Air Canada YMM fire master thread
May 6, 2016, 9:41 pm
#63
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Well done tcook052 ! Our 35 employees threw $750 into the pot this morning so we matched that amount and will be making a $1,500 donation to the Canadian Red Cross fund for Alberta.
May 6, 2016, 9:41 pm
#64
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The CL-215/415 are not used to put out the fires, that would be pointless and only rain can do that at this point. They are used to reinforce the fire lines and try to stop the spread in a particular area such as a fire front heading towards property or firefighters. At that work, they are ruthlessly efficient and a key asset.
I also came across this video on the CBC website. Some guy watched his living room burn via a security cam. It only took a minute or so for the place to go. That's really scary! A lot of the pics I'm seeing online show that nothing is left once the fire sweeps through. It must be one intense fire to leave only ashes behind.
But I also read that the Canadian Red Cross has raised over $30 million now. Hopefully that will help the fine folks of YMM get by until their insurance payouts kick in.
May 6, 2016, 10:21 pm
#65
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I know nothing about fighting fires. But I read a comment that this fire jumped the Athabaska River which in my mind, is pretty wide. I sure hope the CL-215/415 work better!
I also came across this video on the CBC website. Some guy watched his living room burn via a security cam. It only took a minute or so for the place to go. That's really scary! A lot of the pics I'm seeing online show that nothing is left once the fire sweeps through. It must be one intense fire to leave only ashes behind.
But I also read that the Canadian Red Cross has raised over $30 million now. Hopefully that will help the fine folks of YMM get by until their insurance payouts kick in.
I also came across this video on the CBC website. Some guy watched his living room burn via a security cam. It only took a minute or so for the place to go. That's really scary! A lot of the pics I'm seeing online show that nothing is left once the fire sweeps through. It must be one intense fire to leave only ashes behind.
But I also read that the Canadian Red Cross has raised over $30 million now. Hopefully that will help the fine folks of YMM get by until their insurance payouts kick in.
That video was also on Mashable and is making its way around the media. I found it sad and probably a few other emotions I would not post here. (And to give Americans some perspective, the headline of the article was "Fort McMurray wildfire has burned area larger than entire city of Chicago")
Also, I read this quote:
"The Alberta provincial government, which declared a state of emergency, said more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting the fire, but Chad Morrison, Alberta's manager of wildfire prevention, said rain is needed.
"Let me be clear: air tankers are not going to stop this fire," he said. "It is going to continue to push through these dry conditions until we actually get some significant rain."
http://cfjctoday.com/article/524299/...weather-shifts
I prefer to be optimistic and hope for improvement sooner rather than later, despite the destruction.
May 6, 2016, 10:56 pm
#66
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Sorry if this is too off topic, I made a quick and dirty map of the latest landsat 8 image (taken yesterday) at 30m resolution, using short wave IR channel to cut through the smoke. You can see the fire near the airport 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz4...ew?usp=sharing
Digital Globe also tasked some of their higher resolution (1m per pixel) commercial satelittes and provided imagery to government agencies.
http://www.digitalglobeblog.com/2016...rray-wildfire/
This page that gets updated with imagery is eloquent as well
http://www.google.org/crisismap/2016-fort-mcmurray-fire
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz4...ew?usp=sharing
Digital Globe also tasked some of their higher resolution (1m per pixel) commercial satelittes and provided imagery to government agencies.
http://www.digitalglobeblog.com/2016...rray-wildfire/
This page that gets updated with imagery is eloquent as well
http://www.google.org/crisismap/2016-fort-mcmurray-fire
Last edited by Admiral Ackbar; May 6, 2016 at 11:01 pm
May 6, 2016, 11:07 pm
#67
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BTW, in cases like this where rain is needed, do they ever try to seed the clouds to increase the probability of rain in some specific area? Does anyone know?
May 7, 2016, 9:23 am
#69
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Air Canada's ineptitude is showing once again.
Air Canada addresses accusations of price-gouging during Fort McMurray evacuation
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/air-c...tion-1.2891081
“It is not correct that we raised fares in response to this devastating situation,” Air Canada said. “In some cases, customers booking last minute on May 3 and 4 on flights from Fort McMurray and Edmonton paid premium fares.
