Harmony finally calls it quits

[Togalk]

Too bad for the employees.


From the CBC:
Vancouver-based Harmony Airways says it is ending all scheduled flights as of April 9, as part of a corporate restructuring.

Scheduled travel between Vancouver and Toronto will end this Friday, and the airline plans to provide refunds to customers who have already bought tickets

Harmony owner, Vancouver businessman David Ho, said the company does not face bankruptcy and the shutdown of scheduled service is not a creditor protection arrangement.

The airline, which began service in late 2002, says it is exploring other opportunities and business models, including charters.

Harmony flies from Vancouver to Toronto, Honolulu, Maui and Las Vegas, and also provided a Calgary-Maui service.

There was also seasonal service from Vancouver to Palm Springs, and Edmonton to Maui, as well as to Honolulu from Victoria, Kelowna and Calgary.

[Left Coaster]

To all those who gave so much for so little at Harmony...you all know who was responsible for this crappy time in Canadian aviation, and it's too bad that he left before he could be held accountable, he was a prat! At least Dr. Ho will give you a decent package at the end of it all. So much time was put in by so many good people and I (and you) know who you are. Please know that the hard work you all put in will take you far, and if there is any solace to be had here, it should be noted that you all did your best to leave it all "on the field" in the face of indecision by senior management, and you were all professional and serious about your craft to the end. My best wishes to you all...
LC

[GTC58]

Your post is so true. I guess you are talking about Mr. Greyhound ........

[G-CWTF]

I sure hope you're not suggesting that some other airline ceo like 'mike the white' is responsible. A bad business plan is a bad business plan no matter how hard the employees work, how deep the owners' pockets are, or how nice the severence packages are.

[BusTie]

I have lots of good friends at HMY, and this news brings tears to my eyes..

please refer to my other post....and file your flight plan to the east

here is the link

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=267765

good luck

[Left Coaster]

No...I am not suggesting this was a M. Le White problem, the owner of Harmony actuallyhad some vision, and feels for his employees...it was the former "Dog" MD that blew it all for the people at Harmony by dithering away on any big decisions until it was all too late...as a matter of fact his name at CP/CAIL was just that...Mr Dithers...hold him to be responsible...:\ not Dr. Ho.

[aileron]

The list is growing........

Air Alliance (1988 - 99, to Air Nova)

Air Atlantic

Air Baffin (1990-?) (now Air Nunavut)

Air BC (1980 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)

Air Canada Tango (2001 - 03)

Air Nova (1986 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)

Air Ontario (1987 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)

Austin Airways (1934 - 87, to Air Ontario)

Canada 3000 (1988 - 2001, formerly Canada 2000)

Canada West Air (1986 - 90)

Canada West Airlines (2002 - 04)

Canadian Airlines International (1987 - 2001, to Air Canada)

Canadian Airways (1923 - 29)

Canadian Colonial Airways (1929 - 42)

Canadian Pacific Air Lines (1942 - 87, to Canadian Airlines International)

Canadian Regional Airlines (1991 - 2001, to Air Canada Jazz)

City Express (ceased operations 1991)

Eastern Provincial Airways (1949 - 87, to Canadian Airlines International)

Great Lakes Airlines (to Air Ontario)

Greyhound Air (1996 - 97)

Ilford-Riverton Airways (1960 - 86)

Inter-Canadien (to Canadian Airlines International)

Jetsgo (2002 - 05)

Maritime Central Airways

Millardair (1962 - 90)

Nationair (1984 - 93)

Newfoundland Airways (1948 - 1983, to Air Labrador)

Nordair (1951 - 87)

NorOntair (1971 - 96)

North Canada Air (to Time Air)

NWT Air (1960 - 98)

Ontario Express (to Canadian Airlines International)

Pacific Western Airlines (1946 - 87, to Canadian Airlines International)

Pem Air (1970 - 2002)

Quebecair (1946 - 87)

Quebecair Express

Roots Air (2000 - 01)

Royal Aviation (1991 - 2001)

Southern Frontier Airlines (to Time Air)

Time Air (1966 - 91, to Canadian Airlines International)

Torontair (1961 - 99)

Trans-Canada Air Lines (now Air Canada)

Trans-Provincial Airlines

Triton Airlines (1993 - 94)

Val Air (2003 - 04)

Vision Airways Corporation (ceased operations 1994)

Vistajet (1997 - 97)

Wardair (1946 - 90, to Canadian Airlines International)

Western Canada Airways (1926 - 30)

Worldways Canada (1974 - 91)

Zip (2002 - 04)

Harmony (2002 - 07)

R I P

[cfmoverboost]

Don't forget CanJet. Sold to Canada 3000 in 2001, restarted in 2002 and shutdown scheduled operations in 2006 and now reemerged as charter airline a few months later. Now know as CanJet 2.5. These owners get too scared by the larger competition.
Overseas by far the best choice, the mainline companies give their employees more respect and can't abuse bankruptcy laws (just like Air Canada, UA, Delta, US Airways, Northwest etc...)
To all the guys and gals at HMY, you have an awesome rating to market yourself for good money. Good luck.:ok:

[YWG-JFK]

What about good old Soundair/Odyssey Intl !!
No tears over Nationair though !!

