tcook052

http://www.aircanada.com/en/news/121016_b.html

Effective October 16, 2012, booking classes T, L and K will no longer be sold under the Tango Plus fare option for travel to Europe, Israel, Asia, Australia and South America. On these markets, these booking classes will transition to the Tango fare option. As a result, bookings made on or after that date in any of the three classes will no longer be eligible for eUpgrades.

If you are an Air Canada Super Elite or Elite member and you made a booking in T, L or K class before October 16, 2012, you will be rebooked into a Tango Plus booking class and your reservation will remain eligible for eUpgrades . Note that all Aeroplan members who made a booking in T, L or K class before October 16, 2012 will earn 100% Status Miles for travel across these markets.

xLuther

I see revised fare structure coming into play, oh well should open up some eupgrade space.

Max007

Here we go again...

Seriously, with United and Delta having tons of flights to Asia why exactly should I pick Air Canada? Same or higher fares, similar equipment in economy (when you can get 777 on the other 2) most of the time and half the miles .

If I am sitting in the back for 15 hours the least I want is full credit!

This 200K miles/year SE was a big fan of AC but this is fast changing; at 3 grand a pop for a multi destination trip booked with AC I do not believe that makes me a bottom feeder so I do not appreciate being treated like one...

Max

DavidYYC

I guess it was inevitable, really annoying though. I just wonder how long it will be before UA stops awarding status miles on ALL their fares.

Clipper801

AC’s Tango Plus fare is < 10% cheaper than CX’s Premium Economy. I’ll settle with CX’s PE rather than AC’s T+ to play aerolotto.

AC’s discount Executive Fare to many Asian destinations is the most expensive. It is even > 10% more expensive than CX for those who want non-stop direct service to HKG. Other connecting options are usually 15~40% cheaper.

One can fly MU or BR from YYZ in business class to HKG for <$4,000 all-in. Other cheaper options include JL, HU, UA, DL, KE, 9W, TK and LH. LX seemed to have withdrawn its cheap discount business class fare to Asia from Canada recently.

I usually buy discount business class and I am also classified as “bottom feeder” by AC.

In many situations, consumers fortunately still have choices.

Clipper801

The fact that AC7 and 8 have to reduce to only 5 flights a week between YVR-HKG is a good indication of the success of AC's pricing strategy. CX is still maintaining 2 daily flights using 777.

To Asia, CX's 2 pcs baggage allowance and more flexible change rules seem to be two of the biggest selling features. Lounge access at MPC Silver level is another whereas when AC's Elite was 35K, it was one of the great motivators to fly AC over CX. With Tango at 50%, *G at 50K with a 75K layer on top, this is no longer valid. When one is not going to achieve any meaningful status at AC, the buying behaviour is going to change.

If I want lounge access, I'll just get an Amex Platinum or CIBC Club membership.

DavidYYC

It certainly seems they want to drive away a large segment of their frequent flyers, in favour of cramming their Y seats with low paying customers who fly only once a year and don't even know about the existence of status miles.

darwiniandemon

Anyone care to guess when this will happen?
I have 2 flights in November with K and L codes to/from Europe booked in early October. I just logged into my eUpgrades account and saw the 2 flights are ineligible for upgrade.

Clipper801

Depending on one’s travel pattern, those who used to make E and SE by flying Tango Plus internationally will be pruned out. This segment will now be shopping for the cheapest logical fare to their destinations and will unlikely make AC their preferred choice. In the past, they may fly AC even if the fare is slightly more expensive because of easy *G at 35K, priority services, lounge access and upgrade. When this is no longer true, there is little reason to select AC as first choice.

Along the way, AC has also chased away those lower volume flyers who buy premium fares by raising it's own international business class fare to 10~40% more expensive than its competitors and no recognition of the higher revenue contribution by not giving them higher COS to soften the effect of the increased 50K *G threshold.

AC's pod was great when it was rolled out six years ago. But like cars, it's six years old with lots of wear and tear and there are better products on the martket now with airlines at cheaper fare.

WhiteYUL

We can say we all saw it coming; Tango on TATL flights. Too bad no advance notice. Similar story to TPAC, fly UA or US (booking class dependant) and earn 100%. Now let,s see what the pricing will be like for T+ v. T.


Sample dates in July still only show T+, in V, but lowest fare in still $1,500-1,800 YUL-CDG/FRA.

Clipper801

As the notice stated, you must have booked (and presumably ticketed) before Oct. 16, 2012.

If you are outside the eUpgrade request window, you will get that message.

capedreamer

Painful but not surprising. I guess the thinning of the herd continues. I think over time, AC will try to turn Tango Plus into the new Latitude.

Or maybe AC is trying to mold Altitude/Top Tier into something akin to SQ's PPS Club...

Max007

Too bad these are the same people who will walk away over a 25$/ticket difference in price...

Too the person who said E/SE who where will to pay a little bit more for the added service : that is exactly right!

I would now get the service at a tremendously higher cost which cannot be justified within my (and many other company's corporate policies).

Again, why exactly should we choose AC for inter continental travel if the price is not the lowest (it rarely is), we get no credit for it (I don't get additional pay for being away from home half of the year, miles are a nice compensation and now it's going out?) and the equipment they use is now the norm (PTV in the back and pods up front).

Get real AC! Canadians may be semi-captive for travel within Canada but it is NOT the case overseas...


Max

darwiniandemon

Indeed. I booked it in the first week of October.



All my messages used to look like the bottom half of the screenshot. However, this new red box on the top part of the screenshot reflects the announcement. Hence my asking, if someone could guess when the rebooking will happen.

alc

So, as many said before, Tango Fare across the board will come.. and I guess that is today.

I guess until they change all the US carriers also not earn 100% status miles, I will fly them whenever I can outside of North America. More reason for me to continue all my multi-segments trips and start my trip at YXU or YGK in stead of YYZ. This will help me try to get to SE every year so I can play Aerolotto on my reward tickets during my vacation... as I am not the person that will pay more to play Aerolotto, unless it is <$50 RT.

Edit..

just re-read the SE Reward eUpgrade is only for flights within North America so, no more AC outside North America from now unless AC is the cheapest