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Friday December 18, 2020

December 24, 2020 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 18, 2020

Hold Iran accountable for Flight PS752

As this terrible year of COVID-19 lurches to a close, Canadians should remember another, entirely separate tragedy that started it off.

January 9, 2020

One hundred and seventy-six innocent people — most of them either Canadians or travelling to Canada — were slaughtered by the Iranian military on Jan. 8 when it blasted the civilian plane in which they were travelling out of the skies.

There has been no justice for the dead in the 12 months that have passed since then. There has been no justice for the families and friends they left behind. As for the duplicitous, obstructive Iranian regime that was behind this atrocity, it has refused to admit it is responsible or can be held accountable.

At the very least, the report by former federal cabinet minister Ralph Goodale that was filed with the Canadian government this week should remind everyone in this country of the crime that was committed against so many Canadians and people with ties to Canada. Goodale’s findings should convince us, too, that Canada must push relentlessly for justice.

January 10, 2020

When Iranian missiles downed Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in the second week of January, the entire region was on high alert. Just four hours earlier, Iran had fired missiles at American military positions in Iraq in retaliation for the Jan. 4 American air strike that had killed a senior Iranian general.

In the midst of this ongoing conflict, Flight PS752 should never have been cleared for takeoff from the airport in Iran’s capital city of Tehran. But it was, and three minutes later, it was destroyed by two Iranian missiles. Every one of the 176 people aboard that plane died, and of those victims, 55 were Canadian citizens, 30 were permanent residents of Canada and 53 were not Canadians but travelling to this country, many as students.

January 15, 2020

For three days after the downing of Flight PS752, Iran’s authoritarian leaders denied Iran’s involvement in the disaster, suggesting mechanical failure was to blame. Then, when emerging evidence exposed the falsehood of their denials, they admitted their missiles had destroyed the plane but attributed it to a “human error” committed by a single, Iranian mobile air defence operator. After that, it took the Iranians six months to turn over the downed jet’s flight recorders for outside examination.

If Goodale’s report does nothing else, it proves Iran’s leaders lied, withheld vital evidence and attempted a crass, cruel coverup. Instead of human error, Goodale uncovered “indications of incompetence, recklessness and wanton disregard for innocent human life” on the part of the Iranians.

January 8, 2020

Out of all the troubling questions that still demand answers, the Iranian government must explain why it left open its airspace for civilian flights, such as PS752, even after it had begun its missile barrage. That decision strongly suggests an attempt to conceal Iran’s aerial assault from the Americans — even if it meant using the passengers of PS752 as sacrificial lambs.

It won’t be easy to force Iran’s rulers to accept accountability for what they did. Canada must keep trying. To maintain its pressure, the federal government should, as Conservative MP Michael Chong is urging, impose sanctions on Iranian leaders and list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. 

In addition, aware that Iran’s own investigation of the disaster — and itself — is a sham, Canada should persuade the international community to require independent reviews of all future tragedies that involve military strikes on civilian aircraft.

As for the rest of us, the best we can do is remember the dead of PS752 and keep calling for justice. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

Posted in: Canada, International Tagged: 2020-43, accountability, airline, Canada, cleric, crimes against humanity, Flight PS752, Iran, Ralph Goodale, terror, terrorism, transparency

Tuesday July 16, 2019

July 23, 2019 by Graeme MacKay

July 17, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday July 16, 2019

New air passenger protections kick in today

Airline passengers have new rights starting today, as rules from the Canada Transportation Agency that have prompted backlash from industry and consumer advocates kick in.

January 8, 2016

The Air Passenger Protection Regulations require airlines to meet certain obligations, including clear communication to passengers about their rights and timely updates for delays or cancellations. Passengers will also be compensated up to $2,400 if they’re bumped from a flight.

In addition, passengers are now entitled to a certain standard of treatment when stuck on the tarmac. People will be allowed to leave the plane in certain situations if the delays exceed three hours — though that’s twice the time the Senate committee that studied the rules recommended.

Time spent on the tarmac became a huge point of contention when two planes were stranded for up to six hours on the tarmac at the Ottawa airport in 2017 due to bad weather. The passengers were kept on board with no air conditioning, food or water.

Air Transat was fined after the CTA found the airline broke its agreement with passengers. Transportation Minister Marc Garneau used the example to illustrate why the new bill of rights — then in the Senate — should be a priority.

April 23, 2014

Lost baggage procedures have also been updated to allow for compensation of up to $2,100. There are also clearer policies for transporting musical instruments.

The regulations will apply to all flights to, from and within Canada, including connecting flights. Large airlines, those that have serviced two million passengers or more in the last two years, will have a slightly different regulatory regime than smaller airlines in some cases.

Smaller airlines, for example, will have to pay less compensation for delays or cancellations that are within the airline’s control but are not related to safety issues.

April 3, 2014

Two advocates are also challenging the tarmac delay rules, saying they violate the charter rights of some Canadians with disabilities who may not be able to sit for extended periods.

Bob Brown, a disability rights advocate who is quadriplegic, says the rules reduce the distance he can travel by air without putting his health at risk by up to 2,000 kilometres. The case is currently before the Federal Court of Appeal.

