I've just booked my first TPAC flight of the year, and after a weekend's consideration and consternation I went with AC anyway - even though my company's "lowest logical fare" rule means I'm in Tango, and thus in Y.
"Oh well", I thought "I'll use my SE status as best I'm able, and at least book one of 777 bulkhead seats with lots of legroom". I just phoned AC to get the seat assignment setup ... and was told that for a Tango fare, even SE's don't get complementary preferred seats(!).
I suppose I should have known this before, but ... it seems my SE status is offering fewer and fewer benefits with every passing day. Before the apologists come out & defend AC ... yes, I know I've paid for a flight, and all that AC are obligated to give me is a basic flight ... but the appreciation they are showing me in recognition of the 150,000 status miles I flew last year, is getting mighty hard to discern - any first time traveler would have a flight experience almost indistinguishable from mine. Now, I can't even have my choice of Y seats for free.
If the price difference between T & T+ were more reasonable, I'd even consider paying the difference myself ... but for $800 one way, that's too steep to consider (for me & my company).
So I'm stuck for this flight ... but my loyalty to AC is diminishing with every passing day.
What I've been wondering is whether SEs will get preferred seats on T fares come March. The AC website says that SEs get preferred seats on "Any fare, including Aeroplan Flight Rewards".
So preferred seats on AC for SEs on T fares? It didn't make sense to me because T fares don't come with seat selection.
Programs: AC SE 1MM, HH Dd, SPG Gld, PC Plt/RA; AA; Wyndham Rewards, AirMiles
Posts: 12,580
"Before the apologists come out & defend AC ... "
This has nothing to do with the apologists, this has to do with what is written and what is not. Sure it would be nice to get same day free standby (UA 1K still gets?), upgrades from Tango fares (never been available but why not), unlimited upgrades if there is space up front etc etc. but the rules say otherwise. The same for seat selection on Tango fares--this is not a currently written benefit for SEs. This may change for 2013.
AC has certainly diminished many benefits as I have written extensively on since the late 1990s, but don't expect something which has never been offered.
Sure it would be nice to get same day free standby (UA 1K still gets?).
No need to be 1K, UA Gold and up get free confirmed 24 hour changes (not just standby) if your fare class is available - if its not - then you get free standby.
This has nothing to do with the apologists, this has to do with what is written and what is not. Sure it would be nice to get same day free standby (UA 1K still gets?), upgrades from Tango fares (never been available but why not), unlimited upgrades if there is space up front etc etc. but the rules say otherwise. The same for seat selection on Tango fares--this is not a currently written benefit for SEs. This may change for 2013.
AC has certainly diminished many benefits as I have written extensively on since the late 1990s, but don't expect something which has never been offered.
I guess it depends what we're comparing. It was not that long ago that I could buy the cheapest available TPAC fare, and as an SE I'd be able to have my choice of seat selection, and also have a reasonable hope that I'd get an upgrade. That has now changed. Sure, AC have changed it by downgrading the lowest priced fares to Tango, but I'm comparing the actual product that was offered, not the mechanics of how AC implemented the downgrade.
Said another way round ... as an SE, it was not that long ago that I had considerable motivation to direct my dollars to AC. I may be forced to buy the cheapest fares, but I do buy a lot of them. If they really want to treat me the same as people who fly once a year, that's their prerogative ... but I hope they are not surprised when I don't treat AC as special either.
No need to be 1K, UA Gold and up get free confirmed 24 hour changes (not just standby) if your fare class is available - if its not - then you get free standby.
With no status, and crediting to AC, I've done free same day standby on UA. Comes in handy for an MR where you're giving yourself extra time just in case, but then the flights are all on time.
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2013: 12,048 AQM, 9 AQS, 4/5 AC upgrades (3 in advance, 1 at gate)
The opinions stated here are my own, not necessarily those of my employer.
Interesting discussion. I just booked a trip to HKG. Our corporate travel site would only allow T fare purchase. As an exec, I can book directly on an airline for International travel, so I booked T+ for about $300 more each way, and my flight looks good for the UG. My engineers that travel TPAC are all booking on United, as they want all their status miles. Interestingly, the flight is booking pretty full though, so maybe AC has the right idea commercially. Time will tell.
What I've been wondering is whether SEs will get preferred seats on T fares come March. The AC website says that SEs get preferred seats on "Any fare, including Aeroplan Flight Rewards".
So preferred seats on AC for SEs on T fares? It didn't make sense to me because T fares don't come with seat selection.
I was talking to the SE desk about this one. The agent said she was told that effective March 1st SE's will be able to pick a preferred seat (including exit row) on any fare (including Tango and Aeroplan bookings). Elite 75k can do with T+ or higher - everyone else is Latitude. I guess that means when SE's book Tango you get free seat selection?
Programs: AC-SE, SPG-G, HH-S +too many non-status to mention
Posts: 210
Quote:
Originally Posted by LockheedElectra
Interesting discussion. I just booked a trip to HKG. Our corporate travel site would only allow T fare purchase. As an exec, I can book directly on an airline for International travel, so I booked T+ for about $300 more each way, and my flight looks good for the UG. My engineers that travel TPAC are all booking on United, as they want all their status miles. Interestingly, the flight is booking pretty full though, so maybe AC has the right idea commercially. Time will tell.
I just flew ac15 on Sunday and the flight was full. I didn't see a single empty seat.
Last edited by 4havnfun; Jan 14, 13 at 1:24 pm..
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