Business

WestJet Comes Out Strongly Against Air Transat-Air Canada Deal

Published

4 years ago

February 13, 2021

Archrival to Air Canada, Canadian carrier WestJet has finally spoken out publicly on its rival’s acquisition of leisure carrier Air Transat. WestJet’s CEO issued a public statement on the airline’s blog, expressing disappointment over the government of Canada’s recent approval of the deal. Stating that Canadians will see higher fares and reduced service, let’s look further into WestJet’s dismay and if the airline’s claims have merit.

WestJet says the merger will lead to a less competitive market, primarily with transatlantic and sun destinations. Photo: WestJet

“I am deeply disappointed with the approval by the government of Canada on February 11 of the acquisition of Transat by Air Canada, without meaningful remedies. The real losers in all of this are Canadians who believe in open and healthy competition. According to the Competition Bureau, what they will get by contrast is higher prices and reduced service.” – Ed Sims, president & CEO, WestJet, via a statement seen by Simple Flying.

Increased fares and reduced competition

In a multi-front campaign, WestJet posted to social media while elaborating further with an official press release and lengthy message (blog post) from the airline’s chief, Ed Sims.

The Twitter post plainly states that the government’s approval of the merger will lead to increased fares and reduced competition, followed by a link to the airline’s official press release.

Canadians today are waking up to a monopolized transatlantic and sun market with the shocking @AirCanada / @airtransat approval that will increase fares and stifle competition. https://t.co/bx5w5tZF84 pic.twitter.com/DdTRGWPWCn

— WestJet (@WestJet) February 12, 2021

On the blog post, Sims blasts the government for not heeding the findings of Canada’s Competition Bureau. The Bureau reviewed hundreds of thousands of documents and heard from dozens of stakeholders on the proposed acquisition and noted that “Eliminating the rivalry between these airlines would result in increased prices, less choice, decreases in service and a significant reduction in travel by Canadians on a variety of routes where their existing networks overlap.”

Competition concerns not addressed

Sims goes on to point out that the Commissioner of Competition saw significant deficiencies in what Air Canada was proposing to address competition concerns, finding that the proposed measures:

Were inadequate
Did not conform to the principles of merger remedy design
Were unlikely to result in effective entry for new competitors

“For the relatively low cost of $190 million (essentially the cost of a single wide body aircraft like WestJet’s 787 Dreamliner), years of effort to foster true competition has been undone.” –Ed Sims, President & CEO, WestJet

WestJet had asked the government of Canada for the following concessions with regards to Air Canada’s acquisition of Air Transat:

Air Canada’s prohibition from using its Aeroplan loyalty program on Air Transat routes, or from using exclusivity agreements or similar incentives with travel agencies. Loyalty programs lock customers in by creating significant costs to switching carriers, while similarly increasing competing airlines’ costs for acquiring such passengers.
Critical slots and infrastructure must be made available to Canadian airlines at London Heathrow (LHR) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to help offset the international travel market dominance of a merged Air Canada/Air Transat.
Prohibition from operating at Terminal 3 of Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ). Terminal 1 boasts 3.7 million square feet with only 14 airlines operating, whereas Terminal 3, built 30 years ago, has 28 airlines operating in 1.9 million square feet.

Looking at the terms of the approval, it doesn’t look like WestJet got much of what it had requested.

A term of the acquisition will see the Air Transat brand retained in Quebec. Photo: Air Transat

Will Air Canada actually dominate?

WestJet also says that once this merger is complete, Air Canada will hold 94% share of Canadian carrier capacity to Europe. Out of Toronto, Air Canada will have nearly 70% market share on routes to London, Paris, and Rome and over half of the market share to select sun destinations.

Stay informed: Sign up for our daily aviation news digest.

While the numbers presented by WestJet’s CEO point to a combined Air Canada/Air Transat holding significantly more market share, the numbers miss out on some other factors. It should be noted that in the transatlantic market, European and US carriers remain as competitive forces. Whether it’s British Airways, Air France, KLM, or Lufthansa, the non-stop-flight competition on the other side of the Atlantic will still offer travelers a wide variety of options.

