Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Air Canada is moving on

No lie, the pilots I saw downtown looked exactly like Leo in Catch me if you Can. A first year should think doing an IPP on an Air Canada branding update. 

Air Canada’s decision to re-route its laid-over crew from the downtown-based Radisson Hotel, to the Winnipeg Airport-neighbored Sandman Hotel, shouldn’t surprise anyone. AC’s been losing money for a decade. It makes sense that they’d prefer their crew stay closer to the airport. It saves on travel and time costs. Period. Case closed. I get it.

What’s irked many Winnipeggers is a failed AC security assessment of our downtown. Who conducted the assessment, why it was conducted, or its findings, is still a mystery. Apparently, AC doesn't feel secure with the lack of security downtown.   

Winnipeg, a Canadian-media darling for the last six months (based primarily on the return of NHL, and the Museum for Human Rights), has had its bubble burst --at least that's what I've read thus far.

I, for one, could whole-heartily care less. In fact, someone would have to pay me $3000.00 to give a care. It's a non-issue for me.

It’s like someone complaining about getting dumped. Here’s a useful tip: cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it. If AC doesn’t want us, then we shouldn’t want them.

Are people really upset that AC pilots and flight staff won’t be spending their nights downtown?

There’s clearly more to it. People feel slighted by the move. Who does AC think it is, judging us and our downtown?

Well, maybe AC is right.

Take a walk down Portage and Hargrave. How about lunch at the Portage Place food court. If your stroll and dining experience go without incident, count yourself lucky.

Well, maybe AC is wrong.

It’s also impossible to walk downtown without brushing elbows with at least one member of the WPS, Cadet program, or Downtown Watch. The city is clearly going the band-aid route with crime downtown. And to some, that’s good enough.

Or maybe there's just more to the story.

But here’s a true story for you:

I walk by The Radisson everyday. I usually don’t notice the place unless there’s a tour bus in front of it. In that case, i’ll usually hang around longer than I should, trying to catch a glimpse of someone famous. The bus is usually filled up with seniors who travel here to gamble. ANYWAY, one afternoon, I noticed two commercial airliner pilots, and two flight attendants (whether they worked for Air Canada, I can’t say for certain) getting out of their vehicle, and IMMEDIATELY approached by two people --both of whom looked like they were no strangers to street life. At first I felt embarrassed for the city. 

But, these people weren’t asking for money or acting violent. They were just curious. Pilots wear uniforms that look like they belong in the movies. It may be safe to say that a lot of houseless people don’t fly on commercial airliners very often. Pilots just look intriguing. If AC want's people to stop bothering their pilots, maybe it should think about dressing them in attire not directly out of the 1960s.