My ideas in ONE phrase on the Air Canada flight attendant strike and authorities involvement: “WOW!”

As you could have seen, I’ve not posted shortly, or very sporadically previously 12 months. I really had no thought after I was going to submit once more. However after I learn that the federal government of Canada determined to step in, it impressed me to put in writing one thing up. That is going to a be lengthy winded submit, so I’m going to interrupt this up into totally different sections as a way to leap to the related one as an alternative:

• Abstract of the scenario
• Opinion / ideas on the scenario
• Concepts in case you are caught in limbo (i.e. if you should rebook your flight)
• In case you are stranded on the airport or resort… (learn this)
• Instructed options

In the event you can’t sleep tonight resulting from your difficult scenario, that is my means of staying up with you. You have got one thing to learn and be at liberty to share your ideas and expertise with us within the remark part under!

Abstract of the scenario

In the event you haven’t heard, as of midnight at the moment, August 16, Air Canada flight attendants have the authorized proper to go on strike, which they did. Many flights have been cancelled. The truth that not each single flight was cancelled triggered lots of confusion and passengers have been left to scramble. Quick ahead to the center of the day, the Authorities of Canada determined to invoke Part 107 of the Canada Labour Code to ship flight attendants again to work. Nevertheless, simply because they’re pressured again to work, doesn’t imply enterprise as common instantaneously. There will likely be some transition time, so passengers proceed to scramble.

Though I gave a quick abstract of the scenario, the fact is that each minute and even each hour that goes by, the scenario is continually altering. So by the point you learn my ideas under, we’re already behind the information. However right here goes!

Opinion / ideas on the scenario

To begin with, I’m not positive I’m able to choose a facet. There are such a lot of components at play. My ideas on the scenario will bounce backwards and forwards between the 2 sides. The very first thing I wish to point out, which I’ll regularly refer again to on this submit, is that as a result of Air Canada is a publically traded firm (i.e. on the inventory trade), it’s usually a drawback for workers. When an organization has to reply to shareholders and must publish their financially for the world to see, staff usually get the quick finish of the stick. Due to this fact, I feel that Porter Airways stands to achieve essentially the most from this fiasco and hopefully it is a lesson discovered that they by no means go public (i.e. be traded on a inventory trade). Extra on this later.

The explanation why I imagine that staff are at a drawback is as a result of being on the inventory trade is principally a battle of curiosity in relation to equity to staff. Firms must squeeze each penny out of bills to maximise earnings. That being stated, there are lots of totally different theories on how you can make revenue.

For instance, I actually imagine that comfortable staff can result in a extra worthwhile enterprise mannequin, as a result of staff who really care about their job will hopefully do a greater job. On this case, if flight attendants are paid extra pretty, they might most likely supply a greater stage of customer support, which normally ends in greater buyer satisfaction, which ought to enhance the underside line. However why can’t the executives of Air Canada see this?

The CEO of Air Canada is getting lots of flake for incomes hundreds of thousands. How about sharing a few of that with the staff as an alternative? Right here is my sadly tackle the C-level govt compensation. The issue is that their compensation is definitely publish for the world to see. Which suggests, shareholders are taking a look at it very fastidiously. The inventory market can be very emotionally pushed, which implies if the executives are incomes a excessive compensation, it offers the shareholders extra confidence. Think about if the executives needed to reduce their compensation resulting from monetary troubles? The inventory would tank. Therein lies the battle of curiosity with its staff…

Again to my ideas on Porter Airways, I actually hope that they by no means commerce publicly. They’ve a possibility proper now to take over an enormous market share. They’ve a possibility to deal with their staff properly. They usually don’t must pay large salaries and bonuses to their executives to make the corporate “look good”. They actually simply must do their job and supply an amazing product, with comfortable staff, and they are going to be handed purchasers on a silver platter at this level. To a lesser extent, this could profit different Canadian airways too, if they will seize a few of the market share.

On a facet word, WestJet has had its share of issues in latest months and years, however this actually is a golden alternative to get their issues collectively quick, to allow them to additionally take a share of the pie. For them as properly, hopefully we don’t see them go on the inventory trade, that would really be a catastrophe for them after they begin squeezing their staff much more.

Concepts in case you are caught in limbo

These of you who doesn’t need nor want to listen to my ideas. Listed here are some fast concepts on what you are able to do in case you are in a troublesome scenario together with your present Air Canada flight.

