Symmetre

English translation of original post:

Yes! We have found yet another way to nickel-and-dime the vast majority of our passengers. And that's right Air Canada Elite E35 and Elite E50 members, we value your business so much we're once again screwing you over.

Air Canada ... lowering the bar, one notch at a time.

kwflyer

I have mixed feelings regarding this.

On one hand I welcome E+ seating to AC (long overdue an no doubt a reaction to AA's main cabin extra, and UA's E+). It would be even nicer if they included a free drink/snack for those who are seated in that area. Could do away with the travel options as a select privlege and offer something more competitive.

On the other hand, unless you're SE, having to pay flex fares (when Tango fares are already high enough!) is really no reward to your top tier members.

Moving towards UA's model of allowing their top tier members to select it on a complimentary basis based on status (i.e. at time of booking or checkin) is much more equitable and adds value to the loyalty program while still driving additional revenue.

Also as the population gets older (which is the current trend) most people will be looking for some small comforts (and is in part why some invest in long term loyalty) and I don't think a 31'' pitch on (full service) mainline is going to cut it.

So overall unless AC looks to implement at upgrade window system like UA for selecting E+ I am not a fan. And will just further question when >SE's are finding themselves crammed in a 31'' seat more often than not.

Also, why is a UA FA modeling the new seat?

canadiancow

Having booked a couple flights in recent memory and been stuck without any preferred seats (and I'm not talking about last minute bookings), I can't say I don't like keeping the restrictions.

Previously, E50K and lower only got frontrow bulkhead, and that's not changing.

ACAltitude, are there any plans to continue to charge for preferred seats at/after check-in, the way United does it? I have booked a couple last minute flights, and it's really annoying to get stuck in row 90 because I'm booking the flight 2 hours in advance.

King Chung Huang

As an E50, I previously had access to the first few rows (priority seats I think they're called), in addition to the first preferred row (usually row 12). It sounds to me that I'm losing access to the first few rows of economy, since they're all preferred seats, now.

winnipegrev

I'm curious about this too or if the seats become a free-for-all when OLCI opens.

ffsim

That's exactly what I understood, too. Massive, massive downgrade. Instead of having priority access to a few rows of seats, we now get 'e-minus' seats instead.

D582

Has this been done already, as this is today? Did they do this overnight? Or have they been quietly doing over the past little while and nobody noticed?

Clipper801

As an A50E, you can still get the bulkhead row for free if flying on a Flex fare. If they are taken, rows 13 to 18 (A320) that used to be priority seats will be restricted to SE (any fare) and A75E (Flex or higher) only. Row 19 will be the row that an A50E may pick closest to the front without having to pay a fee. The price to pick those Preferred Seats on a Flex fare ranges from $16 to $36, based on distance.

Anyone on a Latitude fare may pick Preferred Seat for free.

I actually like this new offer. One more reason not to have to chase for status as any one can now pick to seat in the front section of the Y cabin with extra seat pitch by simply paying a fee.

ffsim

That's exactly why this is a massive downgrade. I don't like row 12 on the A319/320/321. As far as I'm concerned, it's the worst row in economy, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So I've gone from having close-to-first-dibs on a bunch of rows to having to pay for them. It blows.

mendy7511

I tried choosing the fourth row today on AC151 on an Aeroplan reward ticket for a family member. I was able to choose the seat but when I click confirm seat selection, it gives an error to call in.I called and was told that the first 4 rows are now priority and I can't book them. Surprise! Thanks for the heads up yet again AC.
If this was in the works for a while (they didn't remove seats overnight), why no advance notice?

YYZFlyboy

Death by a thousand cuts for E50 - what are we at now slash #950? (seems like it)

Remember most of you SE and E75's - you won't be there for ever................

I've gone from almost all of my spend going to AC to minimal going to AC but still collecting AP miles when possible. I only use AC now to use up my upgrades, otherwise the revenue goes elsewhere. This year so far 80% to SQ, LH, LX and UA. (and BA).

Also when using AP miles I avoid AC like the plague.

I'm getting so sick of AC, just about every week it's something else.

Clipper801

With the reconfiguration, the new bulkhead row is supposed to have 35" seat pitch, about 2~3" more than currently on the A320.

I personally also don't like the bulkhead row on the A320 and E75. Somehow I find more leg room on row 13 also, being able to stretch under the seat in front of you more comfortable. The tray in the armrest takes up some width. I also find the TV screen too far away mounted on the wall to reach the screen to change channel and volume, etc.

Edit to add:
I just noticed the seat pitch for rows 12-15 on the A320 is only 33" on the seat map and not 35"!!

Mauricio23

And here come the slimline seats on the North American mainline fleet. Just when United had once more introduced the worst seating offering with their new slimline torture instruments (my butt is still sore from an ORD-YVR in those abominations last month), Air Canada boldly reclaims the lead in the race to the bottom!

FlyerJ

I'm E50K.

It appears that us E50Ks (not to mention lower tiers) don't benefit at all from this enhancement.

Not only do we not benefit ... we're in fact shoved a bit further back in the aircraft. With slightly less legroom.

Other than the first row of Y - which, as others have said here, is hardly the most desirable - I'm paying the same $$ fees to sit in the newly expanded Preferred section as a once-in-a-blue-moon flier who just happens to pick AC for a single flight. E50Ks get the exact same treatment as someone who's never even signed up for Aeroplan at all, someone who's never even heard of "Altitude" before.

Seriously?? Not even a nominal discount on Preferred seating, or a same-day "upgrade" at no charge to any remaining available seats? Absolutely nothing for a 50,000 mile/year customer?? Seriously!?

Not to sound like a broken record, but why remain loyal? I don't use the lounges (my goal in life is to minimize time in airports, not lounge in them). I rarely check a bag. Chasing elusive upgrades is more painful than it's worth.

So why bother???

winnipegrev

The seats aren't slimline, wouldn't that have been a miracle to adjust all E75s and 320s to slimline without anybody noticing. They just shifted the rows a bit to give the first few rows 1-2" extra legroom (I believe they were already 33").