Air Canada has 'no issue' with offering refunds in exchange for financial aid: CEO

Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinescu said the carrier has "no issue" with offering refunds in exchange for financial aid from the Canadian Government, provided the terms are on a "reasonable basis" (BNN Bloomberg, 18-Nov-2020). "Our objective has been not only to survive, but to be competitive coming out of the pandemic", he noted, adding Air Canada is having to compete with airlines from "around the world that have been supported by their government". As regards government support in the form of a stake, he observed state ownership of airlines is a "colossal failure elsewhere around the world", and said he is "certainly not advocating for it".