And your point is? Don't you think it's time to get over the fact that some folks spend hours and hours on the road, away from their families, to engage in activities that society, as a whole, can benefit from? If you think that working 30 or more extra hours a week, to get to your work activities is a free ride, think again.

So many incorrect assumptions, and so many unfounded character attacks upon a person who is genuinely decent. All because of one poorly worded tweet since retracted once the person had some sleep. To be blunt, some of the negative comments are just pathetic. Jealous and bitter come to mind as well. Touts worked hard, put in 14 hour+ days, worked through some painful injuries and has taken risks with his life choices that would cause some of the people on this board taking cheap shots to burst into tears.

People are carrying on as if Air Canada has pumped millions into the Canadian Olympic teams and its members. Newsflash: It hasn't. The Canadian Olympic organizers don't get much from corporate Canada. It's not like Team USA or any of the European teams who can can count on some mega donations. The Canadian team needs a transport sponsor. Unlike other countries, there is only one airline that flies to the key training and competition destinations and the Canadian Olympic organizers are somewhat forced to consider Air Canada because of real politik.

I don't want to take anything away from Air Canada, because whatever it provides is still something and certainly better than nothing. However, people are carrying on as if the team flies for free and are being greeted with rose petals. Yes, the Olympic organization benefits, but Air Canada gets to hitch its brand to a positive entity, an entity that is loved, admired, young, bold, good looking and for the most part a fantastic brand ambassador. The Olympic athletes are gold in themselves. In a large number of countries, the Olympic athletes, especially the medal winners are greeted as heroes with a red carpet wherever they go. The Dutch speed skaters are deities at home and you can be assured that KLM was fawning over them. What a contrast between Air Canada and KLM. The Dutch airline dedicated a plane to the athletes and painted it half orange. Crews were dressed in the customary blue with the traditional orange accessories and boy were the Dutch athletes well looked after while on board. The Asian athletes were taken care off with the Chinese athletes in particular being feted as national heroes. And then we come to Canada, where Canadian athletes sit in the back of the bus, and where self proclaimed experts assail those who are successful

Reality check: When someone like Touts wins a gold medal, it puts Canada on the map and gets the country brand prestige. Canada's winter sports industry gets a multi million dollar injection of free publicity every time a Canadian gets attention. People are flying to Canada to snowboard and ski when prominent athletes like a Toutant or McMorris gets airtime. It does make a difference in the Australian and Japanese markets. Skaters fly to Montreal to train because of Virtue and Moir, and they fly to Calgary to train on the downhill track.

Ok, so what exactly is this great sponsorship deal? I didn't see any discussion of that. Well ,for those athletes and coaches who qualified for this year's Olympics, here is what they received under the Altitude Podium Program;
- E35 status
- Access to Iternational Maple Leaf lounges while competing abroad;
- Air Canada toiletry packs, earpods, blankets and pillows while on board;
- Air Canada marketing souvenirs

Don't you think that a large number of the athletes competing would have qualified for E35 status anyway if they are competing on the world cup circuit? Keep in mind that they have to travel to international competitions to earn their rankings. The Olympic organization had access to a preferred rate on some tickets. Air Canada also sponsored the public outdoor area, at the Canadian Olympic House, subject to naming and promotional rights.

I thank Air Canada for what it gives, but please do not carry on like Air Canada blew a wad on this or that Canada's athletes have received VIP treatment. Everything Touts has is because of his hard work, his sacrifice and his willingness to take risk. I respect him and he has an unblemished reputation as a generous and focused gentleman.

So in your opinion upgrading this said athlete beats someone who put their lives on the line serving Canada abroad in a war or some form of peacekeeping mission?

I, like many, do not hold Olympic athletes to the same level as you do. In fact, reading most of your post made me just sit back and go......."really?". I can think of far many professions that are much nobler than being said athlete, who also earn far less.

Then again I don't expect many of you to understand given my family's connection to previous world war.

Here's a news flash to you. Some of us don't care about the Olympics, and some of us certainly don't hold Olympic athletes as people who engage in a noble profession.

If he wants an upgrade, he's rich enough to pay for it, otherwise (as he has now demonstrated to the world), he can shut up.

