Goodman Yachts Llc v. Gertrude Oldendorff (The), 2002 FCT 1168

Date: 20021108

Docket: T-283-00

Neutral citation: 2002 FCT 1168

BETWEEN:

                                                          GOODMAN YACHTS LLC

                                                                                                                                                         Plaintiff

                                                                                 and

                                       PENGUIN BOAT INTERNATIONAL LIMITED,

MARITIME CLAIMS & SERVICES PTE. LTD.,

RICHARD HOWE,

NEW RESOLUTION SHIPPING CORP.,

EGON OLDENDORFF,

                                       and the Owners and all Others interested in

                                             the Ship "GERTRUDE OLDENDORFF"

                                                                                                                                               Defendants

                                                            REASONS FOR ORDER

HARGRAVE P.

[1]                  At issue is the entitlement of discovery witness, travelling long distances, here from Indian and the Orient to Vancouver, to business class air fare. I am unaware of any case law which provides a gloss on the Tariff A, 3(1) requirement that a witness be provided with reasonable travel expenses. Convention has it that they are entitled, across the board, to economy class air fare. This has generally been so regardless of time and distance of travel. This is perhaps in keeping with part of Rule 3, which requires the application of these rules so as to provide the least expensive determination of every procedure, but not necessarily in keeping with securing the required just result.

[2]                  The time is long past when one can say:

Now Stevenson was travelling at a relaxed pace, by donkey and perhaps the greater affair was moving at all.

[3]                  The best that might be said of modern air travel is that one travels hopeful to arrive in timely manner and that being so, to arrive in not too unreasonable condition and that, in any event, hopeful the discomfort will not be too great.

[4]                  The length of a flight and the circumstances may mandate business class travel. To require a person to travel through many time zones and then to require that person, as a witness to get his or her act together, after minimal rest, is unreasonable. It does not allow the witness to properly represent his principal. Here, business class travel is in order.

[5]                  That business class air travel is reasonable between India and Singapore and Vancouver, does not mean that such a premium mode of travel is in order in all instances. Indeed, I hesitate to establish any fixed distance or time as a guide, after which economy class become unreasonable. However, litigants should keep in mind that in many instances business class air fare will be both reasonable and just.

(Sgd.) "John A. Hargrave"

                                                                                               Prothonotary

Vancouver, British Columbia

8 November 2002

                                                   FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

                                                                    TRIAL DIVISION

                             NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

MATTER ARISING OUT OF CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

DOCKET:                                            T-283-00

STYLE OF CAUSE:                        Goodman Yachts LLC v. Penguin Boat International Limited et al.

REASONS FOR ORDER OF: Hargrave P.

DATED:                                                8 November 2002

REPRESENTATIONS BY:      

Roger Watts                                                                               FOR PLAINTIFF

John W Bromley                                                                          FOR DEFENDANTS Maritime                                Claims & Services Pte. Ltd. and Richard Howe

H Peter Swanson                                                                        FOR DEFENDANT Egon Oldendorff

Chris Elsner                                                                                  FOR DEFENDANT New Resolution Shipping Corp.

Vincent M Prager                                                                        FOR DEFENDANTS Penguin Boat International Limited

SOLICITORS ON THE RECORD:

McEwen, Schmitt & Co.                                                            FOR PLAINTIFF

Barristers & Solicitors

Vancouver, British Columbia

Bromley Chapelski                                                                     FOR DEFENDANTS Maritime Barristers & Solicitors                                   Claims & Services Pte. Ltd. and

Vancouver, British Columbia                                                   Richard Howe

Bernard & Partners                                                                     FOR DEFENDANT Egon

Barristers & Solicitors                                                               Oldendorff

Vancouver, British Columbia

Bull Housser & Tupper                                                              FOR DEFENDANT New

Barristers & Solicitors                                                               Resolution Shipping Corp.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Stikeman Elliot                                                                            FOR DEFENDANTS Penguin

Barristers & Solicitors                                                               Boat International Limited

Montréal, Québec