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( For retirees of the new Air Canada family)
Number 500 July 6th, 2000, We first Published in October 1995
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson - Co-pilot - Terry Baker
email address is
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. We have reached a milestone - number 500! In the years we have been producing this
NetLetter, we have averaged 2 per week - that takes into account the times we did not
issue due to our vacations, and the times we sent out 3 and, occasionally, 4!
Plus a couple of supplements for various reasons.
Terry handles the final issuance, after editing by Vesta.
Vesta handles the mailing list and has processed 1006 applications,
with 970 households still current and we have lost 36 accounts;
52 are retirees from CDN and 918 are AC retirees. A further 180 or so receive a copy
from Frank Pedder in YUL who kindly forwards a copy to them. We know that copies
are made by some of our readers for passing out to other retirees who do not have
their own computers.
Vesta has also processed 120 change of e-mail address applications. (whew)
So 'between ourselves' (ahem) we have worked very hard in our retirement and
it's worth it.
Please remember that this is a two-way street of information and, together,
we may reach 1,000! So send us your stories, comments, travel items and
anything aviation related, especially TCA/Air Canada or CAIL. But please,
nothing controversial!
We have received some accolades from a few of you, for which we are grateful -
Keep up the fantastic job as without your efforts a lot of people
would not be able to enjoy so much information and refreshing memories
as well as the smiles produced. from Steve M December 6, 1999
From: "Gerald G. Damskov" <
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 16:35:53 GMT
Hi:
I want to Thank everyone involved with the publication and sending out of
your net letter. I have enjoyed receiving, and reading it. There is a lot of
useful info squeezed into this posting.
I retired from Air Canada after thirty-three years in the Power Plant Shop
in Dorval, in November of 97. I enjoy keeping in touch with the people that
I have met and worked with over those 33 yrs. And your net letter is an
excellent vehicle for that pastime.
Gerald G. Damskov
From: "Joe Mallory"<
Terry & Vesta,
Want you to know how much we all appreciate all your efforts to keep the ties between
us all. I know its not an easy task. It would be interesting to know what your circulation
is now. I'm sure it would be many times the number of messages you send out
because some recipients forward your messages to further lists.
Keep up the great work, Joe Mallory - Dorval
March 21, 2000
Been on your list since Netletter No. 5. It's amazing the amount of info that you are
providing us, especially the email address of new members thus allowing us to make
contact with people we had "lost track" of. You are to be congratulated.
Thank you.Benoit Vezina
Vesta and Terry thank you all.
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. Need to know.
Terminal change for Canadian Airlines in Dallas-Fort Worth.
On July 1, Canadian Airlines’ operation moved from Terminal A to Terminal E
—closer to Delta.
Interline agreement news—All Nippon Airways and Austrian Airlines.
Active and retired employees travelling for personal reasons on Star Alliance™ members All Nippon Airways and Austrian Airlines can take advantage of low ZED (LZ) fares.
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From chief pilot Vesta -
I wish to thank the following NetLetter readers for sending me postcards,
they are delightful and much appreciated additions to my postcard collection.
Carl & Mary Starodub, Herbert Bell, Ollie and Ken Day, Betty & Jack Morgan,
Franceen Taylor, James(Ken) Baker, Michel Beriau, Peter Blyth, John Bosma,
Jack Dahlgren, Jacques Gaucher, Barbara Hildebrand, Shirley Jay,
Jean Le Pottier, John H. K. Nener, Philip Helms, Cathy & Gary Barker,
Cleve Beeler, Ronald V Castelli, Rosemary Dart, Jim Little, Raymond Saarinen,
Don Demeza, and Claire Levasseur.
My home address is : Vesta Stevenson, 401-1035 Southgate St
Victoria, B.C. V8V 2Z1.
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. YUK! Not sure what heading to use ....
Brian Dunn sends this -
T O R O N T O, June 30 — Water used to make coffee and tea aboard an Air Canada
flight Thursday from Manchester was contaminated with toilet bowl sanitizer, officials
say. Thirty-two people, including two crew members, aboard Flight 841, which arrived
in Toronto at 1:30 p.m., drank the water before crew members noticed it had an odd
color and stopped using it. Officials were prepared to conduct an investigation when
officials in England called to say the source of contamination had been detected.
Maintenance workers had mistakenly dropped blue sanitation toilet pucks into the
plane’s drinking water supply. The discovery was made two hours into the six-hour
flight which held 188 passengers Air Canada said.