Your post is nonsensical. Don't bring in a straw man argument about military service. This has absolutely no connection to military service whatsoever, nor do I need a lesson from you on military service. You go off on another unrelated tangent with a claim that I am holding the gentleman to a different level. This is about one small twitter comment since retracted, blown out of proportion for ulterior reasons.
He is a decent man who has been generous with his time with up and coming kids, a positive role model and well mannered. He doesn't merit the petty, immature character assassination. If you don't care about the Olympics then why are you getting so excited in the thread, heaping scorn and abuse on a man you didn't even know existed until you saw the thread and showed up to impose your anger and resentment?

The person you are attacking is part and parcel of why Air Canada gains from its limited Altitude Podium program. The subject at hand is directly related to the Air Canada sponsorship arrangement with the COC. Air Canada wins with it. The COC benefits from it, but many of the athletes and coaches don't get much of a direct benefit from it. The airline gets to attach its brand to winners like Toutant who have a significant brand value, at no cost to the airline. This is part of the trade off valuable assets people like Toutant must accept if they accept to compete for Canada. The gold medal winners don't need Air Canada. Their individual brands have value.
In plain language Air Canada gets to capitalize on the fact that it is flying Canada's royal sweethearts Moir and Virtue. However, the beloved duo get nothing from it. A person like Toutant is considered a market asset and many snowboarders will come to Canada to board where Toutant boards.

Just out of curiosity, do you think AC would have refused to upgrade Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, the double Gold Medalists in Ice Dance and FS Team Event?

I would have volunteered to give up my J seat in favor of any Canadian Olympic Gold Medalists even for sports that I don't know / follow. To me, they have honored our country more than anything I could have done. Then again, it's just my take.

Did someone on the flight in question offer to swap seats with buddy? Where did you see that?

Someone on DL swapped with the American skip Shuster.

I was given to understand that the medal was the ticket to marketing gigs and book deals, etc which are the actual reward.

I am not questioning his effort or work habits, I am questioning his attitude. Toots will probably sit with his agent in the next few days and both will come to the conclusion to just JSTFU.

Don't know, and don't know as there is a point in discussing counterfactuals.

Not that it especially matters, but I didn't call him a spoiled brat, or insinuate it. I just pointed out there was an easy fix to his dilemma.

I have a great deal of respect for any athlete that achieves that level of success, I know several personally, and I know the level of commitment and dedication it takes to get there. That isn't really the point.

I don't especially see them as honouring our country, but that isn't really the point either.

My final thought on the matter: if he thought it was that important, he should have got it written into his contract (presumably he has one with COC or his sports' governing body). Frankly the whole thing isn't worth all the words that have been written in this thread, and my response to him is no different than my response to anybody else would be in that circumstance. He or his manager apologized, so 'nuff said?

He was tired when he wrote a poorly written sarcastic comment as per his #sarcasm attached to the original at the time. The comment was taken out of context, and was quickly removed. There is no need for him to "JSTFU" because the only comment he made was to apologize when he deleted his comment. He hasn't said anything else since then.

If you consider he shouldn't have apologized, ok. However, his ability to say I made a mistake, sorry so quickly speaks to his character. He took down his comment when he realized it had grown legs, especially after his friends and teammates pointed it out.

His attitude is one of kindness and generosity. Aside from this unfortunate incident, Sebastien has had an unblemished record. Not too many 25 year old snow boarders let alone adult Canadians can match his personal history of community contribution, drug free history, and willingness to be nice to everyone who crosses his path. It was one isolated tweet. The rending of garments, the wailing and the finger pointing is an over reaction to a non event. He's a good kid who slipped up, but quickly corrected the error. Case closed.

I thought his #sarcasm meant he was being sarcastic about him saying 'What a great Olympic partner"? I think he just messed up and it wasn't taken out of context at all. That being said yes he was tired, yes it was a mistake and yes people won't remember next week.

2 days ago i won a Gold medal for Canada and today i’m flying 57A on a @aircanada flight… What a great Olympic partner [thumbs down] #sarcasm

So you're saying many adult Canadians in general are not nice people and are frequent drug users?

I'm just saying I don't think it's practical for every single time the Olympics occur, planes are pretty big and take up space. If they sent something smaller like a G650, might as well have them fly return in one instead of a special pickup. Also not all Olympic host countries necessarily have more than one airport in the major city to accommodate overflow.

Just want to point out that AC did end up creating a party at YYZ today to celebrate the return of their athletes, you can view the event via their instagram account. (Stories feature)