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An embarrassing experience - by your NetLetter co-pilot -
In early 1976 under a C.I.D.A. agreement with CANAC, I was seconded to Antigua to run the computer section for the local airline L.I.A.T. (1974). I would return home once a month for a weekend.....
As I had my clothes in Antigua, I travelled with only a briefcase and, several times going through customs, the officer would ask me how long I had been away and I would answer "Four weeks". The officer would then inform me that my luggage would be on the carousel. The officer would be quite taken aback when I informed him that "I travel light". A more detailed explanation would satisfy the officer.
My final trip to Antigua, to wrap up my tenure, was August 1976. This time I was unable to get the flight from Mirabel, as on previous occasions, and had to route through YYZ by AC then planned BWIA to Antigua. I was advised by Jim Pearce, our office manager at C&SS Dorval, that my ticket would be waiting at BWIA check-in desk at Toronto.
Well, as invariably happens, the ticket was not available at the check-in desk, so I made a quick phone call to Jim Pearce from a public call box (phone booth) - no cell phones those days - and Jim promised to get the situation rectified.
I proceeded to the BWIA check-in desk again BUT, I had left my closed briefcase unlocked and when I grabbed the case off the shelf and swung it down the contents spilled out and spread all over the terminal concourse, which included some small gifts for the people working for me at LIAT, such as small perfume samples and various other Air Canada "giveaways" supplied to me by Jack Mahoney our branch V.P. Several of the items were wicked looking letter openers.
I scrambled among the passengers' legs retrieving all the articles and stuffed them back into my briefcase. I then faced the BWIA check-in attendant, who, with a smirk on her face, handed me my ticket and a first class boarding pass.
In these days of heightened security, I am sure the letter openers would be confiscated and probably me too!
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"Oscar" is a truck with full test instrumentation and radio for communication with the control tower. It is fitted with tie-down chains and hydraulically operated steadying feet. The great virtue of this unit is that it can be driven to the far corners of the airport, where noise can bring no complaints, and it can always be headed into wind. (Source flightglobal.co.uk/1952-1513) |
| Interline travels - Grande Festa 2019 hosted by Interline Club of Portugal. When: October 02 - 05, 2019. Where: Lamego and Douro Vinhateiro. Cost: 424.00 € per person on a DBLB room basis occupancy 92.00 € supplement for SGLB room. Deadline: September 10, 2019. Passarola Golf Cup Tournament, and Passarola Tennis Cup Tournament. Venue: Vilamoura (Algarve). Departs from, and concludes in, Lisbon. October 14 - 18, 2019. More information on this trip at www.waca.org |
| The Interline Club of Israel is pleased to invite all Interline club members to visit Israel in winter time. Sunny Winter Interline Event in the Holy Land. When: December 4 - 11, 2019. Venue: departs from, concludes in, Tel Aviv Cost: Per person in a double/twin room: US$1159.00 Single Supplement: US$590.00 Extra night in twin/double per person: US$105.00, Single Room US$188 HB basis. WACA fee per person: US$20.00 Deadline: November 05, 2019. More information on this trip at www.waca.org |
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In February 1942, a Transport Lancaster established a record for a non-stop westbound flight from Prestwick to Montreal. The pilot being Captain R. M. Smith of T.C.A. and the navigator F/O H. Thomas. The elapsed time was 12 hours and 59 minutes. |
 Extracted from "Horizons" magazine |
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Issue dated April 1986. To reinforce its image as the best carrier to Canada, Air Canada, at London, England, held a series of western style evenings for travel agents. The evenings took the theme of one of Britain's most popular television shows, 'The Late Breakfast Show', and featured an audio visual presentation of Air Canada's services, a cabaret with singer Rosemary Squires and comedian Chris Lloyd, a Canadian style ranch breakfast and a chuckwagon complete with horse. The 'breakfast' was served in style by volunteers from Air Canada's reservations staff and passenger agents. They are pictured on board the chuckwagon.
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Issue May 1986. Air Canada gained a new partner in Eastern Canada with the acquisition of 49 per cent of the shares of Halifax-based Air Nova. |
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Winners in the System Photography Show 1986 are shown below. From the left: front row: John Sanderson; Gerry Philbrook, Manager, Industry Travel and Employee Services, Montreal, who presented the awards; Peter Symes and Roelof Pasveer. |
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Issue June 1986. New York route is 45 years old. On May 10, while crowds in Vancouver gathered to greet the arrival of CF-TCC after its cross-country journey, employees in New York were celebrating the 45th anniversary of the arrival of another Lockheed, CF-TCW. The 14-seat Lodestar arrived from Toronto, making Trans-Canada Air Lines the first foreign carrier with scheduled service into LaGuardia Airport. In the photograph below, Customer Service Agents and Supervisors in the U.S. reservations sales office joined Michael De Wilde in a cake cutting ceremony. Standing, from the left, are: George Maclean, Georgia Cronin, Michelle Gowey, Lorraine McNicholls, Ed Frazier, Grace Brucato, De Wilde, Bruce Deitsch, Jeffrey Pack, Jill Wright, Charlene Carr (behind Jill), Flo Olenick, Vincent Chiarello and Gene Schadel. Kneeling are Kevin Boughton, left, and Tony Ruane. |
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Ninth Annual General Meeting of the Pionairs took place on May 8 - 11, 1986 at the Red Lion Inn, Bellevue, Washington. Some 600 + retirees and spouses were in attendance. Returning to office by acclamation President Frank Dunlop; Vice Presidents Jack Somerset and Blake Austin; Secretary Gene Brown and Treasurer Roy White. It had been decided, after careful consideration that the Pionairs will return to Anaheim for the 1987 AGM, the dates being May 21-24 inclusive. The announcement was greeted with applause. |
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Issue dated September 2012 (Used with permission).
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Issue December 1986. In November 1986, Air Canada acquired 100% ownership of Air BC. Also, in the same month, Air Canada became the country's first airline to offer advance boarding passes when it launched a type-trial program at selected ticket offices, travel agents and commercial accounts. |
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Issue February 2013. (Used with permission)
The team also won the Precision Forklift Driving competition and was second runner-up in the pallet buildup competition. The Vancouver-based team consisted of Station Attendants Zenabe “George” Gushish, Callum “Gump” McDonald, Warren Reimer and Lead Station Attendant Mike Waller. This was the first time Air Canada Cargo entered a team in the competition. “The four team members have been working together in Vancouver Cargo for over 10 years. I chose them based on their expert skills, excellent performance over the years and their team-work skills,” says Tony Newton, Manager Cargo Services at YVR. The forklift competition focused on safety awareness and technical handling of cargo. Drivers were required to collect cargo items and maneuver a congested course. For pallet-building, teams had to build a contoured lower-deck winged pallet following strict rules. Scores were based on build time, build quality and load distribution. The teams with the lowest number of penalties won. The judges were from Carrier Liaison Group (CLG), Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics, Nordisk Aviation Products and The Occupational Safety and Health Council. In our photo above we have left to right: Warren Reimer, Mike Walker, Callum "Gump" McDonald and Zenabe "George" Gushish. |
| Issue March 2013. (Used with permission)
On February 12, we announced the expansion of our existing North American fare guarantee to cover our entire global network. The guarantee helps us to attract customers to our website where all our products and ancillary options are clearly displayed, and reduces the associated distribution costs of other channels. |
Star Alliance announced on June 2, 2019 plans for THAI Smile Airways is to become the next Connecting Partner in its global network.
(Source: worldairlinesnews.com)