Facing judge's subpoena, Air Canada agrees to participate in Air India probe

Ottawa: A reluctant Air Canada has agreed - under threat of subpoena - to co-operate with former Supreme Court justice John Major and offer its views on aviation safety at his inquiry into the 1985 Air India bombing.
Brian Gover, a member of the legal team for the inquiry, said Wednesday he's spoken to a senior Air Canada lawyer who has "assured us of complete co-operation" and agreed to work toward setting a date for the testimony.
The airline had rejected an earlier invitation to appear, but reversed course after an irate Major threatened to use his legal powers to force compliance with his wishes.
A key issue at the inquiry is whether domestic and international security practices have been reformed sufficiently over the last two decades to avert another tragedy like the terrorist attack on Air India that took 329 lives.
Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for Air Canada, would not elaborate on the nature of the original dispute but said Wednesday the airline will now be "pleased to appear before the inquiry" and provided any useful knowledge it has.
Air Canada was the domestic agent for Air India at the time of the bombing, but Major indicated he's more interested in hearing the company's views on more general topics related to aviation security, such as passenger screening and baggage handling.
30/05/07 Jim Brown/Canadian Press/Canada.com, Canada

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Categories: Air India May 2007, Foreign May 2007, Safety May 2007