Air Canada ban by U.S. leaves NHL teams angry, panicked

ALPA began to work on overturning DOT's decision to permit Air Canada
to carry the Bruins immediately after the department issued it last
year. ALPA then teamed up with industry partners to build the argument
for the DOT that the charter flights -- which at one point included 18
consecutive segments between U.S. cities over a two month period --
directly violated U.S. Code Title 49.

...

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly warns the charter ban
will create a complicated "patchwork" of travel that could "wreck
havoc" with the oncoming hockey schedule, including early league games
in Europe, as teams scramble to book flights under the new rules.

"It's
potentially a very significant impact," Mr. Daly said Friday. "It's
crazy and very destabilizing to our business. We're operating on a
long-standing interpretation and for it to change overnight on the eve
of our season is creating a huge problem for us."
Air Canada
executive vice president Duncan Dee predicted the ruling will create
"chaos" for teams shuttling across the border. "It's extremely messy
for both American and Canadian teams," he said. It was a unilateral
action imposed without consultation or Air Canada being able to defend
itself. It's obvious the U.S. Department of Transportation doesn't
watch hockey."