USA AIR NZ HEAD SAL SAN FILIPPO FACES PROSECUTION IN NZ

The High Court (equivalent to our Supreme Court) this week ruled that Sal San Filippo must stand trial with five other colleagues in New Zealand for “anti-competitive” behavior. Granted that his bosses fought hard to have him removed as a defendant (the opposite of what happened to Bruce McCaffrey of Qantas) it amazes me with a court system in N.Z. years behind in bringing arraigned drug dealers to justice, has the time to tackle Sal and his colleagues over such a piffling matter. If there has been anti-competitive activity affecting commerce in New Zealand by its national carrier why doesn’t it show in the airline’s profits? Cargo has been nothing but a loser for the last five years to Air NZ. Why? Competitive activity keeping rates below sustainable levels.

I have known Sal san Filippo for fifteen years. Prior to joining Air NZ in Los Angeles, Sal was a respected executive of BAX Global, America’s most successful airfreight forwarder. Sal’s life’s story is true to form as an example of living the American dream. Bought up in a tough Catholic area of Boston, Sal was mowing lawns and doing odd jobs from an early age initially to supplement his family’s income but later on to pay his way through college. His dad was a product of the depression and typical of that generation Sal was brought up in the tradition that family values, hard work and integrity went hand in hand. Sal behavior to this day has never wavered from the belief his life has been blessed with so much opportunity. He wears his humility and heart as a good and decent human being on his broad shoulders only as the son of a proud immigrant to America can do.

Sal has been an outstanding executive for Air NZ. He treats his staff as he does good customers with fairness and understanding and never wavers from looking after his company’s best interests. He is as honest as the day is long. I have always been amazed at how he balances his business life with his personal one. For many years, Sal has popped by my office on a Friday afternoon about once a month. Once the business end of the conversation is concluded we revert to chatting about family and subjects of mutual interest. For the best part of ten years, I have listened to wonderful, sometimes heart rendering, stories about Sal’s personal experiences. He is a devoted family man, he loves his work and the people around him. He is loyal to a fault when it comes to Air NZ, his colleagues and old friends. In fact Sal is his father’s son. His “Italian joie de vivre” is omnipresent.

I am nothing but utterly disgusted that the court system in NZ is an extension of their Commerce Department, just like the Supreme Court in the USA is a servant of the Department of Justice. If convicted, Sal faces fines and even possibly a jail sentence for becoming ensnared into something outside of his realm and that he has had nothing to do with; decisions that were made by executives higher up with Sal being forced to execute, just because he was the senior manager in the field. Sal has busted his chops since he was that little bloke beaten up by the street bully, to stand up and always do the right thing, even if it meant defending himself against all odds. When he is called upon the witness stand to give evidence in the N.Z. court, the judge and jury will quickly realize this man is no criminal; he is an outstanding citizen, who can hold his head up high in any company. It is so cruel that for the last two to three years this nonsense has occupied his mind every morning he awakes and doesn’t leave him until he falls asleep each night. Sal, if you need a character witness in court, I will put the bastards straight. Very few men possess the same ethics as you. It is the Sal san Filippo’s of this world, who inspire and drive me to try and emulate them as best I can.

Tags: Air NewZealand, BAX Global, Bruce McCaffrey, Qantas, Sal San Filippo