Air Monopoly: How Robert Milton's Air Canada Won - and Lost - Control of Canada's Skies [Hardcover]

Keith McArthur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2004

No Canadian company today holds a higher profile than Air Canada; few CEOs possess the recognition factor of its chief, Robert Milton. But in 2004, their notoriety is for all the wrong reasons: in less than four years under Milton’s command, Air Canada has gone from unrivalled industry giant to a wounded behemoth seeking bankruptcy protection. Was it mismanagement, government interference, a radically changed global environment, or just plain bad luck that brought down Canada’s national flag carrier?

Air Monopoly answers the question with a penetrating examination of a glamorous, high-risk business that attracts more than its share of dreamers and egotists. Milton, a life-long aviation enthusiast, took the controls at Air Canada at age thirty-nine in 1999. After a legal, political, and public-relations free-for-all, Milton also took over Canadian Airlines. Then came a global economic downturn, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since then questionable decisions, bad timing, and hubris have sent Air Canada into a tailspin, threatening its very existence.

Air Monopoly offers insightful analysis, eye-opening revelations, and provocative prescriptions for the future of air travel in Canada. Here is the business book of the year.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

No Canadian company today holds a higher profile than Air Canada; few CEOs possess the recognition factor of its chief, Robert Milton. But in 2004, their notoriety is for all the wrong reasons: in less than four years under Milton?s command, Air Canada has gone from unrivalled industry giant to a wounded behemoth seeking bankruptcy protection. Was it mismanagement, government interference, a radically changed global environment, or just plain bad luck that brought down Canada?s national flag carrier?

Air Monopoly answers the question with a penetrating examination of a glamorous, high-risk business that attracts more than its share of dreamers and egotists. Milton, a life-long aviation enthusiast, took the controls at Air Canada at age thirty-nine in 1999. After a legal, political, and public-relations free-for-all, Milton also took over Canadian Airlines. Then came a global economic downturn, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since then questionable decisions, bad timing, and hubris have sent Air Canada into a tailspin, threatening its very existence.

Air Monopoly offers insightful analysis, eye-opening revelations, and provocative prescriptions for the future of air travel in Canada. Here is the business book of the year.

About the Author

Keith McArthur has been transportation reporter for the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business since June 2000, following the airline industry’s fortunes on a daily basis. He was a co-winner of the 2002 Floyd S. Chalmers Award for Excellence in Financial Journalism for a ROB piece on the demise of Canada 3000. He lives in Toronto. Air Monopoly is his first book.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Macfarlane Walter & Ross; First Edition edition (March 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0771056885
• ISBN-13: 978-0771056888
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,642,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great update on a continuing saga, May 23, 2005

By 

D. Fowles "jameskdean" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Air Monopoly: How Robert Milton's Air Canada Won - and Lost - Control of Canada's Skies (Hardcover)

Everyone claims to be an expert on airlines. Frankly-some of these so called "airline history" books are dead wrong. The Canadian saga has been going on for about as long as the Star Wars series, except here thousands of people's livelihoods and the economic wealth of a nation are at stake. Air Monopoly is balanced, well told and VERY interesting.

5.0 out of 5 stars Let's show some respect people, October 18, 2005

By 

Andrew M. Boggs (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Air Monopoly: How Robert Milton's Air Canada Won - and Lost - Control of Canada's Skies (Hardcover)

I have to take exception to Jon Shell's editorial comment about the author. It is totally irrelevant and disrespectful of the thoughtful and compelling treatment Mr. McArthur gives to Canada's airline industry.

However, that said, I actually had the opportunity to meet Mr. McArthur at a book signing. He has a very strong grip, an icy stare and a boyish shock of blond hair reminiscent of Robert Redford circa 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'. I suspect Mr. McArthur will go far in the entertainment industry.

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical perspective, April 10, 2004

By 

SM (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Air Monopoly: How Robert Milton's Air Canada Won - and Lost - Control of Canada's Skies (Hardcover)

I bought this book the first day out and read through it in about 3 days. I found it quite exceptional for its historical perspective, but not particularly insightful. The author spends the entire book trying very hard not to put any editorial spin on anything which doesn't really make it very readable, but becomes a great reference material down the line.

My initial thought when I finished reading it was that this book may become the Canadian equivalent of "Hard Landing", the book by Thomas Petzinger which has become the de-facto mass market textbook on the impact of US airline deregulation.

This book is definitely a must-have for industry professionals and hardcore airline affectionados, but a casual reader is probably better served to wait for the paperback or deep discount.