I believe that most everyone on FT will understand and accept the explanation of IT limitations. I certainly do.
However, AC mishandled the situation. A prepared organization would have put up a notice explaining the situation or told those buying tickets in person that the issue would be addressed. Not Air Canada. In typical AC fashion, it waited until their was a public backlash and a PR crisis. For comparison sake, West Jet has yet to be criticized or accused for surge pricing.
What was the point of the big announcement last year of the new and improved crisis management strategy? Big talk and yet once again, a neglect of the small details inflicts damage to the brand image.
Air Canada is consistently unprepared for crises or a catastrophe. We've seem it with the weather related meltdowns at YYZ, after the crash in Halifax (hard landing for AC apologists) and the mishandling of activities where experienced and competent PR skills are required (FT boards, anyone?). All it takes is a few competent professionals who will oversee and manage the process. In my fantasy expectations, if AC had a competent responsive IT department it could have managed the fare corrections or even the basic task of putting up a note. The airline just doesn't get it and blows so much goodwill on easily avoidable mistakes and poor management, It would not have cost the airline anything more than it was prepared to assume, had it made a public statement before this mess exploded, but it would have protected the brand.
As the old poem goes; For the want of a nail, a shoe was lost........... AC, 's poor management presence shines through once again.
Air Canada addresses accusations of price-gouging during Fort McMurray evacuation
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/air-c...tion-1.2891081
“It is not correct that we raised fares in response to this devastating situation,” Air Canada said. “In some cases, customers booking last minute on May 3 and 4 on flights from Fort McMurray and Edmonton paid premium fares.
I believe that most everyone on FT will understand and accept the explanation of IT limitations. I certainly do.
However, AC mishandled the situation. A prepared organization would have put up a notice explaining the situation or told those buying tickets in person that the issue would be addressed. Not Air Canada. In typical AC fashion, it waited until their was a public backlash and a PR crisis. For comparison sake, West Jet has yet to be criticized or accused for surge pricing.
What was the point of the big announcement last year of the new and improved crisis management strategy? Big talk and yet once again, a neglect of the small details inflicts damage to the brand image.
Air Canada is consistently unprepared for crises or a catastrophe. We've seem it with the weather related meltdowns at YYZ, after the crash in Halifax (hard landing for AC apologists) and the mishandling of activities where experienced and competent PR skills are required (FT boards, anyone?). All it takes is a few competent professionals who will oversee and manage the process. In my fantasy expectations, if AC had a competent responsive IT department it could have managed the fare corrections or even the basic task of putting up a note. The airline just doesn't get it and blows so much goodwill on easily avoidable mistakes and poor management, It would not have cost the airline anything more than it was prepared to assume, had it made a public statement before this mess exploded, but it would have protected the brand.
As the old poem goes; For the want of a nail, a shoe was lost........... AC, 's poor management presence shines through once again.
May 7, 2016, 10:37 am
#71
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 812
Fort McMurray (18:02 MDT - May 6, 2016) Update 3 - Evacuation charters today and tomorrow
Later today, Air Canada will operate two evacuation charter flights from Firebag (YFI), one of the Northern Alberta oil sands mining project locations, to Edmonton. As of today, Air Canada and Jazz will have operated 16 charter flights, evacuating approximately 1,100 people to Edmonton and Calgary. Air Canada Cargo is working with Global Medic to finalize delivering medical and other supplies to affected areas. We remain in close contact with officials coordinating the response, assuring them we are standing by to help as needed.
For all the latest on Fort McMurray, visit aircanada.com.
http://www.aircanada.com/en/news/160504.html.
//
Later today, Air Canada will operate two evacuation charter flights from Firebag (YFI), one of the Northern Alberta oil sands mining project locations, to Edmonton. As of today, Air Canada and Jazz will have operated 16 charter flights, evacuating approximately 1,100 people to Edmonton and Calgary. Air Canada Cargo is working with Global Medic to finalize delivering medical and other supplies to affected areas. We remain in close contact with officials coordinating the response, assuring them we are standing by to help as needed.
