Aug 15, 2014, 9:20 am
Last edit by: tcook052
Potential issue when E75k members select Preferred Seats
As you may know, we have recently introduced an expanded Preferred Seats product. It has come to our attention that certain Altitude Elite 75K members, when travelling on a Flex fare and attempting to select a Preferred Seat, are being prompted for a fee. We will be proactively refunding any affected eligible customers, however should this affect your ability to reserve Preferred Seats, you can contact Air Canada.
We are actively working on fixing this error, and are confident it will be resolved by the beginning of next week. For more information regarding Preferred Seats eligibility, please visit:
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/traveller/seatselection/preferredseats.html
Starting April 7, 2014, Air Canada expanded the number of Preferred Seats offered across its narrow-body fleet, that is, the E75, E90, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft.
With more Preferred Seats being available, customers can:
• Enjoy more comfort, with up to 4” (more in the exit row) of additional leg room, more legroom to stretch out, relax and work
• Easily identify Preferred Seats in the cabin with the dedicated head tidies
• Deplane quickly as most Preferred Seats are located to the front of the cabin seats with additional leg room
• Ask your travel agent to make Preferred Seat selection for GDS bookings
Air Canada’s entire mainline narrow-body fleet, as well as Embraer 175 aircraft, operating on behalf of SkyRegional, has now been re-configured with additional Preferred Seats.
Air Canada will implement the following changes to the Preferred Seat program in phases:
Phase 1:
• Starting August 15, 2014, eligibility for Preferred Seats will be streamlined based on status or fare paid.
• Preferred Seats purchased on/after August 15, will be calculated by segment vs by bound (i.e. from origin to destination). Therefore if a customer has an itinerary YYZ-YYC-YVR, the Preferred Seat fee will be calculated based on the amount for each segment. (Prior to August 15, the fee would have been calculated for the entire YYZ-YVR journey as one fee.) This ensures better access to Preferred Seats on each segment, as it's not always easy to guarantee seating on an an entire journey, especially if there is an IROP or aircraft downgauge.
• Preferred Seats will remain accessible to everyone when the flight is open for check-in, as it is today.
Phase 2:
• Later this summer, Preferred Seats will be sold during the check-in window at kiosk, web and mobile applications.
Also, as of today, you can now book Preferred Seats for Flight Pass bookings.
Eligibility for Complimentary Preferred Seat Selection:
Fees for Preferred Seats:
North American & Caribbean: $19 to $99
International: $69 to $199
Note the price will differ based on Tango vs Flex fares. With regards to the previous fee table, some routes offer less expensive Preferred Seats while others have gone up in price.
As you may know, we have recently introduced an expanded Preferred Seats product. It has come to our attention that certain Altitude Elite 75K members, when travelling on a Flex fare and attempting to select a Preferred Seat, are being prompted for a fee. We will be proactively refunding any affected eligible customers, however should this affect your ability to reserve Preferred Seats, you can contact Air Canada.
We are actively working on fixing this error, and are confident it will be resolved by the beginning of next week. For more information regarding Preferred Seats eligibility, please visit:
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/traveller/seatselection/preferredseats.html
Starting April 7, 2014, Air Canada expanded the number of Preferred Seats offered across its narrow-body fleet, that is, the E75, E90, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft.
With more Preferred Seats being available, customers can:
• Enjoy more comfort, with up to 4” (more in the exit row) of additional leg room, more legroom to stretch out, relax and work
• Easily identify Preferred Seats in the cabin with the dedicated head tidies
• Deplane quickly as most Preferred Seats are located to the front of the cabin seats with additional leg room
• Ask your travel agent to make Preferred Seat selection for GDS bookings
Air Canada’s entire mainline narrow-body fleet, as well as Embraer 175 aircraft, operating on behalf of SkyRegional, has now been re-configured with additional Preferred Seats.
Air Canada will implement the following changes to the Preferred Seat program in phases:
Phase 1:
• Starting August 15, 2014, eligibility for Preferred Seats will be streamlined based on status or fare paid.
• Preferred Seats purchased on/after August 15, will be calculated by segment vs by bound (i.e. from origin to destination). Therefore if a customer has an itinerary YYZ-YYC-YVR, the Preferred Seat fee will be calculated based on the amount for each segment. (Prior to August 15, the fee would have been calculated for the entire YYZ-YVR journey as one fee.) This ensures better access to Preferred Seats on each segment, as it's not always easy to guarantee seating on an an entire journey, especially if there is an IROP or aircraft downgauge.
• Preferred Seats will remain accessible to everyone when the flight is open for check-in, as it is today.
Phase 2:
• Later this summer, Preferred Seats will be sold during the check-in window at kiosk, web and mobile applications.
Also, as of today, you can now book Preferred Seats for Flight Pass bookings.
Eligibility for Complimentary Preferred Seat Selection:
Fees for Preferred Seats:
North American & Caribbean: $19 to $99
International: $69 to $199
Note the price will differ based on Tango vs Flex fares. With regards to the previous fee table, some routes offer less expensive Preferred Seats while others have gone up in price.
Expanded Access to Preferred Seats
Aug 13, 2014, 10:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: Alt E50K, Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 89
Expanded Access to Preferred Seats
Got got off the phone with AC trying to do a seat selection.
