fbrdky

(This is a question purely on logistics. I don't want the discussion to be about entitlements, who's in the right/wrong, etc)

So how would AC (or any airline) accomodate a delicate, duffel bag size, religious item like a headress in a carrying case on a plane like a Dash 8?

You can see the size of the item and it's clearly a Dash 8 in this Youtube video: at about 0:30 and 1:15

Leyland1989

Buy an extra seat?

cirrusdragoon

Or they should have exemption policies for cultural sensitive sacred items brought onboard much like cremated remains are handled. This is not the first time they have encountered bringing headdresses onboard.

"Air Canada understands the importance of accommodating customers with items and symbols of sacred cultural significance, and in the past the chiefs have been able to travel while transporting their headdresses in the cabin," the statement said."
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7185649

YOWgary

The one and only thing I'll say here is that it seems like the "garbage bag" referred to here is the clear polyvinyl wrap often used when gate-checking strollers, which seems like staff trying to protect a sensitive item from the elements during luggage loading.

I could of course be mistaken, but as I've often collected checked bags clearly damp from rain on the tarmac, this at least feels like a reasonable assumption.

zappy312

I love that they sent her a 15% off coupon for the experience, that's classic Air Canada

Bravada04

Good Lord. Everybody has their precious cargo - to each their own and I mean that with all do respect. This is the offer of transportation and everyone has a choice - if it don't work, fit or whatever, then drive. That is what I have to do or as noted above - buy an extra seat.

cirrusdragoon

Should this be said to people travelling with urns , place them under the seat ?

HerpaYvr

This is another dumb incident that could have been avoided. Ceremonial headdress, it's Q400, they have the crew room, yes it's sacred just for flying crew members, but to place a ceremonial headdress of an elder in a cargo hold! No, it was not a garbage bag and the employee was photographed using both hands and she appeared to be carrying the headdress properly. Should have been placed in that crew hold. Never mind what policy is, one of the most valuable tools we have in our tool belt is common sense and discretion. I tell my people that all the time. If you are Canadian and understand Canada's history and its people, should have known better!

jmt18325

She's not an elder. She's the top indigenous leader in the country. I know her personally, and she's a friend of mine. She flies often, and this is her first such issue. It was easily avoided, and the crew clearly should have made accommodations.

canadiancow

AFAIK the crew storage area on the Q400 has no fire suppression system, which is why under no circumstances may passenger belongings be placed there.

That's not a matter of common sense or discretion, it's safety and the law.

Wigg

First of all, as a white person of 'Privilege' we owe our First Nation's peoples many debts. This is a tough one, but could and should be accommodated. With some type of advance notice AC should make accommodation, even it's providing an extra seat for the precious cargo. However, without advance notice, it is a DASH 8 with limited space in the cabin. I'm certain if the person called before hand and stated "I have a headress that needs to accompany me" it would have been met with a "Huh?" by the call centre agent. As with many of the issues, both sides need to work together to come up with mutually acceptable solution. We have an 'ancient' headress and an 'modern' dash 8 where passenger safety is paramount. There is a solution, one where both sides have to agree.

HerpaYvr

Yes, I agree with your statement.....but as an advocate for rights many Laws have been unjust and just plain wrong, and many eliminated or changed over time. Although this incident may not fall into this spectrum, true leadership is found in those who take the risk to do the right thing. Many may disagree with this statement, but as a species, we have only grown when the few do go against the grain. I am by no means a philosopher or a really smart person, but my own success has been possible because I do not always colour within the lines.

Transpacificflyer

The assumption of a bias has influenced the treatment of this event. We've all been on the Dash 8 and are aware of the cabin size and luggage bin storage constraints. The CBC report states that the complainant was traveling with carryon baggage and the head dress in a carrying case. It is unlikely that the head dress importance was initially identifiable. It seems that this passenger presented as having multiple carryon items and the AC employee assumed that the head dress container was regular carry on. Missing from the story is if the complainant offered to check her other carryon bag instead or expected to take on multiple items. Nor is it specified if the head dress container could even fit in the overhead bin or under a seat,

Putting the head dress in the crew luggage area was not possible (see above) . The only option would be to hold it on a person's lap and we all know how cramped the Dash seating is. How would you like to sit next to someone carrying a box? And what if there was an emergency evacuation required?

I am not being insensitive, but there is an assumption that there was an intended bias against the passenger because of her heritage. Rather, it was most likely the usual failure to communicate and to explain by the AC GA, and such an approach can be easily misinterpreted as disrespectful. I don't think there was any malice intended.

YOWgary

Can we PLEASE skip that thing we always do where five posters are certain it wasn't discrimination, five more are certain it was, and forty posts later we haven't gotten an inch forward?

AC681

Compartment 3, forward cargo compartment, on the Q *Does* have both fire detection and fire suppression systems.

It's not used for passenger carry-bags for a few reasons. Ramp crew can load checked bags in there at any time (RIP everything in my lunch bag last week, when ramp dumped a heavy checked bag ontop of it), everything in there needs to be accounted for in the weight and balance calculation (ramp lead generally asks the service director how many crew bags are there prior to calling load control).