Debt-ridden Wasaya Airways in ‘danger of collapsing’

[Liquid Charlie]

FTB -- good post -- I think you pretty much hit it on the head -- how often over the years have I seen similar situations arise in other airlines -- some have survived (northern carriers seem to be able) some haven't --

Wasaya has a tough road ahead -- fallen into the pit of needing to replace aging aircraft and lacking the capital to do so -- also now there is competition nipping at their heals -- Bearskin --likely back into key communities -- Perimeter doing the same and Calm Air and Private Air (Cargo North) are there as well -- no injection of money -- no matter how much will fix them unless there management team to go along with it -- I for one hope that they cant get their sh1t together -- no one wants to see fellow pilots out of work because of poor management and greed --

[Gravol]

Someone remind me who's financially accountable + in charge of the books at Wasaya?

Can someone tell me how much Tom Morris has contributed to the "company" , if you want to call it that?

Some great people working there as well as some lower than dirt disgusting vile human parasites.

Azimuth, call it what you want. A spade a is a spade.

[Brown Bear]

Some great people working there as well as some lower than dirt disgusting vile human parasites.

Azimuth, call it what you want. A spade a is a spade.

As usual, the parasites run the show!

[Doc]

LC brings up a very valid point. They really need to replace what's left of their Hawker "fleet". You can only go to New Zealand so often for engine work and still maintain some viability. What are they down to, two? The 1900's are cycling out at a great rate, and the PC12 uses "Swiss Made" Rolex parts, which after they're out of warranty, require the Crown Jewels to maintain. If they have five reserves into them for 200K each.....well, they need to very aggressively pursue that million dollars, or so.
Methinks their ship is taking on water faster than the pumps can bail it out. It shall be an interesting future for Wasaya indeed. Perhaps a short one?

[X-Savior]

pretty much all of their PC12's have already been mothballed in YQT about 6 weeks ago.

[shimmydampner]

convicting them due to association by ethnicity

I realize you are desperate to make this a racism issue just like you try with every other topic you chime in on, but please just stop. No one has said that the issues faced by Wasaya are a result of key people being Aboriginal. All that has been suggested is that key people are corrupt and/or incompetent which has nothing to do with ethnicity. You really should stop trying to reinforce the idea that Aboriginals are some sort of Canadian sacred cow that must never have any sort of negative spotlight cast in their direction. Your blind eye, walking on eggshells mentality is exactly what has helped some corrupt Aboriginal leaders successfully fleece their own already impoverished people.

[Doc]

convicting them due to association by ethnicity

I realize you are desperate to make this a racism issue just like you try with every other topic you chime in on, but please just stop. No one has said that the issues faced by Wasaya are a result of key people being Aboriginal. All that has been suggested is that key people are corrupt and/or incompetent which has nothing to do with ethnicity. You really should stop trying to reinforce the idea that Aboriginals are some sort of Canadian sacred cow that must never have any sort of negative spotlight cast in their direction. Your blind eye, walking on eggshells mentality is exactly what has helped some corrupt Aboriginal leaders successfully fleece their own already impoverished people.

Who are you talking to?

[shimmydampner]

I had quoted Azimuth

[Doc]

I had quoted Azimuth

Okay. I hears you then. Have no idea where he's coming from either.

[Sidebar]

All that has been suggested is that key people are corrupt and/or incompetent

The way I read it is that some customers, who also happen to be shareholders, have not paid their accounts. Where incompetence comes in is the company management continuing to do business with customers who don't pay their bills.

[Doc]

All that has been suggested is that key people are corrupt and/or incompetent

The way I read it is that some customers, who also happen to be shareholders, have not paid their accounts. Where incompetence comes in is the company management continuing to do business with customers who don't pay their bills.

BINGO. If you're stupid enough to keep flying the pop, chips and Pampers, to folks who don't pay their bills, you deserve to go TU!

[azimuthaviation]

No one has said that the issues faced by Wasaya are a result of key people being Aboriginal.

Really?

Different rules apply when the ownership is as it is.

T.C. will not be shutting down a native owned operation . It wouldn't matter how much of a fustercluck was going on there.

Im not gonna spell it out either but anyone see any similarities to this story?

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/sear ... 9080637001

*you can skip the first 2 minutes if youre not a fan of ezra

I'll let you guess what the content of the Ezra Levant video is. Hint: its not about "people are corrupt and/or incompetent which has nothing to do with ethnicity" It has everything to do with ethnicity. Can you tell me why that is relevent to this story if it has nothing at all to do with the owners being Native?

[shimmydampner]

None of those statements nor the video are disparaging to Aboriginals. They simply point out the reality that government has an unfortunate tendency to treat them as a sacred cow as opposed to equal citizens.

[Big Pistons Forever]

FWIW 2nd hand rumour is that the fuel supplier is about to demand payment on delivery to the aircraft ........

