Don't think anyone has posted it yet. . .
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=431366
Air Canada's latest headache
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futboler14
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Imagine being the type of person that when anything bad happens to you the first thing you do is call the media. pathetic.
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
There is a history here so watch your comments. People are sore over a tough winter even though weather created a lot of the problems people sometimes do not understand. And also this is a family going through a tough time you should not judge so quickly.
Can
Can
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Yes, I understand it's a tough time... but not too grieving to call the newspapers. Woe is me.
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Old fella
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
NL can be quite a pain in the arse getting in and out either by air or the dreaded ferry service. Even the dead are finding that out!!!!!
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Wonder if he got a 250$ credit since he was bumped?
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Sounds like a lack of communication, or mis-communication is what has the family bothered.
Lack of time, not bumping, caused delay shipping corpse: Air Canada
Lack of time, not bumping, caused delay shipping corpse: Air Canada
The remains of a Newfoundland man headed home for a funeral arrived late because there was not enough time to get the corpse on a connecting flight, Air Canada says.
The funeral director handling the service for Dennis Hamilton, who died in Alberta last week, said Air Canada told the Springdale company that a lack of time — and not bumping the corpse to make room for luggage — was the problem.
Hamilton's family had been previously told that his corpse was bumped from a flight between Montreal and Deer Lake to make room for cargo.
Air Canada would not do an interview with CBC News about the matter, but a company official told CanWest News Service the incident had nothing to do with a body being bumped.
"Essentially, it was an act of goodwill on the part of our agents … and, regrettably, it didn't work out," Peter Fitzpatrick told CanWest.
Agents in Edmonton had booked the body to be shipped to Deer Lake, knowing that time was tight for a connecting flight in Montreal.
"I have to tell you our employees are pretty upset about it. They feel badly. They were trying to help the family by bending the rules, but instead they compounded what is already a tragic situation," Fitzpatrick told CanWest.
Geoff Carnell, owner of a funeral home in St. John's, said delays in shipping corpses are not uncommon. He described the problem as a major frustration, and one that airlines should try to prevent.
"You need to do whatever you can to accommodate a family, whether it is [for] compassionate travel — allow them to get on the flight before somebody else — or to have the remains of their loved ones placed in priority," Carnell told CBC News.
Meanwhile, the Hamilton family's case prompted another family to speak out.
St. John's resident Cyril Ludlow said he still feels frustrated with Air Canada, four years after his son's remains did not arrive on schedule from Manitoba.
His son's body had been mistakenly left in Toronto, where new passengers boarded the plane. The incident forced the family to delay the wake by a day.
"You can do without your baggage for a day," Ludlow said.
"But if it's a matter of space for a body or for baggage, I think sensitivity should enter into the picture."
Ludlow said Air Canada never gave the family an explanation.
Lack of time, not bumping, caused delay shipping corpse: Air Canada
Lack of time, not bumping, caused delay shipping corpse: Air Canada
The remains of a Newfoundland man headed home for a funeral arrived late because there was not enough time to get the corpse on a connecting flight, Air Canada says.
The funeral director handling the service for Dennis Hamilton, who died in Alberta last week, said Air Canada told the Springdale company that a lack of time — and not bumping the corpse to make room for luggage — was the problem.
Hamilton's family had been previously told that his corpse was bumped from a flight between Montreal and Deer Lake to make room for cargo.
Air Canada would not do an interview with CBC News about the matter, but a company official told CanWest News Service the incident had nothing to do with a body being bumped.
"Essentially, it was an act of goodwill on the part of our agents … and, regrettably, it didn't work out," Peter Fitzpatrick told CanWest.
Agents in Edmonton had booked the body to be shipped to Deer Lake, knowing that time was tight for a connecting flight in Montreal.
"I have to tell you our employees are pretty upset about it. They feel badly. They were trying to help the family by bending the rules, but instead they compounded what is already a tragic situation," Fitzpatrick told CanWest.
Geoff Carnell, owner of a funeral home in St. John's, said delays in shipping corpses are not uncommon. He described the problem as a major frustration, and one that airlines should try to prevent.
"You need to do whatever you can to accommodate a family, whether it is [for] compassionate travel — allow them to get on the flight before somebody else — or to have the remains of their loved ones placed in priority," Carnell told CBC News.
Meanwhile, the Hamilton family's case prompted another family to speak out.
St. John's resident Cyril Ludlow said he still feels frustrated with Air Canada, four years after his son's remains did not arrive on schedule from Manitoba.
