Churchill for bird photography in June: in for a penny in for a pound

[ricardo00]

Wow, that is just plain bizarre, considering that many of their passengers are photographers. I was told by someone who leads tours there (not Glenn, who hasn't led a Churchill tour for several years) that they have devised a "valet service" for valuable carry on items whereby they hand carry your precious items to a special place in the baggage hold and then put it back onto the jetway afterward. These items count as "checked baggage," so if you buy the ticket that includes two checked bags it's paid for. This does make me kind of nervous.

When you are the only airline flying a particular route, there is no incentive to "improve things". The company that owns Calm Air (Exchange Income Air) seems to take most pride in delivering high income to its shareholders:

EIC, TSX EIF, dividend company

Exchange Income Corporation is a diversified, acquisition-oriented dividend company focused on opportunities in Aviation Services & Aerospace and Manufacturing.

www.exchangeincomecorp.ca

 

[GrandNagus50]

When I visited Churchill iin 1986 we took the train, if you can believe it. In those days the trip took 18-20 hours. Now it takes two days. And it's not exactly scenic, and even if it was, the windows are covered with grime. No thanks. But in 1986 we did see Ross' gull, which no longer breeds around Churchill.

Far be it that I would suggest there is corporate avarice here, but it sure seems that with the monopoly on the route that Calm holds plus the desire of a considerable number of fairly wealthy birders and photographers to get there, they can pretty much charge whatever the traffic will bear.

 

[Tomw]

I used Orvis Clearwater Wader when I went to McNeil River they are currently $249. I bought Hiking boots at the North Face outlet store for about $50. This combo worked great. I hope you have a great trip.

 

[John_DE]

Wow, that is just plain bizarre, considering that many of their passengers are photographers. I was told by someone who leads tours there (not Glenn, who hasn't led a Churchill tour for several years) that they have devised a "valet service" for valuable carry on items whereby they hand carry your precious items to a special place in the baggage hold and then put it back onto the jetway afterward. These items count as "checked baggage," so if you buy the ticket that includes two checked bags it's paid for. This does make me kind of nervous.

I flew to Churchill this past August. The valet service worked well. My rather large photo backpack went valet and my 400mm f/2.8 TC lens went with me in its Nikon case as my carry on. For valet, you carry your valet item out to the plane boarding area. Worked well for myself and others in my party.