Well, actually, it was the check-in agent at the Super Elite counter in ORD. Her exact words were "This summer is going to be a disaster."

After booking a flight with the CP E/P desk on a CP codeshare on AC connecting to a CP flight, I arrived at the airport to find out that the AC agents in the USA have no access whatsoever to CP PNRs, or apparently any other CP information, either. I presume the opposite is also true.

Upon presenting my locator code, the agent informed me that not only was there no such PNR, but also that it appeared to be a bogus number. I then explained it was a CP number. She informed me that she had no access, and could do nothing for me, including looking up the flight details.

I pointed out the "Canadi>n" sign, but to no avail. I asked her were I should go to get a ticket, but she had no idea, and offered no suggestions. It wasn't until I forced the issue by asking her to check the AC flight number and sure enough, my reservation was there. I'm not certain, but I get the feeling she wanted me to simply go away.

When I made it clear I wasn't leaving, she made yet another call to CP. (Seems she'd been making calls to CP all morning.) She eventually rebooked my entire itinerary on AC flight numbers, for what was apparently the same fare. (More about that in another posting.) When I got on the plane in YYZ, my originally assigned seat (in J) was the only empty seat for about 10 minute, until immediately before closing the door someone took the seat. I'm guessing that my original reservation remained in the system after the AC agent rebooked me.

After arriving at check-in at 11:32am for a 21:45 flight (according to the airport clock right there) I was finally checked in at 12:13pm. The first couple that were there when I arrived took from my arrival to 11:50, then next couple from 11:50 until 11:58, and me from 11:58 until 12:13. After they'd cleared the economy check-in line up several times during my wait, they sent the fellow behind me to an economy counter. He was still there when I left.

According to the agent, they have no access to CP data at all, and it will remain thus until October. Should've connected through DFW, I suppose.

I had a similar problem this AM. I was trying to secure an upgrae on a flight and the AC agent could not find me using my locator number. Once I gave her the flight number and my name, I existed!

It is interesting that when I booked the flights, only codeshare AC flights were coming up. The agent was not able to get the CP flights. All my flights are AC codeshare.

CP is to leave SABRE and join RESERVEC I think in October. Not a good sign.

What do you mean?

That is an extremely good sign. Until the computer systems are aligned we will continue to face these problems of incompatibility between the res systems. This is one of the three issues (along with debt restructuring and bargaining unit mergers) that are key to successful merger.

The sooner the better.

I had a similar experience last weekend. AC ticket with outbound operated by CP. Travel agent mispelled my name, and would not correct/re-issue ticket without an extra service fee (one was already paid). I went to CTO 8 days prior to departure, and AC agent corrected it, added CPlus number to PNR and did seat selection.

I arrived at the airport, CP check-in, and agent informs me I had no reservation. Eventually found it under the old spelling, no CPlus number and no seat selection.

CP agent did his best to rectify seat selection, but it was not what I had originally booked. He also told me that the two res systems can't pass updated data (they barely pass original PNR), this was not the first time.

Guy Betsy is correct in his dates for switchover from Sabre to ResIII. Agents at airports are currently or have been trained on ResIII and reservations will start their training in August.

It will certainly make things easier for all travellers when agents are able to locate your file be record locater, but you will still experience problems in cities where both CP and AC are handled by UA or DL. I would recommend doing what Ken hAAmer did and carry along the AC flight number to match up with your actual reservation. All pertinent FQTV info and any special requests should appear on these files that would have been on you CP file.

As far as purchasing a ticket on CP, you should only need to request that the agent book you specifically on the CP flight number and issue a ticket using the AC/UA/DL ticket stock in those cities. You other option, of course, would be to purchase from an agency if time permits.

We too are awaiting the switchover to ResIII to help alleviate a number of problems that are also being experienced internally. It will be a step backward in some respects, but will hopefully make it easier on the travelling public and cut down on a lot of unnecessary duplication in the reservation offices.

While I've never really understood the concept, the lack of "CP ticket stock" specifically was one of several problems the agent had to attend to.

Each airline has their own ticket stock. CP starts with 018 while AC starts with 014. The number is used only to identify what airline issued the ticket, or in the case of a travel agent, to which airline the money is sent to. The airline would then distribute it accordingly to the other carriers on the ticket when their coupons were used.

As CP has ticketing agreements with AC/UA/DL, there should not be any reason they cannot issue a ticket on CP designated flights unless of course they want the sale to show up in their airlines annual reports.