U. S. ban on flights hits NHL in Canada

Canada's six NHL teams are scrambling to find alternative travel arrangements south of the border after the U. S. Department of Transportation banned Air Canada's charter fleet from flying between U.S cities.

www.calgaryherald.com...

Gary Bettman is likely chuckling and having visions of his dream becoming a reality: a US-only NHL. I say let America have it. we'll just start focussing our attention on the Juniors and start attending their games instead. it's better hockey anyways. I can't wait to watch their games on our national channels.

Go London Knights!!!



Canada's government, however, is not so amused:

In a furious exchange with the Obama administration over the mid-August ruling, Canada has launched its own investigation and will soon close its skies to U. S. sports team charters in retaliation, warns Transport Minister John Baird.

The sticking point is an eight-year-old exemption that had allowed sports and celebrity charters to make several pit stops in American cities. Under existing open skies agreements, regular Canadian airline flights can only visit one U. S. city before returning.

Don't you just LOVE the tit-for-tat?

The other 'not so funny' part is that this pertains to all celebrities, including rock bands (etc) on tour.

And so it goes...

reply to post by masqua


Oh dear god ...

I really thought you said: "U. S. ban on FIGHTS hits NHL in Canada"

lol

Yeah no, this is also terrible ... but the other thing would have been hysterical in so many ways, and much worse news.

[edit on 6 Sep 2009 by schrodingers dog]

It really IS kinda good for Canada. All those great bands staying here to play Canadian cities instead of American. I really hope European bands are also having to leave their private jets in NYC and fly United to points west.



Good thing they can still fly anywhere in Canada. C'mon down.

As far as Bettman and the NHL is concerned... keep 'em all. In fact, maybe the Leafs can move south too. The Toledo Maple Leafs has a nice sound to it.

[edit on 6/9/09 by masqua]

reply to post by masqua


yeah you're right forget the leafs....could you imagine if the up and coming nhler's became patriotic enough in canada to only play here? The league is still at least half canadian, with no stanly cup winning team comprising of less than sixty percent. or so i heard.

so yeah, to sum it up, let'em have it.

I loved watching Blazers games when i was a kid.

If this escalates into something more, I'd be scared for America. . . It would be another country of the British Monarch with alternative views. And might be disastorous futher more for the U.S. economy.

reply to post by born2BWild


Well, the 'Buy American' clause in the recovery bill is "something more" and that is already causing lots of problems with NAFTA, but that's another topic.

As far as Canada just being "another country of the British Monarch", that too is another topic now active on the ATS boards (somewhere), but, honestly, you'd be surprised how piddling little influence she has in our day-to-day business.

As far as this restriction on foreign aircraft is concerned, visiting more than one city and not allowed to disgorge their passengers, I doubt it will do anything more than tempt/force American teams/entertainers to stay in the US for all their games/concerts unless they're willing to fly commercial within Canada.



Right now, I'm wondering about other carriers/corporate jets and if they too face the same restrictions as Air Canada's charter fleet. One would assume so or legal actions could be taken against unfair trade practices.

List of winners

Considering that a Canadian team hasn't taken Stanley home since 1992 ... that means we get to keep Stanley and ya'll have to come up with a new 'Stanley' of your own to play with.

GO FLYERS!!

reply to post by FlyersFan


Yes... they're called the Junior leagues and they play REAL hockey.

Can't wait for Canadian arenas to start filling up with fans for these great young players. Also can't wait for the networks to start showing their games.

Bettman can store the Stanley Cup where the sun never shines.



Go Ice Dogs

I'm wondering if the following isn't the main reason why there is no extension to the 8-year exemption. Business practice being what it is and lobbyists being the political 'soup de jour' these days, It wouldn't surprise me.

Transport - Delta Air Lines Inc. and the other big U.S. carriers are poised to make more cuts in available seats as the summer travel season ends this weekend, capping the industry's deepest retrenchment since the second world war.

Capacity at the six largest carriers, led by Delta, will shrink 6.8 per cent by year's end from 2008 levels, according to data compiled by flight information firm OAG Aviation Solutions for Bloomberg. That's equal to erasing the domestic network of US Airways Group Inc., the no. 6 U.S. airline by traffic.

www.calgaryherald.com...