winter 2014 Complimentary issue postal agreement no.40013935 thunDer Bay’S newly developeD waterFront prinCe arthur’s landing in marina park kenora ˚ north Bay ˚ Sault Ste. Marie ˚ Mayor’s outlook 2015 NADF BuSiness AwarDS ˚ Aboriginal Education ˚ Mining www.bearskinairlines.com Welcome Aboard Bearskin Airlines! By Maria Pedulla, CustoMer serviCe Imagine coming off a two week shift at the mine and checking in at our airline counter, only to be advised that your flight has been delayed or even cancelled due to weather. This situation can be as stressful for everyone involved including our passenger service agents, reservation agents, flight crew and of course, our passengers. Bad weather can have far reaching consequences with an airline’s route schedule. When crews and planes are stranded at one airport and do not arrive at subsequent airports, a ripple effect occurs. A late or cancelled flight departing Kapuskasing first thing in the morning, can affect a departure later in the day from Red Lake where the weather is clear; as most aircraft flow through the system and have a direct effect on down line performance. Our geographical position offers some challenging weather, and disruptions ranging from fog, freezing rain, and gusting winds to white out blizzards. To minimize any potential inconvenience or if you are anticipating flight disruptions due to weather; please keep the following in mind. Check the weather forecast before you leave home, the job site or the office. It’s always a good idea to check the forecast for your departure and destination city. Remember that bad weather there affects flight status here. Check flight status early and often. If you anticipate a delay, call our toll free Reservation Centre (1-800-465-2327) to confirm your departure time. Just because you are advised your flight is on time at 10:00 am, does not mean that it will be, thirty minutes later. Don’t stray too far from the gate. If you’re already at the airport, gate agents may make important announcements concerning flight status. Make sure you or someone in your travelling party stays near your gate to hear those announcements. Provide your cell phone number at the time of booking. Often when a reservation is made with a travel agency, the travellers contact number is not included in the file. If we are aware of delays or cancellations sufficiently in advance, we try to contact our passengers. Please ensure that your travel agency includes your cell phone when making your reservation and be sure to check for messages prior to departing for the airport. Consider purchasing Interline E-tickets (IET’s) when connecting to other airlines. Use Interline E-Tickets when connecting between Bearskin Airlines and Air Canada or Delta Airlines. Interline E-Tickets provide for enhanced communication between airlines related to ticket status. This is especially convenient when connections are jeopardized due to inclement weather as IET’s permit the interline airlines involved to reprotect passengers on each other’s flights without penalty. In the case of last-minute cancellations, we will rebook you on the next flight with available seats, or cancel the ticket and refund it to Travel Bank, if you choose not to travel. If we are aware of potential weather issues at a down line station, we will advise local boarding passengers who then can choose to board or not, and accept responsibility for their own meals or hotels. In cases where connecting passengers have not been advised of potential weather interruptions prior to boarding their first leg of the journey, we may provide meal vouchers, hotel accommodations and transportation between airport and hotel arising from significant delays or cancellations. Above all, we ask that you try to exercise patience when inclement weather is involved. We can assure you that we are doing all we can to get you on your way as quickly as possible. Thank you for your support! Bear Country In-Flight Magazine 3 Bearskin airlines’ new enhanced process for Boarding and Deplaning In the summer of 2014 we for use of these stairs throughout commenced a trial project in Winnipeg more of the cities we serve. using a custom manufactured set of stairs in place of our air stairs. Throughout 2015 you will We did this to increase the comfort notice the introduction of these and safety of our passengers when stairs for boarding and deplaning boarding and deplaning our aircraft. our aircraft in Winnipeg, Feedback was so positive, that this Thunder Bay, Red Lake, Sudbury, fall we ordered another set for an Sault Ste Marie and Sioux Lookout. expanded winter trial in Thunder Bay. We look forward to getting Based on these trials and your feedback on this customer customer feedback, we have been service enhancement. enhancing the design on an ongoing basis and developing procedures Winnipeg Sioux Lookout Kapuskasing