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( For retirees of the new Air Canada family)
Number 590 May 30th, 2001, We first Published in October 1995
Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson - Co-pilot - Terry Baker
To get in touch with either editor/pilot our email address is
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. Need to know!
When the Canadian Airlines (CP) code is removed from the system on June 2,
nothing will change in business or personal travel priorities.
Former unionized Canadian Airlines employees will retain a CP CHIP record, which
indicates the correct priorities to be used.
All CP operated flight numbers will remain in the 3000 series and former active
Canadian Airlines employees/retirees retain a higher boarding priority on these flights.
Upon presentation of an employee ID/travel card, active and retired Air Canada and
Air Canada Regional Inc. employees/retirees can take advantage of a 50 per cent discount
on daily parking fees at Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport
(Note, boarding passes are not considered id cards! - eds)
Cost of duty free cigarettes on board Air Canada flights will be increased by
c$10.00 per carton effective June 1st. This is part of the new strategy on
tobacco products by Health Canada in conjunction with Dept. of Finance.
A carton will cost c$33.00
Another great Family Affair sell-off Abbotsford-Calgary.
Eligible family members can take advantage of yet another terrific Family Affair
sell-off. The special $99 CA fare is in effect between June 29-July 20.
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. May Day!
From: Walter W. Jacykt
Subject: Re Japan
Greetings,
I'm considering Osaka and Kyoto, Japan for my next trip, possibly in Oct. this year.
Could (anyone) please help me get some info regarding reasonable
accommodations and any other useful tips.
So far, I have never heard anyone describe their experiences in that part of the world.
Thank You, Walter W. Jacyk
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. Travels by your co-pilot -
Our group consisted of my wife and myself from Vancouver Island, together with
12 Pionairs, spouses and friends from the U.K. as a result of discussions we had
during the annual UK Pionairs trek last year in Niagara, Ont. when we decided
to take the Alaska cruise.
The group consisted of
Edie and Tony Etheridge, Irene & Bill Alderson, Ann & Alan Washington,
Gerry & Val Lyons, Victoria & John Burton and their friends Bernice William and
Iris Stainer. Hosts! Dawn and Terry Baker.
We planned to meet up on Sunday 13th May at the Vancouver Airport Quality Inn,
Dargal had sent me all the necessary documentation, including the tickets,
so it was essential everyone made it on time - it was with some trepidation
that I booked in at the hotel and found, to my relief, that all had made it on time.
That evening, the 10 of us blithely turned up at a Greek restaurant for supper,
forgetting it was Mother's Day but, fortunately, a table for all of us together became
available within 15 minutes.
On Monday the 14th, due to the transportation strike in Vancouver, we arranged
for the hotel to use their own shuttle bus to take us all down to Ballantine Pier,
where the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel RMS Norwegian Wind eagerly
awaited us!
(No this was not the vessel which did a sharp right hand turn later that
week - same line tho'.)
The weather for our departure can only be politely described as bloody
terrible with curtains of rain obscuring the downtown skyline, just to make the
visitors from the UK feel at home - so we ate instead.
The weather for the whole trip was not the best, dull and overcast mostly,
but there were some bright spots.
To help disperse the huge intake of food, many of the group took to walking
around the deck each morning, 3 1/2 times was a mile, for which one got a
credit towards a T shirt on the final day.
We saw some wild life, a brown bear, whales, dolphins, eagles, seals and
mountain sheep.
Personally, we did not take any side trips as this was our second Alaska cruise,
and we noticed that the prices had increased considerably. However, the more
adventurous of the group took a seaplane flight at Juneau, the White Pass Train
out of Skagway and the Jetboat trip out of Ketchikan.
Cruising the Glacier Bay was just spectacular, the vessel was about 50 to 75 yards
away from the Glacier and we witnessed half a dozen ice floes breaking away
accompanied with the bang of cracking ice.
A couple of courtesy bottles of champagne helped to pass the time between
meals for several of the group.
Our final day arrived all too soon, and, after disembarkation at Vancouver, my wife
and I made a hurried drive to the ferry to avoid the wait - it was Queen Victoria's
birthday and a public holiday, while those from the UK made their way,
with increased luggage weight, to the airport and were fortunate in plussing back
home on the first available flight, but not before we all solemnly agreed that
"We must do another cruise......sometime!".
We meet up again in Atlanta for the UK Pionairs annual trek, this time to
Tennessee and the Smokey Mountains in October.
(Note: The airline rate at the Quality Inn is c$49.00 plus tax. Free shuttle to/from
the airport. Vehicles can be left, free, in the secured underground parking
for one week for each overnight stay.
The shuttle to Ballantine docks was charged at c$11.00 per person.