An Air France Boeing 777-200ER parked at the gate at Los — Air France serves both Montreal and Toronto. Photo: Getty Images

The same goes for sun destinations as US carriers could also provide enough competition to fight off fare increases. In this case, however, transferring through a US airport is much more of a process (without US border pre-clearance at the origin airport). This is definitely a drawback for US carriers competing against Canadian airlines.

Therefore, in referencing the Competition Bureau’s findings, WestJet’s CEO has a point in showing reduced competition among Canadian carriers. However, one would hope that the presence of international carriers would maintain at least a little competition in the absence of an independent Air Transat.

What do you think? Do you agree with WestJet and its CEO on this merger? Let us know in the comments.

Source: – Simple Flying

Source link

Business

What Difference Will You Make to an Employer?

Published

15 hours ago

October 21, 2024

Nick Kossovan

It’s common knowledge that companies don’t hire the most qualified candidates. Employers hire the person they believe will deliver the best value in exchange for their payroll cost.

Since most job seekers know the above, I’m surprised that so few mention their Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Most job seekers list their education, skills, and experience without substantiating them and expect employers to determine whether they can benefit their company; hence, most resumes and LinkedIn profiles are just a list of opinions—borderline platitudes—that are meaningless and, therefore, have no value. Job seekers need to better explain, along with providing evidence, how they’ll contribute to an employer’s success.

Employers don’t hire opinions (read: talk is cheap); they hire results.

You’re not offering anything tangible when you claim:

I’m a great communicator.
I’m detail oriented.
I’m a team player.

Tangible:

“At Global Dynamics, I held quarterly town hall meetings with my 22 sales reps, highlighting our accomplishments, identifying opportunity areas, and recognizing outstanding performers.”
“For eight years, I managed Vandelay Industries IT department, overseeing a staff of 18 and a 12-million-dollar budget while coordinating cross-specialty projects. My strong attention to detail is why I never exceeded budget.”
“While working at Cyberdyne Systems, I was part of the customer service team, consisting of nine of us, striving to improve our response time. Through collaboration and sharing of best practices, we reduced our average response time from 48 to 12 business hours, resulting in a 35% improvement in customer feedback ratings.”

These examples of tangible answers provide employers with what they most want to hear from candidates but rarely do; what value the candidate will bring to the company. Typically, job seekers present their skills, experience, and unsubstantiated opinions and expect recruiters and employers to figure out their value, which is a lazy practice.

Getting hired isn’t based on “I have an MBA in Marketing and Sales,” “I’ve been a web designer for over 15 years,” “I’m young, beautiful and energetic,” blah, blah, blah. Likewise, being rejected isn’t based on “I’m overqualified,” “I’m too old,” “I don’t have enough education,” blah, blah, blah. Getting hired depends entirely on showing employers that you can add value and substance to their company; that you’ll serve a purpose.

When you articulate a solid value offer, the “blah, blah, blah” doesn’t matter. Job seekers focus too much on the “blah, blah, blah,” and when not hired, they say, “It’s not me, it’s…” The biggest mistake I see job seekers make is focusing on the “blah, blah, blah”—their experience and education—believing this is what interests employers. Hiring managers are more interested in whether you can solve the problems the position exists to solve than in your education and experience.

Not impressive: Education

Impressive: A track record of achieving tangible results.

You aren’t who you say you are; you are what you do.

If you want to be somebody who works hard, you have to actually work hard. If you want to be somebody who goes to the gym, you actually have to go to the gym. If you want to be a good friend, spouse, or colleague, you have to actually be a good friend, spouse, or colleague. Actions build reputations, not words.

The biggest challenge job seekers face today is differentiating themselves. To stand out and be memorable, don’t be like most job seekers, someone who’s all talk and no action. Any recruiter or hiring manager will tell you that the job market is heavily populated with job seekers who talk themselves up, talk a “good game” about everything they can “supposedly” do, drop names, etc., but have nothing to show for it.

More than ever, employers want to hear candidates offer a value proposition summarizing what value they bring. If you’re looking for a low-hanging fruit method to differentiate yourself, do what job seekers hardly ever do and make a hard-to-ignore value proposition.