Thunder Bay Sudbury Montreal Ottawa Toronto Waterloo Chicago New York 4 BearBear CntryCountry Dec In-Flight 13.indd Magazine 1 12-12-13 9:39 PM ACCESS WORLD CLASS ENGINEERING EXPERTISE FROM OUR REGIONAL OFFICES Timmins 705 264-9413 Sault Ste Marie 705 942-2070 Sudbury 705 674-0119 Thunder Bay 807 625-6700 Winnipeg 204 477-1260 WE WERE GENIVAR. WE ARE NOW WSP. www.wspgroup.com puBlisher/managing editor Ron Hell editor Patti Gresham Writers Elle Andra-Warner, Heather Campbell, Lorna Olson, Nadine Robinson photography Credits Tim Brody/Sioux Lookout Bulletin, Lois Nuttall, Sheri Minardi Photography, Tom Thompson, Kim Pirie Milko, Jess Vamplew, Elle Andra-Warner design + produCtion Good Design adVertising sales Helen Trochimchuk (807) 474-2652 lithography Premier Printing Publications Mail Agreement No. 40013935 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: 1475 West Walsh Street Thunder Bay, Ont. P7E 4X6 Phone (807) 474-2636 Fax (807) 474-2658 bearskinairlines.com Bear Country is puBlished By Bearskin Lake Air Service LP ISBN D702544 Bear Country In-Flight Magazine 5 With this issue, Bear Country proudly celebrates its 20TH Anniversary since the inaugural issue. These past years have been truly gratifying as our continued success has enabled us to grow and set even higher goals for the New Year. The focus of the magazine has always been the people, places and events in “Bear Country,” promoting tourism and education to our readers about the cities that Bearskin Airlines serves. With our strong northern roots and in recognition of our First Nations customers we have featured an Aboriginal-related story in every issue. The seatback presentation of the magazine targets a unique audience of people on the move in Ontario and Manitoba. Our airline caters to the needs of the business traveller and there is no better medium available to talk directly to them. For added value, Bear Country can also be read online from any home or office computer as well as certain handheld devices. Each issue is now digitized into a Flash page flip book that can be viewed from any web page. To view back issues, visit www.bearskinairlines.com. Next year promises to be exciting, as we are preparing editorial content for 2015. We welcome you to send us your ideas and suggestions. Please be sure to address them to my attention. On behalf of everyone at Bearskin Airlines and Bear Country, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for the support that has been given since our inaugural issue published December 1994. Twenty years and still growing strong! — Patti Gresham, Editor Bear Country Magazine 6 Bear Country In-Flight Magazine Sioux Lookout NoveMBer 7-9, 2014 A weekend filled with fun and successful silent and penny auctions that every dollar raised, stays anticipation for twenty-two teams were part of the weekend fun as right here for the Sioux Lookout of women who participated in well, along with a $5,000 cash draw, Meno Ya Win Health Centre.” the Skip to Equip Curling Classic, in which half was donated back helped to meet the long term care by the winner Doug Lawrance. Games were played using skins needs at the Sioux Lookout Meno format with draws starting at 5:00 pm Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC). Marnie Hoey, President of the on Friday and ending at 3:30 pm on Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Sunday afternoon. The top team The Skip to Equip committee Health Centre Foundation stated of Laurel Hakala, Rita Driver, Tracey presented the SLMHC with a that “the Bearskin Skip to Equip Ellek, and Cathy Bowen won a total cheque in the amount of $65,500 at Committee had amazing success of 22 skins and received jackets the closing ceremonies on Sunday with this year’s curling event. Many with the Bearskin Airlines Skip to afternoon. An additional $5,000 was months of planning and organizing Equip logo. The bonspiel theme, also donated to the Sioux Lookout resulted in a major contribution to superheroes, helped to create an Golf and Curling Club for providing the future of long term care. Raising atmosphere of fun and camaraderie. ice and services for the event. The $65,500 needed a lot of support and Superman, incredible hulks, and ninja committee was truly overwhelmed a strong committee that was truly turtles were just a few of the heroes. at the total monies raised. amazing! At the end of the event many tears of joy were shed and we Susan Anderson, Director of Patient Funds were gleaned through entry are so proud of their commitment Care Services at SLMHC stated fees and pledges that each curler to long term care. Thank you to “the 20 bed William A. ‘Bill’ George obtained prior to the event. Each everyone for their participation; the Extended Care Facility (ECU) opened curler was required to raise at least committee, the donors, the curlers, its doors in May 1993.