WestJet pilots petition against security fee Last Updated Thu Jan 24 09:02:46 2002 CALGARY - Some pilots of a national airline say they're opposed to the new $24 security air fare charge, something travel and tourism groups have already denounced as a tax grab. Finance Minister Paul Martin introduced the Air Travellers Security charge in his December budget. The government says it will help pay for increased security at airports. Travel and tourism groups disagree, insisting it will hurt their industry, already feeling the negative effects of the recession. Randy Williams, president of the Association of Canadian Travel Agents, says there should be no charge at all. "When the government starts to implement user fees for police work or security work, they've crossed the line as far as what user fees should implemented for," said Williams. Now some pilots and other employees of WestJet are offering their support. Flight attendants have started asking passengers if they want to sign a petition against the charge. WestJet pilots initiated the action, with the blessing of company president Clive Beddoe. Beddoe believes the fee will hurt his business. "It'll have a significant impact on what we call the super short-haul flights, that's the Calgary-Edmonton, Kelowna-Vancouver flights, the market where people can drive, and where the alternative is the car," said Beddoe. In their petition, WestJet pilots point out that a $12 security charge on top of a $57 flight from Calgary to Edmonton is a huge jump in price, compared to a more expensive trip from one coast to the other. The federal government has said it will review the charge, once new security equipment is paid for, in about five years. Written by CBC News Online staff The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com ICQ: ICQ # 15836110 ICQ Pager: mailto:15836110@pager.icq.com escape email #!1 mailto:ejames@escape.ca yahoo email #2: mailto:triniroj@yahoo.com Yahoo Pager: triniroj Caribbean Brass & Soca Connection Group on Yahoo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caribsocabrass Caribbean Brass & Soca Connection Club Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeansocabrassconnection/ ******************************************************* Steel Expressions Orch http://www.escape.ca/~ejames/se/ email #1: mailto:steelexpressions@yahoo.com email #2: mailto:steelexpressions@home.com ******************************************************* The Trinbago Site of the Week: (Revellers Mas Band) http://www.revellers.com/ (Trini Revellers Mas Band) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://195.224.187.36/ *********************************************************