('Nuff said - eds)
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. Tom Grant sends us this trivia - perhaps!
We have trivia test for all you aviators, armchair or not.
In the "Potpourri of Aviation Photos Submitted by Viewers" we have put online a photo
from Russ Brown who tells us that it was taken of him by his father in '47 or '48 at RCAF
Downsview.
Can you identify what type aircraft he is in?
There is even a clue given if you give up.
You can reach this airshare photo gallery via the A-Crew, RAPCAN or Maple Wings
websites or direct at www.acfamily.net/airshared/photos/gallerymisc.htm
GOOD LUCK Tom Grant
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. Edited version of a cruise from the eMailNews issued by Duane Frerichs -
The cruise taken by Duane and Evelyn Frerichs
' I contacted Canadian Interline Travel Ltd. in Vancouver, BC and booked a 12 day
"The Fjords of Norway" cruise on Holland Americans MS "Rotterdam" departing
Copenhagen on June 11th and arriving at Harwich, Eng. on June 23rd.
It began on a very good note. Canadian Interline Travel Ltd. offered a fare that
was about 25% off the book price, provided excellent service and couriered the
tickets, etc. to us two weeks before departure.
First of all there was the challenge and excitement of space available travel
Toronto to Copenhagen. The heart beats a bit faster and the blood pressure has a
tendency to rise, an experience missed by full fare paying passengers. The
Copenhagen flight was oversold for the three days prior to the Rotterdam's
departure. We elected to depart on AC flt. 882, Wednesday, June 7 instead of
June 9 or 10.
Secondly, Air Canada's pilots were threatening strike action mid way through my
cruise prodded on by the Canadian government. It was adding more excitement to
my adventure. Thanks to my pilot training I was planning ahead and decided it
might be a good time to purchase a 50% positive space one way economy ticket
on British Airways from London, Eng. for June 23rd. Managed to get through to
the AC employee call centre in Winnipeg with a minimum of delay and purchased
the 50% but was told by the agent that I would have to contact BA directly to
make the reservation, which I promptly did. The BA agent assured me that it was
no problem, he could book us back as early as July 7th. Considering the cruise
ended on June 23rd. that wasn't much help. As a last desperate attempt I asked
what would be the earliest reservation that I could get if I paid the full economy fare. He
said tomorrow, of course, and that's what I did for June 23rd. $834 each. I had just
graduated from "50% fares" course 101.
Arrived at Pearson terminal one via a torturous and circuitous route on the
afternoon of June 7th., departed on schedule with about 10 empty seats and had a
very pleasant flight to Copenhagen. As we departed terminal one, it occurred to
me that Monty might have decided to cross the Atlantic in the Dream Catcher just
to avoid terminal one. I understood.
On arrival in Copenhagen we purchased a three day "Copenhagen Card" (about
$65 Cdn.) at the airport. This card is valid for unlimited travel by day or by night
on buses and trains in the metropolitan area. In addition it gives you free admission
to more then 60 museums and attractions (i.e. Tivoli) and discounts at many other
Copenhagen attractions. We used the card to take the train from the airport to the
Osterport station, where the Quality Hotel Osterport was located across the street.
The "mermaid", Royal Palace and the Rotterdam dock were within a mile of the hotel.
Quality Hotel Osterport was clean, comfortable and very satisfactory although next to
an active railway. It cost about $200 Cdn. per night, including a full breakfast.
Spent the next three days touring the sights of Copenhagen, the Frederiksborg Slot
(Royal Palace) in Hillerod and dined at the Tivoli. Weather was sunny and +22C,
apparently the first good days this summer.
At 13 hrs. June 11th., we boarded the Rotterdam. It was built in Italy in 1997. The
Rotterdam is always Holland Americans "Flag Ship" (an honor only) and is the sixth
Rotterdam in service. It carries 1316 passengers but had only about 1075 passengers
this cruise. A first class ship in all respects with impeccable facilities, food,
entertainment, and service. During the cruise we spent 4 days at sea, crossed the
Arctic Circle at about 66 degrees-34 minutes North, cruised the spectacular scenic
inside passage, Geirangerfjord, Trondheilfjord, Svartisen Glacier, Holandsfjord,
Aurlandsfjord, Sognefjord and Lysefjord. We docked at Bergen, Geiranger, Trondheim,
Honningsvog, Tromso, Flam and Stravanger. We cruised past North Cape the most northern part of our cruise at 71*-12' North.
The weather was mainly cloudy with rain showers, the temperature varied between
8 and 14C and although we spent three days when the sun never set we never got
a good view of the sun.
