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Editorial: YVR executive pay raise is shocking

I wish I was shocked at the cavalier attitude of the lack of public accountability shown here, but I’m not.
yvr-busywithline-ups-cc
Line-ups to board planes have become a common sight at YVR.

It’s another case of the rich just getting richer.

Glacier Media investigative reporter Bob Mackin on Tuesday published a story, which is posted under the BC News section on our website (www.delta-optimist.com) the annual compensation report for the Vancouver Airport Authority.

The Authority’s chief executive Tamara Vrooman saw her total compensation grow from $1.34 million in 2021 to $1.9 million in 2022.

According to Mackin’s report Vrooman was paid a $597,400 base in 2022 and eligible for almost $830,000 in performance incentives to be paid out in 2023.

This hefty pay raise comes following an absolute debacle of a December and Christmas travel season at YVR where there were pre-Christmas delays on the tarmac of numerous hours, terminal chaos, lost luggage, cancelled flights and communication breakdowns.

As Mackin reported, last month, YVR released its review of the Christmas nightmare. Their report showed that of the 1,300 of 4,100 scheduled flights were cancelled between Dec. 18 and 24, affecting more than 180,000 passengers. Two-dozen planes were stuck on the tarmac for more than four hours, including one that was stranded for 11 hours.

All of this information, including Vrooman’s salary increase were disclosed at the Authority’s annual general meeting on Tuesday.

Now I don’t know about you, but I have many questions about why the Authority, after doing such a horrible job in December, leaving thousands of passengers in the dark saw fit to pat Vrooman on the back and thank her for a job well done.

Seems many at the AGM had the same questions, but there was only 10 minutes – yes – 10 minutes for public questions.

I wish I was shocked at the cavalier attitude of the lack of public accountability shown here, but I’m not. I also remember that last December, faced with a public relations nightmare, Vrooman was AWOL for days and refused to talk to the media. Guess she was too busy counting out her big pay raise. You screw up big time and are rewarded for your work? This is simply stunning.