I don't trust the EU or their JAA/EASA regulators. Certainly not as a Canadian. If you don't have work for your airline in Canada, then it makes perfect sense to sell your airline elsewhere. But, economics and protectionist regulations could sink that idea. Our reasoning and logic differs.
It is a protectionist regime (as it should be) and it will do as it likes to protect it's member states. (gee, what a concept?) As for interpreting their regs from a Canadian perspective, I'd forget it.
We Canadians (Transport Canada) aren't the least bit 'protectionist'. How many foreigners post on this forum, looking for pilot employment in Canada, and some, supposedly in-the-know Canadian pilot actually takes the time to tell the anonymous poster who he/she should approach about a job and what he/she needs to get the job.
Are you kidding???
(As for foreign pilots with an ICAO licence who legally immigrate to Canada, that's an entirely different discussion.)
Have you noticed not one, not one pilot group in Canada wants to champion the cause or tell our Government it needs to protect the few pilot jobs we have, for Canadian pilots? (not as far as I know)
I think I understand the protectionist attitude over there.
It might be worth noting, while Sunwing is 'expanding' by increasing its fleet size, passenger traffic worldwide is down significantly. Do we really think the bucket and spade brigade is going to be flooding the Caribbean and Florida this winter??? Are we that naieve?
Sure sounds like it.
I hope Sunwing has a plan.
I hope Sunwing has a really good plan.
...and another thing. If the available seats ARE controlled or directed by Air Transat Vacations, then the problem may go beyond a single carrier. Others could be affected by a significant decrease in customers who decide NOT to go south this winter.
You have to hope the brain trust at Transat, Sunwing, Skyservice and CanJet in light of the recent economic and political turmoil in this country, has reassessed their Winter capacity and aircraft lease agreements or (as I've already said) someone's going down.
I am still not convinced it is the EU's intention to shut down the possibility for wetleasing. Closing the door completely would be devastating for many of the leisure carriers over there as well. I mentioned it before, but repeat that I believe they want to protect the carriers from 1 sided agreements, and want to ensure the safety standards are at an acceptable level in the country where wetleased a/c comes from.
As far as the winter ahead goes, I agree something has to give. Overall capacity has been increases bigtime in Canada as we are into a deepening recession. I hope there is a plan as well and that my employer is willing to do what it takes to keep the company profitable in these tougher times ahead. Apparently preseason booking are very strong, but I am not sure how much that means in the current economic climate.
I love my job, but I am not as naive as to think nothing can happen. I hope I don't have to a job search again, but at the same time my resume is up to date and ready to go!