My ideas in ONE phrase on the Air Canada flight attendant strike and authorities involvement: “WOW!”
As you might have observed, I’ve not posted shortly, or very sporadically previously 12 months. I really had no concept once I was going to publish once more. However once I learn that the federal government of Canada determined to step in, it impressed me to jot down one thing up. That is going to a be lengthy winded publish, so I’m going to interrupt this up into totally different sections as a way to leap to the related one as a substitute:
- Abstract of the state of affairs
- Opinion / ideas on the state of affairs
- Concepts in case you are caught in limbo (i.e. if it’s essential to rebook your flight)
- In case you are stranded on the airport or resort… (learn this)
- Steered options
If you happen to can not sleep tonight resulting from your difficult state of affairs, that is my means of staying up with you. You might have one thing to learn and be at liberty to share your ideas and expertise with us within the remark part beneath!
Abstract of the state of affairs
If you happen to haven’t heard, as of midnight immediately, 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 induced a variety 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. Nonetheless, simply because they’re pressured again to work, doesn’t imply enterprise as standard instantaneously. There will probably be some transition time, so passengers proceed to scramble.
Though I gave a quick abstract of the state of affairs, the fact is that each minute and even hour that goes by, the state of affairs is consistently altering. So by the point you learn my ideas beneath, we’re already behind the information. However right here goes!
Opinion / ideas on the state of affairs
To start with, I’m not certain I’m able to decide a aspect. There are such a lot of elements at play. My ideas on the state of affairs will bounce backwards and forwards between the 2 sides. The very first thing I need to point out, which I’ll ceaselessly refer again to on this publish, is that as a result of Air Canada is a publically traded firm (i.e. on the inventory alternate), it’s usually a drawback for workers. When an organization has to reply to shareholders and should publish their financially for the world to see, workers usually get the brief finish of the stick. Due to this fact, I believe that Porter Airways stands to realize essentially the most from this fiasco and hopefully this can be a lesson that they by no means go public (i.e. be traded on a inventory alternate). Extra on this later.
The explanation why I consider that workers are at a drawback is as a result of being on the inventory alternate is principally a battle of curiosity in the case of equity to workers. Firms must squeeze each penny out of bills to maximise income. That being stated, there are numerous totally different theories on make revenue.
For instance, I really consider that blissful workers can result in a extra worthwhile enterprise mannequin, as a result of workers who really care about their job will do a greater job. On this case, if flight attendants are paid extra pretty, they’d most likely provide a greater stage of customer support, which normally leads to larger 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 a variety of flake for taking incomes million. How about sharing a few of that with the staff as a substitute? Right here is my sadly tackle the C stage government compensation. The issue is their compensation is definitely publish for the world to see. Which suggests, shareholders are it very fastidiously. The inventory market can also be very emotionally pushed, which implies if the executives are incomes a excessive compensation, it provides the shareholders extra confidence. Think about if their executives needed to reduce their compensation resulting from monetary troubles? The inventory would tank. Therein lies the battle of curiosity with its workers…
Again to my ideas on Porter Airways, I actually hope that they by no means commerce publicly. They’ve a chance proper now to take over an enormous market share. They’ve a chance to deal with their workers proper. And so they don’t should pay huge salaries and bonuses to their executives to make the corporate “look good”. They actually simply should do their job and provide an amazing product, with blissful workers, and they are going to be handed shoppers on a silver platter at this level. To a lesser extent, this could profit different Canadian airways too, if they’ll seize a number of the market share.
On a aspect 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 alternate, that would really be a catastrophe for them once they begin squeezing their workers 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 below are some fast concepts on what you are able to do in case you are in a troublesome state of affairs along with your present Air Canada flight.
- Be proactive. I can not emphasis this extra. Create choices for your self/yourselves. Don’t wait for somebody to inform you what choices you’ve. Begin researching, making calls, journey insurance coverage choices, Air Canada App, and so forth.
- For instance, in case you are anticipating Air Canada to rebook you, analysis choices your self as properly so you’ve 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 cellphone, along with your journey agent, with Air Canada, with whoever you’re feeling it’s essential to collect data and create choices.
- Journey insurance coverage has been a tough one as most firms don’t cowl strike. However there is perhaps one other clause in there that may cowl no less than a part of your state of affairs. It won’t cowl every little thing, however take no matter you may get. Mainly, don’t spend an excessive amount of time on what will not be coated, and deal with studying the nice print to see what IS coated, so hopefully you may get one thing from there.
- The Air Canada App has choices. Lots of people are saying that should you cancel your flight and get a full refund from Air Canada, you should 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, in case you have a visit that isn’t really needed, 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 should not have to make various preparations.
- You probably have no alternative however to fly, then you definately 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 every little thing of their energy to keep away from further compensation. They may consider that their greatest provide 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 immediately, 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 hand over.
- I’m unsure how a lot the staff on the cellphone and on the gate can really provide in that second. They could verbally give you one thing, not put in writing, after which it’s a must to go chase after it in a while. Their hope is that you’ll let it go as they attempt to drag out further compensation indefinitely.
Personally, if I can get out of this web zero, as in, I hand over my journey completely, get my full refund whereby I’ve no out of pocket, I will probably be fairly blissful about it. Peace of thoughts is value loads to me, so I’d really go away one thing on the desk. But when I completely should fly, then I’d attempt to struggle for compensation. However I additionally know that it’s not going to be a straightforward struggle and would have to be very proactive. So be able to be affected person if that’s the route you take.
My subsequent journey with Air Canada is a few months away. I hope that this doesn’t drag out this far. If it does, possibly you will notice one other publish 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 coated first.
That is for these of you caught at your resort or higher but, have a household or buddy which 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 should you afford to do it. Staying away from the airport is a courtesy which you can give to different passengers who should fly extra urgently. It provides them extra choices to work with.
Have a look at this on the intense aspect. 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). If you happen to can wait it out, you would possibly even be capable to discover a cheaper flight (with a special airline) in a while. This might require a variety of flexibility.
You probably have no alternative however must fly out of urgency, the reality is, you might be higher off on the airport attempting to create choices for your self. The brokers on the airport have extra discretionary powers than the brokers over the cellphone. To not point out having the ability to discuss to different airways in particular person if it’s essential to fly with a special airline. It’s simply simpler to create choices if you find yourself on the airport along with your baggage. There may be clearly a danger to this feature as you is perhaps stranded on the airport, so this is applicable for individuals who should 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 instances when having lounge entry is greatest. Hopefully lounges are extra lenient on letting you in earlier as a way to loosen up 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 beneath, eat some meals and get some work accomplished!
Steered options
If you happen to ask me, my easy answer can be for Air Canada delist from the inventory alternate and go non-public. That may take away a lot of the battle of curiosity that exists. Since that is most likely not a sensible possibility, listed here are my life like ideas.
On the one hand, I do consider that Air Canada flight attendants are underpaid for his or her work. Then again, Air Canada has shareholders to reply to, so there may be solely a lot give and take that’s going to occur.
So right here is my instructed compromise. I believe that flight attendants ought to be paid hourly, based mostly on once they embark and disembark the airplane. The time on the airport sadly goes to be the compromise time. My thought is that their principal work begins once they board the airplane, i.e. displaying as much as their office. For certain there may be time exterior the airplane the place they should 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 once they board the airplane, it’ll enhance their compensation total, and if the flight is delayed, they’d be paid for that delay. Nonetheless, as a compromise, there may be 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 just a lot negotiating energy they’ve. So I actually do want they’d get delisted from the inventory alternate in order that they’ll run a greater airline privately.