The days passed rapidly and our last port of call before Harwich, England was
Stavanger. The view from the Crowsnest atop the Rotterdam was spectacular.
At 0830 hrs. June 23rd. we disembarked the Rotterdam at Harwich, Eng. and took
a two and one half hour bus trip to London Heathrow Airport ($55 U.S.).
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. In NetLetter we introduced the new web site for the Canadian Maple Wings, this
information is from the web site -
During the seventies, many former TCA Stewardesses frequently met for lunch
or dinner to renew friendships and reminisce. From these gatherings the idea of
forming an association of former flight attendants emerged.
Committees were formed and after a year of hard work, plans were completed
for a reunion to be held May 1980. Approximately 1000 invitations were mailed
out. Replies were received from more than 700 former Trans-Canada Air Lines
Stewardesses eager to come to Toronto for a Weekend Layover Reunion.
Thanks to Gretchen Aird, who had the courage to go forward with her dream,
along with her dedicated committees, this gathering was a huge success and
resulted in the birth of Canadian Maple Wings Association.
The purpose of the CMWA is
to unite in one body all Chapters and Members;
to promote the friendship of its members; to inculcate in them a high sense of
loyalty to each other,
to unite them in civic, charitable, cultural and social fellowship.
Its policy shall be cooperate as a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-partisan
organization with its object the voluntary aiding of medical research and/or
charitable causes and individual charitable causes.
The more than 500 members of CMWA now include both retired and active
flight attendants from TCA/Air Canada and also Stewardesses from the first
classes of Trans-Canada Air Lines in 1938 and 1939.
We have members who reside not only in Canada, but also in the USA, Bermuda,
England, South Africa and Costa Rica.
Chapters must meet at least three times a year and the Annual General Meeting,
held in the Spring.
The Association issues three newsletters a year and publishes a
membership directory every two or three years.
Over the past 20 years, funds donated to worthy causes throughout Canada by
Members-at-large, Chapters and the National organization have exceeded
$200,000. Funds donated by the National organization are given to the
Dreams Take Flight project.
The CMW now has an Internet presence at
www.acfamily.net/maplewings
More information can be sought from Karen Panzer, Vice-President, CMW
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. Terry's travel tips.
*Air Canada’s Passenger load factor: 86% for the week of June 26-July 2:
Air Canada inaugurated a Toronto-Amsterdam flight July 3rd. From Amsterdam's
Schiphol International Airport there is a direct rail link to the central train station.
The service runs every 10-15 minutes and takes 1/2 hour.
If you use this service, make sure you purchase your tickets prior to boarding, as
the rather ruthless conductor will impose a fine.
Interlining Plus formerly Canadian Interline Travel has these deals -
CARIBBEAN Hot Deals! Available from July 6 to July 9, 2000 Only!
Aboard the ms Zaandam 7 day, Eastern Caribbean
Inside from $260 us Ocean from $360 us
departs July 8, 15, September 9 & 23, 2000
7 day Western Caribbean
departs September 2, 16, and 30th, 2000
7 day, Eastern Caribbean
Inside from $360 us Ocean from $460 us departs July 29, 2000
Aboard the Grandeur of the Seas - eastern Caribbean 7 night
Inside from $360 us Ocean from $460 us departs July 22 & 29, 2000
Miami, At Sea, Labadee (Hispaniola), San Juan (Puerto Rico), St.Thomas
(USVI), At Sea, CocoCay (Bahamas), Miami
BAHAMAS
Aboard the Fantasy 3 nights Inside from $235 us Ocean from $255 us
departs during July & August
Port Canaveral, Nassau, Fun Day at Sea, Port Canaveral
*prices vary with departure dates
CALL FOR DETAILS 1-800-665-3100
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. Smilies - found by your co-pilot.
You know your vacation is ruined when -
you are bumped from a flight with open seats!
Your resort advertises 'Perched atop a magnificent landform from which you
can view the natural erosion processes of the ocean'
Your backup resort ' At the Oceanview Hotel we are proud to feature a
telescope on every balcony'.
Also in the area another hotel states 'Dine by the romantic light of the
flare-o flare-offs from the local refineries'.
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. DID YOU KNOW?
That you can read or retrieve back issues of "theNetLetter" ?
Just visit our web site at:
http://www.acfamily.net/netletter
and click on the "Archives" button.
This area is only open to "the NetLetter" subscribers and you will
need the following password to enter -
User Name: netletter Password: vesta
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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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