Increase sales: “Based on my experience managing Regina and Saskatoon for PharmaKorp, I’m confident that I can increase BioGen’s sales by no less than 25% in Winnipeg and the surrounding area by the end of 2025.”
Reduce cost: “During my 12 years as Taco Town’s head of purchasing, I renegotiated contracts with key suppliers, resulting in 15% cost savings, saving the company over $450,000 annually. I know I can do the same for The Pasta House.”
Increase customer satisfaction:“During my time at Globex Corporation, I established a systematic feedback mechanism that enabled customers to share their experiences. This led to targeted improvements, increasing our Net Promoter Score by 15 points. I can increase Dunder Mifflin’s net promoter score.”
Save time: “As Zap Delivery’s dispatcher, I implemented advanced routing software that analyzed traffic patterns, reducing average delivery times by 20%. My implementation of this software at Froggy’s Delivery can reduce your delivery times by at least 20%, if not more.”

If you want to achieve job search success as soon as possible, structure your job search with a single thread that’s evident and consistent throughout your résumé, LinkedIn profile, cover letters and especially during interviews; clearly convey what difference you’ll make to the employer.

_____________________________________________________________________

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.

Business

Netflix’s subscriber growth slows as gains from password-sharing crackdown subside

Published

4 days ago

October 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

Netflix on Thursday reported that its subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer, a sign the huge gains from the video-streaming service’s crackdown on freeloading viewers is tapering off.

The 5.1 million subscribers that Netflix added during the July-September period represented a 42% decline from the total gained during the same time last year. Even so, the company’s revenue and profit rose at a faster pace than analysts had projected, according to FactSet Research.

Netflix ended September with 282.7 million worldwide subscribers — far more than any other streaming service.

The Los Gatos, California, company earned $2.36 billion, or $5.40 per share, a 41% increase from the same time last year. Revenue climbed 15% from a year ago to $9.82 billion. Netflix management predicted the company’s revenue will rise at the same 15% year-over-year pace during the October-December period, slightly than better than analysts have been expecting.

The strong financial performance in the past quarter coupled with the upbeat forecast eclipsed any worries about slowing subscriber growth. Netflix’s stock price surged nearly 4% in extended trading after the numbers came out, building upon a more than 40% increase in the company’s shares so far this year.

The past quarter’s subscriber gains were the lowest posted in any three-month period since the beginning of last year. That drop-off indicates Netflix is shifting to a new phase after reaping the benefits from a ban on the once-rampant practice of sharing account passwords that enabled an estimated 100 million people watch its popular service without paying for it.

The crackdown, triggered by a rare loss of subscribers coming out of the pandemic in 2022, helped Netflix add 57 million subscribers from June 2022 through this June — an average of more than 7 million per quarter, while many of its industry rivals have been struggling as households curbed their discretionary spending.

Netflix’s gains also were propelled by a low-priced version of its service that included commercials for the first time in its history. The company still is only getting a small fraction of its revenue from the 2-year-old advertising push, but Netflix is intensifying its focus on that segment of its business to help boost its profits.

In a letter to shareholder, Netflix reiterated previous cautionary notes about its expansion into advertising, though the low-priced option including commercials has become its fastest growing segment.

“We have much more work to do improving our offering for advertisers, which will be a priority over the next few years,” Netflix management wrote in the letter.

As part of its evolution, Netflix has been increasingly supplementing its lineup of scripted TV series and movies with live programming, such as a Labor Day spectacle featuring renowned glutton Joey Chestnut setting a world record for gorging on hot dogs in a showdown with his longtime nemesis Takeru Kobayashi.

Netflix will be trying to attract more viewer during the current quarter with a Nov. 15 fight pitting former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson against Jake Paul, a YouTube sensation turned boxer, and two National Football League games on Christmas Day.

Source link

Business

All Magic Spells (TM) : Top Converting Magic Spell eCommerce Store

Published

5 days ago

October 17, 2024

Sven Eggers

Product Name: All Magic Spells (TM) : Top Converting Magic Spell eCommerce Store

Click here to get All Magic Spells (TM) : Top Converting Magic Spell eCommerce Store at discounted price while it’s still available…

All orders are protected by SSL encryption – the highest industry standard for online security from trusted vendors.

All Magic Spells (TM) : Top Converting Magic Spell eCommerce Store is backed with a 60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. If within the first 60 days of receipt you are not satisfied with Wake Up Lean™, you can request a refund by sending an email to the address given inside the product and we will immediately refund your entire purchase price, with no questions asked.