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Air Canada CEO apologizes, commits to learning French as backlash in Quebec grows

Air Canada CEO apologizes, commits to learning French as backlash in Quebec grows

Old Mar 23, 2022, 11:13 am
  #136  
 
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Originally Posted by respectable_man
You’ve obviously never had to interact with any AC employee during an IRROP…. I mean: there are already so few of them around. If you have any difficulty with English in YYZ you are SOL with finding help on the floor. Tho come to think of it even if you are a polyglot you will have trouble getting help in YYZ during IRROP.
I don't think that's an issue that's exclusive to AC. I would assume that if you speak to an agent for any airline at YYZ, you would have difficulty communicating in any language except English, hence why there are phone lines. Why is AC held to a higher standard? If they are required to staff bilingual agent positions, shouldn't everyone else have to do the same?

I wish the feds would consider a legislation change, and free AC from these arcane rules that were imposed when it was still a crown corporation. They should be free to be HQ'd where they choose, and observe the same operational requirements surrounding official languages that Westjet, and all other Canadian carriers, does.
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Old Mar 25, 2022, 11:05 am
  #137  
 
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Originally Posted by VoodooYYC
I don't think that's an issue that's exclusive to AC.
Unfortunately you are entirely correct.

Originally Posted by VoodooYYC
hence why there are phone lines.
…talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire…. AC phone lines? Really?

Originally Posted by VoodooYYC
I wish the feds would consider a legislation change, and free AC from these arcane rules that were imposed when it was still a crown corporation.
Careful what you wish for else this might lead to a situation where there is no English service in YUL or YQB or other majority-francophone stations.

Now do I think the AC CEO should speak French? He has an excellent *incentive* to learn it: if you live in YUL and don’t speak French you will miss out on all the good parties.
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Old Mar 25, 2022, 11:17 am
  #138  
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Originally Posted by respectable_man
Now do I think the AC CEO should speak French? He has an excellent *incentive* to learn it: if you live in YUL and don’t speak French you will miss out on all the good parties.


That's my attitude.

I can think of many things that front-line agents need to know that the CEO does not. If he's been doing his job successfully without knowing French, and while not harassed by reporters, then I don't think he needs to learn it.

He's free to, if he feels like it. But I think this is a giant waste of his time.
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Old Mar 26, 2022, 1:05 am
  #139  
 
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
But I think this is a giant waste of his time.
Especially considering the international language of aviation is English.
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Old Mar 26, 2022, 6:48 am
  #140  
 
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Originally Posted by respectable_man
Now do I think the AC CEO should speak French? He has an excellent *incentive* to learn it: if you live in YUL and don’t speak French you will miss out on all the good parties.


He has enough money he could get to YTO as frictionless as we norms get an uber. And that is without considering his employer.
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Old Mar 26, 2022, 10:42 am
  #141  
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Originally Posted by Jagboi
Especially considering the international language of aviation is English.
Realistically, airline CEOs are not involved in actual aviation (I'd be surprised if many of them even know the ICAO phonetic alphabet). They are business people. I'm sure that many CEOs across the globe don't speak English.
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Old Mar 26, 2022, 1:45 pm
  #142  
 
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
Realistically, airline CEOs are not involved in actual aviation (I'd be surprised if many of them even know the ICAO phonetic alphabet). They are business people. I'm sure that many CEOs across the globe don't speak English.
How many CEO's of $6 billion dollar companies *in Canada* don't speak English though? We're talking about a Canadian corporation, not a random company elsewhere in the world. As an aside, we happen to know the CEO of Air France is better in English than French.
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