My small effort to support Gilles on the FLVC issue

[Sasquash]

Gilles;

I wholeheartedly support your effort in addressing the concern of Foreign Pilot Validation Certificates that are issued by Transport Canada. Since the regulator does not appear to respond in a transparent and ethical manner, I am therefore taking steps to ensure that I, as a flying customer, support our Canadian airlines and Canadian pilots.

I have begun to work on my next winter vacation and the following emails to my travel agent outline my position on this issue. Keep up your good work. Ultimately I believe a lot of pilots will have you to thank to ensure the preservation of our airline industry in Canada.

Sasquash.
============================================================

Thanks Charlotte;

Actually, by not answering or sidestepping, they actually answered my questions and basically proved my points.

On that basis alone, I will not make travel arrangements with Sunwing, no matter how good of a deal I may get. I will continue to subsidise Canadian companies employing Canadian pilots.

Regards

R

----- Original Message -----
From: custom travel
To: Sasquash
Sent: Thursday, 11 July, 2013 9:10:35 AM
Subject: Fw: Client inquiry

Morning R

Below is the response I have received from my Sunwing representative.

I think you will find it very amusing. From what I can see it appears that
they side stepped the answer.

Anyways you tried
Have a great day
Charlotte

-----Original Message-----
From: Cindy Erixon
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 4:59 PM
To: custom.travel
Subject: RE: Client inquiry

Hi Charlotte,

As I am not qualified to answer your clients enquiries, I did send your
email on to the "powers that be" for comment. The comment I received is as
follows:

All Flight Crew operating on Sunwing Airlines flights have been fully
trained by Sunwing, have a valid pilots license and are in full compliance
with all Transport Canada regulations.

I hope you will find this helpful.
Kind regards, Cindy


Cindy Erixon | Business Development Manager - Saskatchewan / Manitoba / NW
Ontario
Sunwing Vacations | Signature Vacations
Tel: 1.877.877.1755, ext. 3487 | Email:cerixon@sunwing.ca
305-15957 84th Avenue, Surrey BC, V4N 0W7
Tel: 1.604.595.4210 (local)
Toll: 1.877.388.0768

-----Original Message-----
From: custom.travel
Sent: July-09-13 11:15 AM
To: Cindy Erixon
Subject: Fw: Client inquiry

Good Morning Cindy

Forwarding this e mail on to you from my client that has some questions that
I cannot answer concerning Sunwing.

I am sure you will know the answers or send this on to the powers that do.

Have a great day

Charlotte
custom.travel

-----Original Message-----
From: R Gagnon
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 9:34 AM
To: custom travel
Subject: Fwd: South destination Feb 2014

Charlotte:

Thanks for your reply and if you have specific locations in Mexico (Cancun
and the Mayan) pass them along so we can research them via trip advisor and
so on.

I have been looking at a few providers, however before we make our selection
for this year, I wonder if you could forward a copy of this email to your
Sunwing rep with regards to this company hiring foreign pilots during the
winter month.

As you remember, you had our family booked with Sunwing a few years ago for
a vacation to Punta Cana. It was on that trip that I discovered the Sunwing
flight we were on, was on a German registered Boeing 737. This got me
curious and I started looking into this issue.

Since then, I have become aware of legal issues involving foreign pilots
hired by Sunwing on the basis of a Transport Canada issued Foreign license
Validation certificate or FLVC. There is also a strong opposition to these
FLVCs by the Canadian Airline Pilots Association specifically because these
certificates were issued by Transport Canada to non Canadian pilots outside
the permissible parameters under which these FLVCs are allowed.

Basically, these FLVC are invalid license when used to fly revenue
passengers in airline operations such as Sunwing. In fact, if there were to
be a major incident, an insurer could deny all claims on the basis that the
offending company was operating in violation of the aviation regulation. In
addition, Sunwing is bypassing training costs by hiring foreigners that are
already qualified on their aircraft rather than actually hiring and training
qualified Canadian pilots, as all the other airlines are doing as normal
business.

So my questions would be:

- Is Sunwing prepared to provide certification that if I choose to fly with
them, that the flight crew will have a Transport Canada issued pilot license
and not an FLVC, as mentioned above, that certifies their non Canadian
foreign license?

- IS Sunwing prepared to provide voluntary production of the flight crew
Canadian aviation documents upon boarding the aircraft, on the basis that if
the flight crew are not holder of a Transport Canada issued license (not an
FLVC) then the contract is null and void and refund is returned?

I really have a problem to fly with an airline that cuts corners to the
extent I don't know from which country their pilots have come from and what
kind of training, if any, they received. The medias have reported several
cases of fraudulent pilot licenses from around the world over the last few
years, and I therefore would rather fly with an all Canadian flight crew,
knowing our training requirements are very rigorous.

Failing this we have, fortunately, other available airlines as options.

Thanks

Sasquash

[FenderManDan]

Just take the "WetJet" man and be done with "NoneWing".

My last and I mean really last trip was this year using the Sunwing. My wife booked it, so don't blame me. I decided not to support that ops even before the FLVC issue. Just a crappy unreliable service.

[True North]

Well done Sasquash.

[OPEC6-Heavy]