[lead zeppelin]

Frontier Airlines? Think they were in Timmins around 1990 or so.

[Rollingthunder]

Their three 757s have been parked off-gate at YVR for a month. One now moved to south airport (cheaper parking). Various billboards still up around town.

[oldebloke]

I heard the other day that Harmony was called on to do an AD HOC for some outfit-BUT couldn't comply as some of the Paper work wasn't in place.
Their OC is still valid and all the key managers are in place.
Some of the crews are flying, with other Co's ,ex YYZ.
Food for thought..:ok:

[merlinxx]

What of World Wide? they operated their Connies into our little airport in the country LGW in the 60s

[Double Wasp]

Don't Forget ICC

[extreme P]

Despite persistent rumours of an HMY resurgence this might finally be the nail to put it all to rest.

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Vancouver-based, Hong Kong billionaire David Ho has been arrested by Vancouver Police and is charged with the unlawful confinement of a sex trade worker. The former owner and CEO of Harmony Airways is also accused of unlawfully causing bodily harm, four weapons charges and one count of possessing a controlled substance.

VPD Superintendent Rob Rothwell says the arrest comes after an incident on December 28, 2008. "It is believed that Mr. Ho made contact with a woman on a chat line, and arrangements were made for Mr. Ho to pick that woman up and return to his home with her. This did occur, and at approximately 4:45 the following morning, the woman--now known as the victim--indicated that she wanted to leave, and it is alleged that Mr. Ho prevented her from doing so."

Rothwell says the woman suffered a fractured ankle as she tried to get away. "It's alleged a struggle then ensued with Mr. Ho, during which the victim sustained bruising, scrapes and injuries of a minor nature. She did however successfully escape the home. Unfortunately in doing so she suffered a fractured ankle. Once outside, the victim's screams were heard by neighbours and police were called."

The woman's age and name have not been released. Ho appeared in court today and was released on $100,000 bond. Ho, 57, was also a friend of former Vancouver Police Chief Jamie Graham.

[extreme P]

And in other news...

Vancouver billionaire pleads guilty to confining prostitute after night of sex - The Globe and Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/vancouver-billionaire-pleads-guilty-to-confining-prostitute-after-night-of-sex/article2324964/)


A Vancouver billionaire who has made headlines for his philanthropy, his failed airline and his questionable activities in the Downtown Eastside has pleaded guilty to unlawfully confining a prostitute at his house after a night of sex and cocaine.

But David Ho, once a member of the Vancouver Police Board, will get only a one-year suspended sentence and a $5,000 fine.
Crown prosecutor Elliot Poll said Mr. Ho, who apologized in court for his actions, is also being asked to attend drug counselling sessions and do 45 hours of community service.

Mr. Poll said that, although the case has received a lot of media attention, “the sentence is based on the circumstances and it seemed to me this was an appropriate disposition.”

The factors that he looked at were Mr. Ho’s decision to plead guilty, rather than going to trial, the nature of the incident, the already extensive media coverage and the fact that he didn’t have a criminal record.

“There’s been a public shaming that’s greater in his case” because of his prominence in both Vancouver and Hong Kong, where the case has been covered exhaustively, Mr. Poll said.

Mr. Ho, 60, has had prior encounters with the police, usually where sex-trade workers were involved, but at least one involving cocaine found in his car. Those did not lead to charges, although they were splashed in the news.

He gave an interview to The Province newspaper two years ago where he said that he has trouble sleeping and roams the Downtown Eastside at night looking for sex-trade workers he can help. Associates claimed he has helped get young women off the streets or paid for their dental work.

But there was no suggestion of that in the incident Mr. Ho pleaded guilty to Thursday.

According to charges laid by the police in 2009, it started when he met a woman on a chat line in 2008 and brought her from Delta to his luxury home in Shaughnessy.

Mr. Poll said they had consensual sex and used drugs.

She decided she wanted to leave around 5 a.m. That led to a nine-minute struggle between the two of them, where she panicked, in part because of her agoraphobia. She hit him several times. Although he didn’t hit her back – another factor in his sentencing – he did try to restrain her.

Mr. Ho’s lawyer, Len Doust, said that although his client wasn’t trying to hold the woman hostage, the judge in the case said he went beyond just trying to defend himself. “He used more force than was reasonable in the circumstances.”

The woman, who is in her 20s, tried to run away and, after Mr. Ho attempted to grab her by some of her clothing, she fell down some stairs and fractured an ankle. She ended up outside in the snow, wearing only panties and screaming for help. A neighbour called 911.

Mr. Doust said his client kept offering to drive her home.

Mr. Ho was considered one of the city’s business assets in the mid-2000s, after he founded Harmony Airlines in 2002 to serve Canada-Asia routes. He was already the owner at that point of Gray Beverage, which bottled Pepsi products. He also owned a luxury car dealership, MCL Motor Cars.

His family had made a fortune in tobacco products in Hong Kong.

In 2003, he set a new record for civic elections when he donated $50,000 to a single candidate in the Vancouver race, a former police officer. In 2005, he was named businessman of the year by the Vancouver Junior Board of Trade. His airline folded in 2007.

Mr. Ho, divorced with three adult children, and his family have been generous donors to various charities, especially Orbis, an international organization dedicated to saving eyesight.