Had a vague recollection, web search confirms Canada's federal govt has restricted 5G deployment around airports because of the altimeter interference question. Telecoms are the unhappy ones here. May turn into another "airplane mode" controversy with public uncertainty and regulators erring on the side of caution.

(Written on 2021/12/10)(Permalink)

Sorry boys, but odds are 50-50 for another serious winter lockdown caused by unvaxxed clogging of medical facilities for all purposes after the holidays. In that scenario the vaxxed majority is going to lose all remaining patience with providing the unvaxxed with anything at all.

(Written on 2021/11/12)(Permalink)

I'm increasingly coming to the view that with full public disclosure, all services including transportation and medical care should be open but segregated: let unvaxxed pilots and cabin crew fly unvaxxed passengers only, and keep services and facilities for the vaccinated strictly controlled to minimize exposure. Over the next year or so the unvaxxed will get infected, survive to natural immunity or die, I'm easy about both outcomes.

(Written on 2021/11/12)(Permalink)

There will be commercial consequences, this winter at least, for publicly self-identifying as "the anti-vaxxer airline". The more travelers who choose it, the cleaner the air on the mandate-abiding carriers. Just let everybody know, and let the chips fall where they may.

(Written on 2021/10/15)(Permalink)

Alberta is the poster-child for giving no-vaxxers what they want, hospital ICUs become sewers for unvaccinated COVIDs and you better not need care for anything else. My only concerns about vax mandates and restrictions are distribution and protection of data and whether (not sure of science) they ought to include medical confirmation of survivor "natural" immunity - Ontario reports half a million recovered from infections, and IF they're immune I don't mind sitting a table away or sharing a cabin or rail car with them.

(Written on 2021/10/08)(Permalink)

It probably should be done (for egregious or repeat offenders) but would require some kind of independent appeal procedure as well as a national or international system, the cost of which carriers would add to airfare. The episodes disrupt and delay travel for other passengers as well as the airlines, so maybe repays the cost.

(Written on 2021/10/02)(Permalink)

It's no longer about infections, all about hospital capacity. My guess is odds are 50-50 that the health system gets clogged to incapacity for ordinary health care again this winter, all due to the unvaxxed, forcing another economically significant lockdown. At that point the vaxxed majority will have lost any remaining patience with the voluntarily susceptible, and with accommodating any social or legal interests they have in staying that way.

(Written on 2021/08/20)(Permalink)

I recall several years in the aftermath of 9/11 when I (in good enough shape) and a lot of other strong male flyers looked over other passengers and mentally readied themselves to help crew in the event. Somebody has to have legitimate quasi-police authority to act and "deputize" willing assistance - obviously the captain and in this episode he did. It might be some of that should be more clearly formalized in policy and crew training, but I wouldn't define it as rogue vigilantism.

(Written on 2021/06/18)(Permalink)

Apart from these newsy incidents there's a lot of micro-misbehavior on flights, mostly booze boors. Alcohol should be capped, maybe one drink every two hours.

(Written on 2021/05/28)(Permalink)

Good points. Hard to believe there isn't already enough national data to aggregate for new standard capacity limits without individual weigh-ins. Carriers will not like reducing limits / seating or luggage but safety first.

(Written on 2021/05/22)(Permalink)