Hello all,

I am a former Flight Attendant. Writing a critical, but not scathing, first letter to the CEO, mr. Milton, prompted disciplinary action and subsequently years of poor treatment from my manager. My manager was mentioned in the letter for lack of communication and yet citing me for being a dollar short in the bar.

I was a very loyal and hard working employee and no one could dispute that, and yet I was harrassed often. It led me to an early retirement. (Some of you may even remember me as I said everyone's name before it became the "law" and smiled even before Air Canada said I "had to")

I wonder if Mr. Milton even got my first letter. I very much doubt it. Although the first paragraph in this second letter is entirely hearsay, I included it anyway, just in case it is true, so that he might squirm.

If he does read my letter and can give me the actual Air Canada flight he was on, I shall retract the rumour here. Also, it is rumoured that 2 business pax, who were full fare, were pulled to make space for himself and Rovinescu on Friday. This letter, I must admit, is scathing!

Dear Mr. Milton,

I hope it is not true that you flew CX last week to make your deal.

That would be an outrage. It has been obvious that you are out of touch with employees and the passengers, but hiding on another airline with more creature comforts is a blatantly wrong and inexcusable way for a CEO of a company to act.

Here is a quote from a former President, who was respected and admired by employees, and very much so myself, and passengers alike:

"Let me ask this audience two questions which Toronto futurist John Kettle puts to his executive seminars: "In the last six months, how many of you have taken the bus? And who among you have had a conversation with a teenager (other than your own) in that same period?" Perhaps you begin to see my point about losing touch. And yes, I do fly Economy ... but then, I knew about the question.

Now, I'm sure there are innumerable reasons why this loss of contact occurs, and, to be fair, perhaps it always has, in structured societies. But when we compound the problem with the fragilities, commitments, speeds of change, and new expectations I mentioned earlier, well, someone or something has to start changing--at the top. We've got to start finding out, "What is it that the unions really are saying to us? Why are our customers so disloyal? Why is the press always on our backs? Why don't the Liberals understand business? Why are the Americans so annoyed with us--and we with them? And why doesn't the public love and respect us?"

March 17, 1983...a speech made by Claude Taylor, former President and Chairman of Air Canada. The title of the speech was 'Who's Listening? You can search it on the internet using his name. Although I received an award from one President, and met 3 others in my career, I loved Mr. Taylor. He knew how to treat people like people and with respect. I loved a man who I had never even met because he was able to evoke such emotions. HE traveled in Economy!

Although you have probably read this before, here are 95 points which all CEOs and their cohorts, as well as the board should read and apply....each and every day. It is from the Cluetrain site: (Too long to add)

I still very much want Ar Canada to survive and thrive, but in the hands of a competent and caring CEO.

Pauly

<< Yawn >>

I didn't think this letter was that scathing. I was a little dissappointed.

If you want to see scathing you should see the letter that Nancy from the Canadian Transporation Agency wrote to Mexicana airlines on my behalf.(resulting in my demands being met)

What is it you are hoping to achieve with this letter?

I saw Milton and Family in BA Terraces T4 last March. Obviously he knows that BA and CX have superior service

Actually, flying CX would be good for RM on many counts: to see what the competition is doing, to save money for AC [airline presidents can fly any airline for fee as an industry courtesy] by keeping revenue seats available for paying customers, and for schedule [flying AC means losing a full day going to YVR, then across the Pacific and arriving midday in HKG, while CX departs late at night and gets into HKG the morning of the next, next day]. One can get a better night's sleep on CX with fewer interruptions, plane transfers, etc.

Not too scathing for fear of losing AC pension, perhaps?

Best of all would be for him to take a flight or 3 in coach on AC, and perhaps another flight or two on a CRJ. That would probably give him more insight into the operation of Air Canada than anything else.

Heh! I thought it was scathing, coming from me! Don't forget I spent 29 years catering to people's requests, never saying no and smiling whilst I cleaned the lavs, puke and trying always to make everyone happy. I suppose my hide is as thick as an alligator's and yet, I guess I always remember that other's might be more fragile.

Honestly, I really thought it was nasty and the reason why I wrote it was because he should be flying Air Canada and not bumping full fare business class so he can lie down in his free PJs.

I am slinking out of here now.

No no, wait, don't go.

This can seem like a pretty brutal forum for newcomers but it's not really. People just have habit of speaking their mind.

If RM feels that the future of AC lies in the International market (as has been referred to here), perhaps his flight on CX was some "market research" to experience the type of service that customers are willing to pay a premium for.

I for one would not complain if AC's international service took some lessons from CX...or SQ for that matter.