• Be proactive. I can’t emphasis this extra. Create choices for your self/yourselves. Don’t wait for somebody to inform you what choices you will have. Begin researching, making calls, journey insurance coverage choices, Air Canada App, and so on.
• For instance, in case you are anticipating Air Canada to rebook you, analysis choices your self as properly so you will have one thing to current to them to hurry issues up. Don’t wait on an Air Canada agent to do the analysis for you.
• Get on the telephone, together with your journey agent, with Air Canada, with whoever you’re feeling you should collect data and create choices.
• Journey insurance coverage has been a tough one as most firms don’t cowl strike. However there is likely to be one other clause in there that may cowl at the very least a part of your scenario. It won’t cowl all the pieces, however take no matter you may get. Principally, don’t spend an excessive amount of time on what shouldn’t be lined, and give attention to studying the effective print to see what IS lined, so hopefully you may get one thing from there.
• The Air Canada App has choices. Lots of people are saying that when you cancel your flight and get a full refund from Air Canada, you’ll have no recourse from them anymore. In some circumstances, it would make sense to simply do it and have the peace of thoughts. For instance, when you have a visit that’s not really vital, and you may get a full refund and no out of pocket, sooner or later, you would possibly as properly simply take it and web zero. This solely applies to individuals who shouldn’t have to make various preparations.
• You probably have no alternative however to fly, then you definitely higher begin working at creating choices, and pushing each recourse you probably have.
• Bear in mind, Air Canada is a publically traded firm, so they’re doing all the pieces of their energy to keep away from extra compensation. They are going to imagine that their finest supply is a full refund and nothing extra. So you’ll have to flight for each penny greater than that. And even when your flight was at the moment, the struggle for compensation can go on for weeks and even months after this has blown over. Air Canada will drag their toes until you surrender.
• I’m undecided how a lot the staff on the telephone and on the gate can really supply in that second. They could verbally give you one thing, not put in writing, after which you need to go chase after it afterward. Their hope is that you’ll let it go as they attempt to drag out extra compensation indefinitely.

Personally, if I can get out of this web zero, as in, I surrender my journey solely, get my full refund whereby I’ve no out of pocket, I will likely be fairly comfortable about it. Peace of thoughts is price loads to me, so I’d really depart one thing on the desk. But when I completely must fly, then I’d attempt to struggle for compensation. However I additionally know that it’s not going to be a simple struggle and would must be very proactive. So be able to be affected person if that’s the route you’re taking.

My subsequent journey with Air Canada is a few months away. I hope that this doesn’t drag out this far. If it does, perhaps you will notice one other submit from me!

In case you are stranded, on the airport or resort…

This part was going to be a bit extra enjoyable. However let’s get the intense half lined first.

That is for these of you caught at your resort or higher but, have a household or good friend you can stick with. In case you are hesitating to move to the airport and have choices, then I recommend you keep put if doable and let issues blow over. I perceive that staying put would require the monetary and time flexibility, so this solely applies when you afford to do it. Staying away from the airport is a courtesy you can give to different passengers who must fly extra urgently. It offers them extra choices to work with.

Have a look at this on the intense facet. Deal with this like an prolonged trip. On this case, attempt to take the peace of thoughts choices if you may get a full refund (see above part: Concepts in case you are caught in limbo). In the event you can wait it out, you would possibly even have the ability to discover a cheaper flight (with a unique airline) afterward. This might require lots of flexibility.

You probably have no alternative however must fly out of urgency, the reality is, you might be higher off on the airport making an attempt to create choices for your self. The brokers on the airport have extra discretionary powers than the brokers over the telephone. To not point out having the ability to discuss to different airways in individual if you should fly with a unique airline. It’s simply simpler to create choices if you find yourself on the airport together with your baggage. There’s clearly a threat to this feature as you is likely to be stranded on the airport, so this is applicable for individuals who must journey urgently. In any other case, higher to remain again and wait it out a bit.

Again to my enjoyable ideas on this part. These are occasions when having lounge entry is finest. Hopefully lounges are extra lenient on letting you in earlier as a way to chill out a bit. Use the lounge brokers that will help you create choices as properly (as talked about within the part: Concepts in case you are caught in limbo). Kick your toes up, learn posts from boards and bloggers, write a remark under, eat some meals and get some work executed!

Instructed options

In the event you ask me, my easy resolution can be for Air Canada delist from the inventory trade and go non-public. That will take away a lot of the battle of curiosity that exists. Since that is most likely not a practical possibility, listed here are my reasonable ideas.

On the one hand, I do imagine that Air Canada flight attendants are underpaid for his or her work. Then again, Air Canada has shareholders to reply to, so there’s solely a lot give and take that’s going to occur.

So right here is my recommended compromise. I feel that flight attendants ought to be paid hourly, primarily based on after they embark and disembark the aircraft. The time on the airport sadly goes to be the compromise time. My thought is that their foremost work begins after they board the aircraft, i.e. exhibiting as much as their office. For positive there’s time exterior the aircraft the place they must do some minor issues, however that’s sadly their contribution to the shareholders for being a publically traded firm. By way of their hourly wage, that is going to be a harder promote (to shareholders) on how a lot to extend the speed. My hope is that them being compensated after they board the aircraft, it would enhance their compensation general, and if the flight is delayed, they might be paid for that delay. Nevertheless, as a compromise, there’s solely a restricted quantity of proportion enhance on the hourly price that may be negotiated.

Both means, hopefully they ultimately come to an settlement. The truth is, as a result of they’re publically traded, their is barely a lot negotiating energy they’ve. So I actually do want they might get delisted from the inventory trade in order that they will run a greater airline privately.