XPost: can.general, can.politics   
   From: gregpcarr@yahoo.ca   
      
   Interesting post.   
      
   On Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:28:33 -0700, abc  wrote:   
      
   >   
   >Canadian teams scramble as U.S. bans NHL charter flights   
   >   
   >September 04, 2009   
   >   
   >NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly warns the ban on Air Canada chartered   
   >flights will create a complicated “patchwork” of travel that could   
   >“wreck havoc” with the oncoming hockey schedule, including early league   
   >games in Europe. Peter J. Thompson/National Post NHL Deputy   
   >Commissioner Bill Daly warns the ban on Air Canada chartered flights   
   >will create a complicated “patchwork” of travel that could “wreck   
   >havoc” with the oncoming hockey schedule, including ...   
   >   
   >OTTAWA -- Canada's six NHL teams are scrambling to find alternative   
   >travel arrangements south of the border after the U.S. Department of   
   >Transportation banned Air Canada's charter fleet from flying between   
   >U.S. cities.   
   >   
   >In a furious exchange with the Obama administration over the mid-August   
   >ruling, Canada has launched its own investigation and will soon close   
   >its skies to U.S. sports team charters in retaliation, warns Transport   
   >Minister John Baird.   
   >   
   >The sticking point is an eight-year-old exemption that had allowed   
   >sports and celebrity charters to make several pit stops in American   
   >cities. Under existing open skies agreements, regular Canadian airline   
   >flights can only visit one U.S. city before returning.   
   >   
   >NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly warns the charter ban will create a   
   >complicated "patchwork" of travel that could "wreck havoc" with the   
   >oncoming hockey schedule, including early league games in Europe, as   
   >teams scramble to book flights under the new rules.   
   >   
   >"It's potentially a very significant impact," Mr. Daly said Friday.   
   >"It's crazy and very destabilizing to our business. We're operating on   
   >a long-standing interpretation and for it to change overnight on the   
   >eve of our season is creating a huge problem for us."   
   >   
   >Air Canada executive vice president Duncan Dee predicted the ruling   
   >will create "chaos" for teams shuttling across the border. "It's   
   >extremely messy for both American and Canadian teams," he said. It was   
   >a unilateral action imposed without consultation or Air Canada being   
   >able to defend itself. It's obvious the U.S. Department of   
   >Transportation doesn't watch hockey."   
   >   
   >The Air Canada charters fly under the Jetz label.   
   >   
   >Mr. Baird said the dispute "shows the power of anti-free-trade   
   >Democrats in the Congress" and cautioned his government will respond in   
   >kind.   
   >   
   >"We've already directed the Canadian Transportation Agency to launch a   
   >formal inquiry and the next step will be a direction to the CTA to   
   >immediately prohibit charter flights by U.S. carriers under season-long   
   >contracts with professional sports teams with multiple stops in   
   >Canada," he said in an interview.   
   >   
   >The ruling also side-swipes musicians and other artists on tour.   
   >   
   >The matter was pushed by the U.S. Air Line Pilots Association. It had   
   >demanded an investigation of passenger lists on the NHL flights, which   
   >found a few examples of injured players, personal trainers and team   
   >owners boarding the charter south of the border and departing at   
   >another U.S. city in a technical violation of the agreement.   
   >   
   >Despite the small number of passengers involved, the American side   
   >ruled it was enough to shut down an arrangement negotiated eight years   
   >ago during the George W. Bush presidency.   
   >   
   >The Anaheim Ducks have pulled back from an Air Canada contract and   
   >there are concerns existing clients like the Boston Bruins and NBA   
   >Milwaukee Bucks will follow suit.   
   >   
   >Air Canada says it still hopes Mr. Baird's hard-line response will   
   >force a resolution by the time NHL season starts next month.   
   >   
   >Former Air Canada president Montie Brewer says the Jetz charters are   
   >the only way to fly for teams that must reach their destinations   
   >without fail. Each charter plane comes with its own on-board mechanic   
   >and has exclusive access to private terminals regular airlines cannot   
   >use.   
      
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