Matthew: All kidding aside, I'd love too. But my skills in this aren't quite up there, yet. Still, you've laid out a good outline and in reality, it reads more like an exciting tongue and cheek novel! Mike --- Matthew Montano <mmontano@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > In reference to the 'summer of 99', I think the > press did a fair job at > the time. It led the business news when something > happened. > > But if you wanted to dive into the story, you'd have > to piece together > Globe and Mail articles over six months. As a > business story, a > Canadian business story, it definitely warrants a > further dive, and a > post-mortem. > > The cast of characters was wonderful: > - Gerry Schwartz - the 'player' > - Robert Milton (american, ceo for 2 weeks) > - American Airline's executive > - Canadian Airlines executive > - The Quebec Courts > - The numerous banks > - The role of Lufthansa and United > - The deal, the counter deal, the counter-counter > deal, the court > decision > - David Collenette (minister of transport at the > time) > > .. and how Air Canada was bidding for parts of > Canadian prior to the > summer, and ended up saddled with an airline they > didn't want, billions > in debt, huge employee liabilities, a monopoly they > couldn't exploit > and grouchy customers AND staff. All within eight > months. > > Any one want to write it? > > Matthew > > > On Feb 10, 2004, at 8:36 AM, Michael A. Burris > wrote: > > > Matthew: > > > > I wrote a little on this subject in the May issue > of > > Airline Review Magazine. (The magazine publisher > sold > > the publication to some NY investment house) The > > article was a profile of Air Canada's aircraft and > its > > history. But what I wrote, was basically what the > > press had covered over the years. > > > > What had you heard? > > > > Mike Burris > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- Matthew Montano <mmontano@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> Air Canada's answer: 'Zip' > >> > >> Recognizing that customers expectations have been > >> slightly lessoned by > >> Westjet, AC has simply downgraded their service > >> offering, lowered some > >> operating costs and still charge similar fares. > >> > >> Who did they invite to the roll-out of the new > 'Zip' > >> planes and > >> service? AC's premier frequent fliers; Super > Elites. > >> Needless to say AC > >> got an earful. > >> > >> Canadian Airlines had a reasonable 'base' in > >> Calgary. Not truly a hub, > >> but a reasonable presence, and a maintenance > >> facility for their smaller > >> and commuter jets. It's rather diminished at the > >> moment. Calgary is a > >> busy place with 15 odd flights to Edmonton and > >> Vancouver every day, and > >> maybe 8 or nine to Toronto, and the collection of > >> Dash-8s and 146s > >> feeding from all over the area. > >> > >> ... I'm still hoping that someone is going to > write > >> what REALLY > >> happened behind the scenes in the summer of 1999 > >> with Onex, American > >> Airlines, Canadian Airlines, Air Canada, > >> Lufthansa/United and the > >> battle for Canada's skies. > >> > >> Matthew > >> > >> > >> On Feb 10, 2004, at 7:31 AM, Michael A. Burris > >> wrote: > >> > >>> BAHADIR / AIRLINE: > >>> > >>> Hey Bahadir! Thanks for the photo, although it > is > >> of a > >>> sad occasion. > >>> > >>> I am wondering what news (airwise) is coming out > >> of > >>> Calgary, Alberta? What's Air Canada doing to > >> combat > >>> Westjet, which I think, is based there? Did AC > >> have a > >>> major maintenance facility there at one time? > >>> > >>> Mike Burris > >>> Cambridge, Mass USA > >>> > >>> 'Always a fan of those in the know.' > >>> > >>> 'Also a fan of Air Canada when so many people > >> doubt > >>> they'll be around in the future, due to the lack > >> of > >>> cold hard cash!' > >>> > >>> > __________________________________________________ > >>> Do you Yahoo!? > >>> New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! > >>> http://sbc.yahoo.com > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do you Yahoo!? > > New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! > > http://sbc.yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com