@CloudsBelow

So, you now have me noodling around and while at it, I came across this blast from the past, G&M 2012 to be exact. I've included the headline ad a few opening lines, which were likely serious at the time, but seem amusing looking back.

(Mods: Not sure if this belongs here, in the Rouge thread - lol - or it qualifies as off-topic enough to end up in the Forum Lounge thread)


"Air Canada eyes Asia for low-cost airline"

Air Canada is shifting its strategy for launching a discount operation, focusing on locating a new low-cost international carrier in Vancouver in a bid to tap into the potential of Asian destinations.

Plans call for the new entity to take over Air Canada's overseas flights in and out of Vancouver on wide-body aircraft. Some pilots and flight attendants will be from Canada and others could be based offshore.

Vancouver has emerged as the focal point because Asian markets offer the best growth prospects while the euro zone debt crisis has relegated Europe to a lower priority for Air Canada.

“Vancouver has been an underperforming market for Air Canada on international routes,” said one industry official. “Air Canada is trying to figure out how to make Vancouver work.”

The quest to attract more traffic to and from Asia will pit the Air Canada-backed entity against carriers that already have a strong customer base, such as Cathay Pacific Airways......."

....

The last line was interesting:

"Air Canada would like to sign up a partner from China, though it is also possible that the Vancouver-based joint venture could instead involve a European-based carrier such as Virgin Atlantic, which is 51 per cent owned by British billionaire Richard Branson and 49 per cent by Singapore Airlines."


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle4253877/