These are only some of the changes coming in. Starting in December, airlines will also have to adhere to standards about flight disruptions and seating passengers with children. Compensation for cancelled flights and delays are part of phase two of the rollout. (CBC) 

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: 2019-25, airline, Canada, Human rights, Passengers, regulation, rights, sardines, travel

Friday January 8, 2016

January 7, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday January 8, 2016 Ultra-low-cost carrier planning flights from Hamilton airport Canada's latest airline will unveil its plans for flights out of Hamilton airport on Wednesday. That's when Dean Dacko, chief commercial officer of NewLeaf Travel, the country's new ultra-low-cost air carrier, will unveil the company's plans for making Hamilton one of its hubs. Details of the announcement remain a closely guarded secret, but in a news release airport officials promise "NewLeaf plans to revolutionize the Canadian travel market." NewLeaf's bare-bones website promises its service will feature "No more extra costs for things you don't want" and "You pay for your seat and the rest is up to you." Wednesday's announcement will include details on non-stop routes, pricing and booking. NewLeaf announced its interest in the city in June, saying it would make its headquarters in Winnipeg with bases in Hamilton and Kelowna. Ultra-low-cost carriers Ñ also called no-frills or budget airlines Ñ offer lower fares, making up for lower ticket prices by charging for extras such as food, priority boarding and baggage. The largest such operator is United States-based Southwest Airlines. Aircraft and crews for the NewLeaf flights will be supplied by Kelowna-based Flair Airlines. Ultra-low-cost carriers are new to Canada's aviation industry and Hamilton airport executives have been keen to get at least one located here as a boost to their long-cherished dream of turning the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport into a passenger destination. While they have long argued that 2 million people live within an hour's drive of the airport, its passenger history has been one of soaring hopes followed by bitter disappointment as more than 20 airlines have come and gone through the facility. Passenger traffic peaked in 2003 at about 1 million when the airport was the eastern hub for WestJet, before the airline moved the

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 8, 2016

Ultra-low-cost carrier planning flights from Hamilton airport

Canada’s latest airline will unveil its plans for flights out of Hamilton airport on Wednesday.

That’s when Dean Dacko, chief commercial officer of NewLeaf Travel, the country’s new ultra-low-cost air carrier, will unveil the company’s plans for making Hamilton one of its hubs.

Details of the announcement remain a closely guarded secret, but in a news release airport officials promise “NewLeaf plans to revolutionize the Canadian travel market.”

NewLeaf’s bare-bones website promises its service will feature “No more extra costs for things you don’t want” and “You pay for your seat and the rest is up to you.”

Wednesday’s announcement will include details on non-stop routes, pricing and booking.

NewLeaf announced its interest in the city in June, saying it would make its headquarters in Winnipeg with bases in Hamilton and Kelowna.

2005

Ultra-low-cost carriers — also called no-frills or budget airlines — offer lower fares, making up for lower ticket prices by charging for extras such as food, priority boarding and baggage. The largest such operator is United States-based Southwest Airlines.

Aircraft and crews for the NewLeaf flights will be supplied by Kelowna-based Flair Airlines.

Ultra-low-cost carriers are new to Canada’s aviation industry and Hamilton airport executives have been keen to get at least one located here as a boost to their long-cherished dream of turning the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport into a passenger destination.

While they have long argued that 2 million people live within an hour’s drive of the airport, its passenger history has been one of soaring hopes followed by bitter disappointment as more than 20 airlines have come and gone through the facility.

2003

Passenger traffic peaked in 2003 at about 1 million when the airport was the eastern hub for WestJet, before the airline moved the hub to Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport. In 2014 it handled 332,000 passengers.

The only year-round scheduled service from Hamilton now is a single daily WestJet return flight to Calgary. That’s in addition to seasonal service to vacation spots.

NewLeaf is headed by Jim Young, a former vice-president and chief marketing officer at Denver-based Frontier Airlines who also served for six months as president of upstart Canada Jetlines Ltd.(Source: Hamilton Spectator)


Published in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Saturday, January 9, 2016

Published in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Saturday, January 9, 2016

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: air, airline, airlines, Budget, Canada, cost, discount, fare, flight, jet, low, savings, travel

Friday August 29, 2014

August 28, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

Friday August 29, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday August 29, 2014

Sunwing flight to Cuba forced back to Toronto after disruption

A Sunwing Airlines flight headed to Cuba was forced to turn back to Toronto’s Pearson airport Wednesday after an apparent disruption by two passengers.

In a statement, Sunwing spokesperson Janine Chapman said the flight turned back after two “unruly” female passengers allegedly became disruptive after they had “consumed a significant quantity of their duty free alcohol purchase in the plane’s lavatory.”

Chapman said the passengers lit a cigarette, triggering a smoke alarm, before getting into a “physical altercation with each other.”

The pair also allegedly made a “threat against the aircraft, which was considered non-credible given their condition,” Chapman said.

NORAD confirmed Wednesday night that two Canadian fighter jets escorted the passenger aircraft back to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport as “a precautionary measure.”

Earlier reports suggest the plane was near Florida when it had to turn around.

Wednesday April 29, 2014Police said two women, both in their mid-20s, were arrested and remain in custody. Charges are pending as investigators interview witnesses, Peel police said.

Sunwing Airlines Flight 656 departed at 4:30 p.m., and was en route to Varadero via Manzanillo de Cuba Airport.

NORAD said in the statement that once the aircraft was safely on the ground, the CF-18 fighter jets returned to their home base in Bagotville, Que.

Sunwing said the flight was scheduled to take off again from Pearson at approximately 11 p.m. with a new flight crew.

This is the second time in just over a month that a plane travelling from Toronto has been forced to turn back. On July 25, a Panama-bound plane returned to Pearson Airport after a passenger allegedly made threats while aboard the aircraft.

The man was escorted off the plane by a tactical team of police officers. He was charged with counts of mischief, endangering safety, and uttering threats. (Source: CTV News)

OTHER MEDIA

Posted to Yahoo Canada News.

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: airline, airport, civility, Cuba, Gitmo, Guantanamo, security, travel

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