[Brown Bear]

Ever seen the rat funnels they put on mooring/dock lines? Best turn then around to keep the rats ON this ship!
COD for fuel is the beginning of the end......usually.

[frozen solid]

Politics aside, this is hard to watch. During my time in Pickle Beach and Red Lake I enjoyed watching the old Hawkers come and go and looked forward to the caravan coming to Summer Beaver when I was stationed there in my little 185 so I could go to the airport and chat with the pilot. Some days it was the only thing that happened that day. Once or twice the crew of the passenger Hawker would invite me aboard for a hot cup of coffee if they found me sitting at an airport freezing my dick off waiting for some hunter or whatever to show up. I remember when they got the 1900s and that was fairly exciting. Seems like for a while they were a pretty good outfit, at least for pilots. Maybe not but I had friends there and I even think of those old Avros as friends, in a way. Good ships in their day. I'll miss them.

[Liquid Charlie]

FWIW 2nd hand rumour is that the fuel supplier is about to demand payment on delivery to the aircraft

--

if this is remotely close to being accurate I have never seen an airline that went on COD for fuel survive -- they either evaporated or were taken over and restructured --

[CID]

Yeah, comparing to airlines that went bankrupt.

Burying your head in the sand and ignoring the HUGE differences between Wasaya and other airlines that have suffered financial woes helps nobody. Neither does coming off as some sort of champion for FN people in Canada in this matter.

Consider the circumstances in which airlines go under. Some are due to market forces, others to mismanagement, others struggle with competition. Also consider where the funding for these operations come and where the revenues go.

Those factors alone identify significant differences between Wasaya and the other airlines mentioned. How about Wardair? How Air Canada?

[X-Savior]

FWIW 2nd hand rumour is that the fuel supplier is about to demand payment on delivery to the aircraft

--

if this is remotely close to being accurate I have never seen an airline that went on COD for fuel survive -- they either evaporated or were taken over and restructured --

Or in Peace Air's circumstance went bankrupt not even a week later and did not ever end up paying it's employees what they owed either.

[Gorgons]

The problem with this thread? It’s just another example of the continuation of a negative stereotype of indigenous peoples based on nothing, no facts to back up anybody’s claims that the airline is funded with government dollars and that it has unfettered access to a bottomless pit of government funds that other airlines don’t.

Fact, it doesn’t.

It’s had access to government funding for training programs and such, but it’s an application process open to all first nations businesses. You don’t always get what you ask for. Funds received have tight guidelines and targets attached if you don’t meet them and the funds stop flowing. The funds received can’t be used as operating capital or asset purchases.

The notion that they can just call up a minister and ask them to write a cheque is ridiculous, ask yourselves since when is it a crime or news worthy for that matter that a company executive sent a letter to its largest creditors telling them to pay their bill? Selling assets? Anybody find a Wasaya aircraft on the market for sale? Reducing costs and returning leased PC-12’s that have turned out to be a bad and costly fit? You can spin that into a bad news story if that’s your agenda but I’m siding with winter roads and the necessary paring down an airline in that region needs to do to keep the cash flow going. COD on fuel? Another baseless rumor that serves no good purposes other than to fan the flames and make about 350 people nervous because you jump on here and spout off rumours and outright BS like you just came out of the boardroom from your personal Wasaya briefing.

[HiLo]

They'll just dip their paws into the tax payer cookie jar, and all will start anew. It's what they do. Good indication of crappy management is allowing debts to become that large in the first place. If the bills aren't being paid, the pop and chips stop flowing. Pretty simple? Pay the bill, you'll get more Pampers!
Done

You forgot the insulin

[trey kule]

Gorgons...thank you for injecting some levity into this thread.

[HORUNNER]

This reminds me very much of the same way NACAir went out.
Communities thinking that since they are owners bills don't need to be paid.
Debt grows and then doors close.
Someone asked earlier if the communities or owners were getting monthly profit share, well if you don't pay your bills there really isn't any profit to share.

[trey kule]

This reminds me very much of the same way NACAir went out.
Communities thinking that since they are owners bills don't need to be paid.
Debt grows and then doors close.
Someone asked earlier if the communities or owners were getting monthly profit share, well if you don't pay your bills there really isn't any profit to share.

You would think that is how it should work, but the north has some unusual economic realities.
In any event, I expect the government will bail them out (ie pay the bills) because the govt failed to discharge their responsibility to administer as required under the act. Then the merry go round can start up again...
Our tax dollars at work.

[ScudRunner]

This reminds me very much of the same way NACAir went out.
Communities thinking that since they are owners bills don't need to be paid.
Debt grows and then doors close.
Someone asked earlier if the communities or owners were getting monthly profit share, well if you don't pay your bills there really isn't any profit to share.

yup my thoughts exactly, however there was a lot more to that story involving these same chiefs.