The taxi fare from Ballantine to the hotel was c$21.00 for 4 persons!)
(I will be happy to pass any info re cost of side trips to anyone interested,
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. Vesta sends this internet tip from our flight deck -
Stolen identity - it is becoming more prevalent.
Some of you may have taken to forwarding email posts or other interesting
write-ups to others or you have received such forwarded items. Often these
forwarded email contain a whole list of email addresses of current and
previous recipients. This is spammers and stalkers delight. You do not know
all of these people or what they will do with your email address and your
Internet identity. It can be pretty scary what can happen. At the very least
you can received unsolicited e-mails from individuals who received a copy of
the forwarded email. Although more annoying than serious, it could become
worse. What should you do?
If you are going to Forward an email:
1. Before sending, REMOVE all email addresses that were forwarded or sent to
you on the message. Use the delete key, or the editing functions on your
email program after you hit the Forward button.
2. DO NOT use the TO field to send the mail on. USE the BCC field. This
means "Blind Carbon Copy". It will list only the name of each individual
receiver on the email. NOBODY ELSE's email address will be shown. TO USE
BCC: Simply click BCC instead of TO. It works just the same. If you add
names from your address book, just add them to the BCC field instead of the
TO field.
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. Terry's travel tips.
Before you go:
- Pay any bills which will be due while you are away.
- Reconfirm hotel/car reservations. Preferably print a copy of your confirmation
and carry with you.
- Arrange for someone to check your house and water the plants.
- Stop newspapers.
- Ensure your travel documentation is in order, and you have required entry visa.
Travel tips.
- Affix labels to the inside of your luggage, incase your luggage tags get torn off.
- Photocopy the appropriate page of your passport, list credit cards numbers,
travellers cheques numbers, drivers license, travel itinerary and give a copy
to a trusted neighbour in a sealed envelope.
- Leave your valuables at home (travel companion excluded!)
- Carry copy of receipts for cameras, etc you are taking with you for Customs
should they need to see them.
- Pack a folded canvas bag for those 'extras' you purchase.
- Carry photocopy of prescription medicaions you are taking. Some countries
will not allow you to bring in any kind of drug without proper documentation.
- Carry necessary medications, travel documentation, fragile items and money
in your carry-on luggage.
- Check exchange rates between banks and exchange services for better rates.
Some exchange services will waive charges if you identify yourself as airline,
(ie LHR European Terminal) or some banks will waive charges if you carry their
credit/debit card.
Check list of tiems to remember -
- Address book, telephone calling card, alarm clock, camera, film, flashlight,
required medications, sunscreen SPF15 or higher.
Avoiding jet lag -
- Before you depart, go to bed earlier than usual for a few nights.
- Eat lightly the night before your departure.
- In flight eat lightly. Take a nap. Avoid alcohol, carbonated drink and caffeine,
drink lots of water. Wear comfortable clothes. Move around cabin if able.
World Airlines Clubs Association trips -
Hosted by the Sweden Interline Club July 18th - 23rd - Nordic Adventure.
5 nights accommodations, 5 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 5 dinners, welcome cocktail.
2 sightseeing trips with guides, entrance fees bus ride STO - OSL.
All this for SEK4,600 + us$10 WACA fee
DEADLINE is June 5th.
Reservations contact Kenth Sandberg phone +46-8-722 04 56
Mia Johannson phone +46-8-791 82 81
Jack Morath from LHR advises us that, those of you visiting the UK and transferring to
Gatwick can travel on the Gatwick Express service from Victoria Station cost is
gbp9.00 for airline staff with ID - not a previous boarding pass!
Train runs every 15 minutes during the day, and hourly at night. Time is 30 minutes.
Tickets can be purchased on the train.
The British Airways London Eye is open from 09:00 to 22:00 during the summer months.
cost is gbp7.45 per person. There are 32 fully enclosed pods each carrying up to
25 people.
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. Smilie.
From the B.A. flight deck -
"Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you on the left-hand side of the aircraft, you'll get
a wonderful view of Windsor Castle. For those of you on the right-hand side of the
aircraft, you'll get a wonderful view of the people on the left-hand side of the aircraft
getting a view of Windsor Castle."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be dimming the cabin lights for take-off to enhance
the beauty of your cabin crew."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to thank you for flying Air Canada flight 999,
We hope you enjoyed your flight. If you did not, this has been Canada 3000 flight 002.
Thank you and have a good evening."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have everyone on board, and the doors are closed. If you
would like to move to someone more attractive, you may do so at this time, and we
will be moving when everyone is settled."
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. DID YOU KNOW?
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http://www.acfamily.org/netletter
and click on the "Archives" button.
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