on the west coast, EADS stands for 'Everything A Dollar Store' in most shopping malls - eds)
The worlds largest airliner, the Airbus A380, is to visit Frankfurt for airport compatibility verification tests at the end of this month, and will fly to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in the first half of November. It will then be on display at the Dubai airshow in the second half of November.
The visits, which mark the first time that the Airbus A380 will be seen outside Europe, will give customers a chance to see the aircraft at first hand, and airports an early opportunity to check their preparedness to handle it in commercial service.
The tests at Frankfurt will include taxiing around the airport, docking at a terminal, and checking passenger boarding bridge positioning. They will also demonstrate ease of access for servicing vehicles, such as catering trucks, cargo-loaders, fuel bowsers and water servicing both individually, and together as they would be positioned during an aircraft turnaround.
The A380 on this tour is MSN001, the first aircraft to fly and one of five taking part in the flight-test campaign. Its cabin is fitted with flight-test instrumentation, measuring equipment and ballast tanks that can be filled with water to simulate the weight of a full load of passengers and cargo.
Hawkair Files for Bankruptcy Protection - Prince Rupert, B.C.'s The Daily News reports that northern British Columbia regional carrier Hawkair has filed for bankruptcy protection under the Canadian Companies Creditors Act (CCAA) to restructure its debt load.
The Dash 8 operator says it will continue operations, which include scheduled flights from Vancouver to Terrace, Prince Rupert, Fort St. John and Dawson Creek in northern B.C.
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Terry's Travels!
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 Recently, your co-pilot travelled around Europe. - So here is a survival kit for Rome - The Italian drivers in Rome are not Romans, but rather Roaming's, which is indicative of the way they drive. First of all they drive where there is space, they create extra lanes. They don't park cars, they just abandon them. If you look down any side street, it would look like a competition for parking by blind people. You will also notice the absence of traffic wardens or yellow lines. There are no parking meters because the authorities know that the Italians would break them using anything but coins to get them to operate thus creating too much violence. When they opened their first underground rail line, by the end of the first week all the slot machines were broken as the Italians expected to have free rides.
Traffic lights are generally ignored as they are look upon as part of the Christmas lighting for the city. Crossing the road by a pedestrian is a chancy thing too. We were told NOT to look the approaching driver in the eye as they then assume you have seen them and will stop for him - so, NEVER look at the approaching vehicle - just watch your knees as the bumper will come to rest very near them.
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Terry's Travel Tips
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More Mexico Deals To Go!
With confirmed air!
Mazatlan 5 Days/ 4 Nights from $393* with confirmed air from LAX Nov. 3 - Nov. 17 El Cid Granada Country Club with transfers
Los Cabos 5 Days/ 4 NIghts from $476* with confirmed air from LAX Oct. 16 - Dec. 12, 2005 Calinda Hotel with transfers
Puerto Vallarta 5 Days/ 4 Nights from $446* with confirmed air from LAX
Villas Del Palmar 4th Night Free Kids 12 and under stay free Nov. 6 - Dec. 12, 2005
China is the place to go this year! Great travel bargains...silk, jade, pearls and the scenery is incredible!
China continues to be the destination this year. Experience this 5,000 year old civilization and take a first hand view of this vast and fascinating country in a comfortable setting at a very reasonable price.
China Discovery Tour 9 Days/ 6 Night with confirmed air from $999*
Golden China 13 Days/ 11 Nights with confirmed air from $2299*
Yangtze River Special 12 Days/ 10 Nights with confirmed air from $2199*
Yangtze River Spring Special 13 Days/ 11 Nights with confirmed air from $1999* March 14-26, 2006
Tibetan Adventure 10 Days/ 7 Nights with confirmed air from $2650*
Adventure on the Roof of the World
Sydney, Australia 6 Days/ 4 Nights with interline air from $560* Companion eligible!
Stay in the heart of Sydney and discover this world class city as the locals do. Add an excursion to the Outback, the Great Barrier Reef and so much more. Our Shoestring Package includes rt space available air, 4 nights hotel accommodations and hotel taxes. Ask about confirmed space options and tours. Airline taxes are additional. *per person based on double occupancy Additional nights and tours in and around Sydney also available!
Absolutely no service charges! 800 422 3727 Call today! Caesar Hotels Airway Vacations
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Sponsors
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The mailing and formating of the NetLetter for HTML format is provided by the ACFamily Network and Nerds On Site. Content is researched and submitted by Vesta Stevenson and Terry Baker. Thank you for letting us into your homes!
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NetLetter Archives
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The archives of the NetLetter are kept on the ACFamily Network Forums area. They are in plain text format so you can print them from there if desired. If you are not a member of the ACFamily Network yet, we encourage you to join us there. Non members can Register here. (It's Free!)
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NetLetter Archives Link |
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