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Astraeus airlines, flights to the United Kingdom
Air Canada: Canada's Spoiled and Greedy Airline
By Myles Higgins
Monday, February 26, 2007
This past week the airport authority at St. John's international airport in Newfoundland officially announced that Astraeus airlines will be serving the province with regularly scheduled flights to Gatwick England year round. Earlier this year Air Canada cancelled its daily flights between Newfoundland and England in an attempt to appease Halifax bound passengers who were displeased with the need to pass through customs in the most eastern province.
Although the route was profitable for Air Canada, in spite of many public displays of anger and even after local business leaders, government and concerned groups explained the financial and personal impacts of such a move, Canada's major airline refused to maintain the flights, a connection that predated Confederation and even Air Canada itself.
The impact was not only felt by passengers regularly using the route but by local business as well, including the local oil industry. In an industry where any delay can cost millions of dollars, a quick turnaround on the shipment of parts and custom materials is essential. With a flight time of approximately six hours, the non-stop flight now in place makes the UK easily accessible once again.
St. John's Mayor Andy Wells noted that the arrival of Astraeus was a great thing, however he cautioned the public to make sure they choose the new airline whenever travelling to the UK. This comment was likely in response to the fact that Air Canada itself has decided to offer a limited number of flights to the UK during the off season and more regular flights in the summer months, likely in an effort to undercut Astraeus business.
It appears that Canada's airline is caught in a bit of a conundrum. It doesn't really want the business on the Newfoundland to UK route but also doesn't want anyone else to have it. Welcome to the warped world of Air Canada, Canada's Spoiled and Greedy Airline.
I'd like to second the sentiments of Mayor Wells (something I never thought I'd do) by asking everyone who intends to fly to the UK to use Astraeus rather than Air Canada. I'd also like to take his suggestion a step further by asking that anyone flying anywhere in Canada, the US or beyoned consider the option of using another carrier. Why should anyone support an airline that has arbitrarily decided that the wishes of passengers in another province are more important than those of the people here in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Myles Higgins is freelance columnist, who lives with his wife and a terminally lazy Terrier named "Molson" in the beautiful town of Portugal Cove - St. Philips, His website can be found at: Web Talk - Newfoundland and Labrador. Myles can be reached at: letters@canadafreepress.com