His son's body had been mistakenly left in Toronto, where new passengers boarded the plane. The incident forced the family to delay the wake by a day.
"You can do without your baggage for a day," Ludlow said.
"But if it's a matter of space for a body or for baggage, I think sensitivity should enter into the picture."
Ludlow said Air Canada never gave the family an explanation.
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200hr Wonder
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Oh I am going to hell for this one:
I mean he is dead not like he is going to notice the delay!
It is a joke everyone relax.
I mean he is dead not like he is going to notice the delay!
It is a joke everyone relax.
Cheers,
200hr Wonder
200hr Wonder
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Zapp Brannigan
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
AC said they ended up only having 20minutes to make he connection of the coffin? Wonder if the connecting bags from YMM made the flight out east? If they did, probably meant the ground crew or someone else decided not to put the stiff on.
The media LOVES stories on the airlines, isn't it obvious airlines can never do anything right?!
The media LOVES stories on the airlines, isn't it obvious airlines can never do anything right?!
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
What rules were they bending?"I have to tell you our employees are pretty upset about it. They feel badly. They were trying to help the family by bending the rules, but instead they compounded what is already a tragic situation," Fitzpatrick told CanWest.
Former Advocate for Floatplane Safety
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
So the guy was late for his own funeral?
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The Hammer
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Booking a 20 min connection time would be outside of company rules/ policy. It's not realistic and other carriers probably wouldn't guarantee it either.
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
No, media LOVES stories on ONE airline only!Zapp Brannigan wrote:AC said they ended up only having 20minutes to make he connection of the coffin? Wonder if the connecting bags from YMM made the flight out east? If they did, probably meant the ground crew or someone else decided not to put the stiff on.
The media LOVES stories on the airlines, isn't it obvious airlines can never do anything right?!
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Zapp Brannigan
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Coffin delay comes back to haunt Air Canada
Ken Meaney, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Still stinging from a winter's worth of irate passengers and cancelled connections, Air Canada has another headache. This one: a Newfoundland family's complaint that the airline bumped the coffin of a relative off a flight in Montreal last week to make room for luggage.
Now, the man's relatives are looking for an apology, and Air Canada is left to explain how an attempt by its employees to help the family bring home the body of Dennis Hamilton went off course.
"We want to know why you would bump anyone, if it's a loved one. That should be the priority, not the luggage," Judy Hamilton said from Springdale, Nfld., yesterday.
Reached in Toronto, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick called the incident "unfortunate," and denied the coffin was bumped.
"Essentially, it was an act of goodwill on the part of our agents ... and, regrettably, it didn't work out," he said, adding that the airline's booking agents are upset their efforts caused the family further pain.
Ms. Hamilton said her 51-year-old brother-in-law, Dennis Hamilton, had a heart attack and died in his room at a Fort McMurray, Alta., work camp a week and a half ago.
He had been living in Alberta for 30 years, she said, and had been at the camp for seven months. The body was found by the man's nephew - Judy Hamilton's son, Tyler - who also worked at the camp.
Dennis Hamilton, who was not married, was still close to his relatives and often came home to visit, she said. "He always wanted to come back to Newfoundland to stay."
Ms. Hamilton said a funeral home in Springdale, in central Newfoundland, handled the arrangements to bring the body back, but when the funeral director went to the airport early last Thursday to get the coffin, it was not there.
"He had all the paperwork filled out and he was looking around. Everything was closing up. Everybody was shutting down, turning off the lights and everything. He said, ‘I'm here waiting for a body, someone's loved one.' They said ‘I'm sorry. It got bumped in Montreal.' "
The family was left to wonder what had happened to Mr. Hamilton's remains until his body arrived half a day later.
The delay forced the family to push back the funeral by a day. Mr. Hamilton was finally buried last Saturday, but Ms. Hamilton said she still had not heard from Air Canada as of yesterday.
The Air Canada spokesman said the airline will be in touch with the family. But Mr. Fitzpatrick said timing, and not cargo problems, caused the coffin to be left behind.
He said airline employees in Edmonton knew there might not be enough time to get the coffin off the flight from Alberta and on to the plane for Newfoundland, but they booked it anyway. Needing two hours between flights to make the transfer, the flight was late getting in to Montreal, he said. And in the end, they had only 20 minutes.
"I have to tell you our employees are pretty upset about it. They feel badly. They were trying to help the family by bending the rules, but instead they compounded what is already a tragic situation."
In the end, the body went out on the first available flight the next morning, he said.
Canwest News Service
They went to the media cause they were pissed AC never called or told them of the delay. I'd be pissed too, plan a funeral and all.
