ABSOLUTELY!!!

Look at the way AC has treated its passengers, employees and even shareholders, with competition, and then add in their behaviour over the last few days with the apparent collapse of competition. During the snow storms, AC basically told passengers "you're on your own" while CP extended their reservation lines to 24 hours, brought in extra staff to help keep customers in the airport more informed, and generally tried to accomodate passengers. During the flight attendants "almost" labour action this past fall, AC pretty much refused to negotiate, then settled a few minutes after the strike deadline, agreeing to the FA's initial demands. They were quite happy to disrupt passengers flight plans, often at great expense, and subject the FAs to as much stress as possible, in the hopes that they would "blink" first, even though AC obviously, in the end, thought the demands were fair. Look at the way AC handled the increased fees at YYZ earlier this year, refusing to pay them, until an Ontario court ordered them to. And what Canadian airline keeps tresspassing on TSB crash investigation sites to tamper with the evidence. Finally, look at AC's behaviour during the Onex attempt. While CP was demanding, and getting, assurances that passengers, FFers and employees would be properly taken care of, AC was threatening its shareholders with being struck from the share register if they tendered their shares.

And look what's happened in just the last couple of days, since they determined they probably had a monopoly. They've increased domestic fares, tacitly admitting that they only did it because there was no competition in Canada. They dramatically cut back, almost eliminating, upgrade opportunities for mid-tier Elites (which up until about two years ago, were their top-tier elites.) And they've begun a PR campaign trying to convince everybody in Canada that it would be a bad thing for passengers to let American carriers compete with them in Canada. And I suppose they will now start talking about the "discount" airline they want, that pretty much everyone except Colinette sees as a new attempt to crush the remaining 20% of carriers in Canada.

Onex, on the other hand, has a history of "building" better companies, that seem to have fewer labour problems and more satisfied customers, without requiring a monopoly. Onex made no indication that they would make a move on the discount carriers. And while Schwartz may have done himself a disservice in the way he conducted his campaign, I think most agree that his pride in his Canada was partly responsible for his attempt on AC and CP.

AC always seems to be finding out just how much it can abuse its passengers, employees, and suppliers. Fact is, I think we'd all be better off, even if someone like Northwest Airlines got control of both AC and CP.

And if all that's not enough, go to the AC forum, and look at AC's response to complaints, especially Dorian's, regarding Arrivals Lounge access for a Super Elite in YVR. Does that really look like an airline that has any concern for its passengers?