For all the latest on Fort McMurray, visit aircanada.com.
http://www.aircanada.com/en/news/160504.html.
//
May 7, 2016, 5:13 pm
#72
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: YYT
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AC responds to accusations of price gouging re YMM flights
May 7, 2016, 5:17 pm
#73
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I've been wanting to post about this. If there's 5000 people who want to get on a flight, and I want out, AC should definitely be able to charge based on load.
If I'm willing to pay $5000 for a ticket to get out and Bob won't pay that, then great, I'm on that flight.
AC now has lost money on that route (I would guess), or at least AC made less money than they could, why? AC has no responsibility to get people out. They are a private corporation.
AC should be commended for doing what they did, but man this crap boils my blood. People are not entitled to get out by flying AC and paying lowest fare or whatever.
Typical entitled attitude of people.
Look, I'm sorry you lost your homes and stuff, but so did everyone else who is trying to fly out.
If I'm willing to pay $5000 for a ticket to get out and Bob won't pay that, then great, I'm on that flight.
AC now has lost money on that route (I would guess), or at least AC made less money than they could, why? AC has no responsibility to get people out. They are a private corporation.
AC should be commended for doing what they did, but man this crap boils my blood. People are not entitled to get out by flying AC and paying lowest fare or whatever.
Typical entitled attitude of people.
Look, I'm sorry you lost your homes and stuff, but so did everyone else who is trying to fly out.
May 7, 2016, 5:22 pm
#74
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I somewhat agree, but they'd lose more money doing what you suggest.
"Mass shooting on campus - Uber surges to 8.2x" has been a headline. On multiple occasions.
As demand increases, price goes up. It's automatic.
Then the company comes out and says "It was automatic, we're not trying to gouge, and we're going to refund everyone."
And life moves on.
But if they said "Well, we only had 1000 seats, and 5000 people wanted a seat, so we charged what we could." everyone would hate them. I boycotted AC for 6 months last year over an issue much less severe than this. And yet I still paid them $20k.
Making customers hate you is not a way to be profitable.
"Mass shooting on campus - Uber surges to 8.2x" has been a headline. On multiple occasions.
As demand increases, price goes up. It's automatic.
Then the company comes out and says "It was automatic, we're not trying to gouge, and we're going to refund everyone."
And life moves on.
But if they said "Well, we only had 1000 seats, and 5000 people wanted a seat, so we charged what we could." everyone would hate them. I boycotted AC for 6 months last year over an issue much less severe than this. And yet I still paid them $20k.
Making customers hate you is not a way to be profitable.
May 7, 2016, 5:25 pm
#75
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I somewhat agree, but they'd lose more money doing what you suggest.
"Mass shooting on campus - Uber surges to 8.2x" has been a headline. On multiple occasions.
As demand increases, price goes up. It's automatic.
Then the company comes out and says "It was automatic, we're not trying to gouge, and we're going to refund everyone."
And life moves on.
But if they said "Well, we only had 1000 seats, and 5000 people wanted a seat, so we charged what we could." everyone would hate them. I boycotted AC for 6 months last year over an issue much less severe than this. And yet I still paid them $20k.
Making customers hate you is not a way to be profitable.
"Mass shooting on campus - Uber surges to 8.2x" has been a headline. On multiple occasions.
As demand increases, price goes up. It's automatic.
Then the company comes out and says "It was automatic, we're not trying to gouge, and we're going to refund everyone."
And life moves on.
But if they said "Well, we only had 1000 seats, and 5000 people wanted a seat, so we charged what we could." everyone would hate them. I boycotted AC for 6 months last year over an issue much less severe than this. And yet I still paid them $20k.
Making customers hate you is not a way to be profitable.
AC is going...based on supply and demand....etc. (well AC isn't, but the systems that govern AC do).
Yeah I'm sure AC did what they did for the PR but everyone already hates AC. So why even bother?
Dear AC: I hate you.
AC's response: We'll refund you money that we should have taken.
Dear AC: I hate you.
If I were AC, I'd go, tough love.