Even WJ gets press for inflight turbulence, they always seem to have a PR person that handles it better though. AC looks stupid because they say they're bending some sort of rules to get a hummer on a flight. When you know something is going to be screwed up, call family or passengers, and maybe they won't be so pissed they go to the media!
Ken Meaney, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Still stinging from a winter's worth of irate passengers and cancelled connections, Air Canada has another headache. This one: a Newfoundland family's complaint that the airline bumped the coffin of a relative off a flight in Montreal last week to make room for luggage.
Now, the man's relatives are looking for an apology, and Air Canada is left to explain how an attempt by its employees to help the family bring home the body of Dennis Hamilton went off course.
"We want to know why you would bump anyone, if it's a loved one. That should be the priority, not the luggage," Judy Hamilton said from Springdale, Nfld., yesterday.
Reached in Toronto, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick called the incident "unfortunate," and denied the coffin was bumped.
"Essentially, it was an act of goodwill on the part of our agents ... and, regrettably, it didn't work out," he said, adding that the airline's booking agents are upset their efforts caused the family further pain.
Ms. Hamilton said her 51-year-old brother-in-law, Dennis Hamilton, had a heart attack and died in his room at a Fort McMurray, Alta., work camp a week and a half ago.
He had been living in Alberta for 30 years, she said, and had been at the camp for seven months. The body was found by the man's nephew - Judy Hamilton's son, Tyler - who also worked at the camp.
Dennis Hamilton, who was not married, was still close to his relatives and often came home to visit, she said. "He always wanted to come back to Newfoundland to stay."
Ms. Hamilton said a funeral home in Springdale, in central Newfoundland, handled the arrangements to bring the body back, but when the funeral director went to the airport early last Thursday to get the coffin, it was not there.
"He had all the paperwork filled out and he was looking around. Everything was closing up. Everybody was shutting down, turning off the lights and everything. He said, ‘I'm here waiting for a body, someone's loved one.' They said ‘I'm sorry. It got bumped in Montreal.' "
The family was left to wonder what had happened to Mr. Hamilton's remains until his body arrived half a day later.
The delay forced the family to push back the funeral by a day. Mr. Hamilton was finally buried last Saturday, but Ms. Hamilton said she still had not heard from Air Canada as of yesterday.
The Air Canada spokesman said the airline will be in touch with the family. But Mr. Fitzpatrick said timing, and not cargo problems, caused the coffin to be left behind.
He said airline employees in Edmonton knew there might not be enough time to get the coffin off the flight from Alberta and on to the plane for Newfoundland, but they booked it anyway. Needing two hours between flights to make the transfer, the flight was late getting in to Montreal, he said. And in the end, they had only 20 minutes.
"I have to tell you our employees are pretty upset about it. They feel badly. They were trying to help the family by bending the rules, but instead they compounded what is already a tragic situation."
In the end, the body went out on the first available flight the next morning, he said.
Canwest News Service
They went to the media cause they were pissed AC never called or told them of the delay. I'd be pissed too, plan a funeral and all.
Even WJ gets press for inflight turbulence, they always seem to have a PR person that handles it better though. AC looks stupid because they say they're bending some sort of rules to get a hummer on a flight. When you know something is going to be screwed up, call family or passengers, and maybe they won't be so pissed they go to the media!
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The Hammer
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
It was delayed by half a day. Not earth shattering. Personally, based on the wx experienced on the rock this year you have to be somewhat ignorant to leave it that tight.
Last time I checked there are like 7 or 8 AC flights a day out of YMM. If the staff had to bend rules for cx issues then somebody (funeral guy most likely who is pointing the finger away from himself) wasn't doing their planning by scheduling the shipment at the time they chose. One call to AC would have told them not to plan it this way.
AC fubars enuf they don't need to cover other peoples @#$! ups
Last time I checked there are like 7 or 8 AC flights a day out of YMM. If the staff had to bend rules for cx issues then somebody (funeral guy most likely who is pointing the finger away from himself) wasn't doing their planning by scheduling the shipment at the time they chose. One call to AC would have told them not to plan it this way.
AC fubars enuf they don't need to cover other peoples @#$! ups
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
I'm sure emotions run high when you're dealing with a loved one but overall the family is making a mountain out of a mole hill. Making a big deal about it will just cause airline employees to think twice before they think of bending the rules for someone again.
