Whisper
March 24th, 2008, 11:16 AM
The author of a worldwide report that gave Pearson International a low rating is dropping the Mississauga airport from his review after receiving an “intimidating†letter from the president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.
In a no-nonsense message sent last August, Lloyd McCoomb demanded Pearson be removed from the annual report on efficiency that encompasses more than 150 of the world’s major airports.
McCoomb challenged the accuracy of the findings and complained the faulty research was “threatening potential harm to our reputation.â€
The 2007 report found that Pearson was among the least efficient airports in the world.
The survey in question was published by an international research group of 13 academics, headed by University of British Columbia business professor Tae Oum. It noted that aircraft landing fees at Pearson are the highest in the world.
Oum said McCoomb’s letter intimidated him, and fearing legal action, he consulted a lawyer.
“I have to protect myself,†Oum told The Canadian Press.
In the end, the research group agreed to cut Pearson from the efficiency analysis in the 2008 edition of the survey, due out in late May.
A spokesperson for McCoomb said the GTAA president did not threaten legal action.
McCoomb wants access to the the study’s data so the GTAA can hire a third party to make an independent assessment.
“That request was not honoured,†Scott Armstrong told The Canadian Press.
In a no-nonsense message sent last August, Lloyd McCoomb demanded Pearson be removed from the annual report on efficiency that encompasses more than 150 of the world’s major airports.
McCoomb challenged the accuracy of the findings and complained the faulty research was “threatening potential harm to our reputation.â€
The 2007 report found that Pearson was among the least efficient airports in the world.
The survey in question was published by an international research group of 13 academics, headed by University of British Columbia business professor Tae Oum. It noted that aircraft landing fees at Pearson are the highest in the world.
Oum said McCoomb’s letter intimidated him, and fearing legal action, he consulted a lawyer.
“I have to protect myself,†Oum told The Canadian Press.
In the end, the research group agreed to cut Pearson from the efficiency analysis in the 2008 edition of the survey, due out in late May.
A spokesperson for McCoomb said the GTAA president did not threaten legal action.
McCoomb wants access to the the study’s data so the GTAA can hire a third party to make an independent assessment.
“That request was not honoured,†Scott Armstrong told The Canadian Press.