It's unfortunate when ANYONE living or dead misses a flight. Personally I don't see it as being more tragic because the guy was dead even if the funeral is delayed. There are lots of things that can delay a funeral, and planning things so tightly around the arrival of the body just isn't good planning.
It's unfortunate when ANYONE living or dead misses a flight. Personally I don't see it as being more tragic because the guy was dead even if the funeral is delayed. There are lots of things that can delay a funeral, and planning things so tightly around the arrival of the body just isn't good planning.
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Not sure how many funerals you've taken part in arranging, but if Mr. Hamilton had been deceased for a week and a half already, it is not surprising his funeral was planned for the day after his arrival - the bereaved usually like to get the formalities over with as quickly as possible. It may have taken that long for the coroner to do the autopsy and confirm the cause of death, thus releasing the body to the family/funeral director.
I agree with Zapp, in that the "problem" would never have made the press had the AC staff made a call when the casket didn't make the flight.
I agree with Zapp, in that the "problem" would never have made the press had the AC staff made a call when the casket didn't make the flight.
Former Advocate for Floatplane Safety
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Sorry but I gotta jump all over the notion that the airline should have called. Where do you draw the line? How many other pieces of cargo were on the flight? Has anybody ever received a call from A/C Cargo, Fed-Ex etc telling you that a piece of cargo was dropped off at airport XYZ that was routed thru ABC and it didn't connect? Do they call you at home when your departing flight is running late? I understand the emotional point of view and the feeling that they were wronged but in the end it was a piece of cargo in the hold (human remains) I know of no airline that calls each and every cargo customers advising them that an aircraft is running late or a particular piece didn't make the flight they were thinking it was going to be on...cargo is space available, passenger bags actually take priority. Hell even AOG parts load after baggage.
I think the real problem was that an employee either used terminology that was incorrect or worse stated the facts incorrectly.
I think the real problem was that an employee either used terminology that was incorrect or worse stated the facts incorrectly.
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Davecameron77
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Based on my expierences working on the ramp, (I can't speak for air canada);
Cargo is almost always provided by an outside contractor, and timeframes are on a space/time available basis. I've never worked for a carrier that guaranteed a particular flight for cargo, it is up to the cargo company to make time frames. If it fits and we have time, it goes, if not it sits. It is everyday practice for one shipment go on several different flights.
More than likely, it was bumped on the ramp due to space/OTP, sent back to the warehouse and lost somewhere in between. If AC operates the same way they are no way at fault, it is just there name attached.
Cargo is almost always provided by an outside contractor, and timeframes are on a space/time available basis. I've never worked for a carrier that guaranteed a particular flight for cargo, it is up to the cargo company to make time frames. If it fits and we have time, it goes, if not it sits. It is everyday practice for one shipment go on several different flights.
More than likely, it was bumped on the ramp due to space/OTP, sent back to the warehouse and lost somewhere in between. If AC operates the same way they are no way at fault, it is just there name attached.
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
Hey, if I was travelling from Fort McMurray to anywhere in Newfoundland for business (never mind a funeral) I wouldn't be planning to do much of anything on the day of arrival. If you're flying the airlines and you absolutely have to be somewhere on a certain day, travel the day before. If you're travelling that far, you definitely want to build in a buffer.Not sure how many funerals you've taken part in arranging.....
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
According to the article, the casket and it's contents were being transported on Thursday, the funeral set for Friday.
I don't think you can compare "normal" cargo to the remains of a loved one. Aren't there any special conditions for transport?
I don't think you can compare "normal" cargo to the remains of a loved one. Aren't there any special conditions for transport?
Former Advocate for Floatplane Safety
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
I know on the regional airline I worked for a while ago we had special procedures for human remains. We first coordinated with the coroner on deciding a flight that would have room for the human remains. A passenger "seat" was then booked to allow for room weight-wise. So basically the human remains were guaranteed to go, just as much as any normal passenger was guaranteed to get on the flight.Widow wrote:I don't think you can compare "normal" cargo to the remains of a loved one. Aren't there any special conditions for transport?
I'm not sure how it would work with the big airlines, but I imagine it gets slightly more complicated when dealing with heavier loads and multiple connecting flights.
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What Flaps?
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Re: Air Canada's latest headache
OK of all the bad puns that one is the winner. Good one!MrWings wrote:So the guy was late for his own funeral?
Re: Air Canada's latest headache
In reality, if it was the last flight of the night YUL-YYZ it is scheduled to get it at around 00:15 local. The first flight out in the morning I believe departs YUL at around 5:30 and gets in around 6:30... so we are only talking about 6 hours. I have seen mechanical delays longer than that.