Seems as of today those preferred seats all cost something now depending on location in the row even if you have status. No more free preferred for the preferred :-( Geezzz. I feel the squeeze.
Seems as of today those preferred seats all cost something now depending on location in the row even if you have status. No more free preferred for the preferred :-( Geezzz. I feel the squeeze.
Aug 13, 2014, 10:41 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
No, it depends. If you buy Tango then you have to pay, if you're on FLEX, as a E50k SOME are pay, online it's the yellow/gold star seats that are pay (which are free for 75k and up) the blue star seats are free. I'm not sure why you'd wanna phone them to do this though, I much prefer just doing it online and using the seat map, it makes more sense that way.
Aug 14, 2014, 2:48 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
Watch out! Preferred seats for E members are being charged
Just booked a flight and noticed that I was being charged for preferred seats. I thought it was one off, until I changed a flight in another itinerary. This time I caught the error so I called into AC. They said AC IT is transitioning to some sort of different system and that even she could not assign me the preferred seat I wanted. She said it'll be approx 24 hours until the issue is resolved.
Just a headsup to everyone!
- and yes, it was on a Flex fare
Just a headsup to everyone!
- and yes, it was on a Flex fare
Aug 14, 2014, 3:21 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Canada's worst airport....YYJ
Programs: AC: E75K, Marriott :Titanium, National: EXEC ELITE
Posts: 596
It looks like the long-awaited new preferred seat policy is now live. Details available at
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...rredseats.html
General outline as follows:
You'll enjoy complimentary Preferred seat selection for you and your travel companion(s) if you are:
an Altitude member travelling on a Latitude fare;
an Altitude Super Elite 100K member travelling on a Flex or Tango fare, or an Aeroplan Flight Reward;
an Altitude Elite 75K member travelling on a Flex fare;
an Altitude Elite 50K member travelling on a Flex fare in Canada or between Canada and the U.S.
You'll save 50% on Preferred seat charges for you and your travel companion(s) if you are:
an Altitude Elite 50K member travelling on a Flex fare between Canada and an international destination;
an Altitude Elite 35K or Prestige 25K member travelling on a Flex fare.
For all other customers, prices (including taxes) per one-way flight segment are based on your itinerary:
North America and Caribbean International
$ 19 to $ 99 $ 69 to $ 199
You can see the exact price of a Preferred seat during the booking process, by going to the Manage my Bookings tab, or when you check in for your flight online, on your mobile device or at a self-serve kiosk.
Overall, I think the policy is fair.
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...rredseats.html
General outline as follows:
You'll enjoy complimentary Preferred seat selection for you and your travel companion(s) if you are:
an Altitude member travelling on a Latitude fare;
an Altitude Super Elite 100K member travelling on a Flex or Tango fare, or an Aeroplan Flight Reward;
an Altitude Elite 75K member travelling on a Flex fare;
an Altitude Elite 50K member travelling on a Flex fare in Canada or between Canada and the U.S.
You'll save 50% on Preferred seat charges for you and your travel companion(s) if you are:
an Altitude Elite 50K member travelling on a Flex fare between Canada and an international destination;
an Altitude Elite 35K or Prestige 25K member travelling on a Flex fare.
For all other customers, prices (including taxes) per one-way flight segment are based on your itinerary:
North America and Caribbean International
$ 19 to $ 99 $ 69 to $ 199
You can see the exact price of a Preferred seat during the booking process, by going to the Manage my Bookings tab, or when you check in for your flight online, on your mobile device or at a self-serve kiosk.
Overall, I think the policy is fair.
Aug 14, 2014, 3:53 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: E50K, *Gold, WS Gold,VIA Premier, VIPorter
Posts: 463
Does this mean that as an E35K travelling on a Domestic Flex flight pass, I don't even have access to the bulkhead free of charge? If so, it is kind of annoying they changed this mid-benefit period..
Aug 14, 2014, 4:12 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
Programs: It's hard to get status when the website won't let me book flights.
Posts: 5,706
Aug 14, 2014, 4:38 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 1,022
That benefit was there all along. No change. Do 50K have access to Exit Row free on NA flights? Previously they were restricted to bulk head. That will be a good change for them.
Aug 14, 2014, 4:46 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2002
Programs: AC; Fairmont Plat; Accor Plat; SPG Plat, BA Gold; A3*G; AB Gold;
Posts: 232
<snip>
For all other customers, prices (including taxes) per one-way flight segment are based on your itinerary:
North America and Caribbean International
$ 19 to $ 99 $ 69 to $ 199
You can see the exact price of a Preferred seat during the booking process, by going to the Manage my Bookings tab, or when you check in for your flight online, on your mobile device or at a self-serve kiosk.
Overall, I think the policy is fair.
For all other customers, prices (including taxes) per one-way flight segment are based on your itinerary:
North America and Caribbean International
$ 19 to $ 99 $ 69 to $ 199
You can see the exact price of a Preferred seat during the booking process, by going to the Manage my Bookings tab, or when you check in for your flight online, on your mobile device or at a self-serve kiosk.
Overall, I think the policy is fair.
In the past, my no-status parents have been able to select the remaining available preferred seats at OLCI. It appears now that UA E+ style, if you want to sit in the seat at anytime, you'll have to pay for it.
I like the idea in principle, but if this is in fact the case, and the FA's are going to be chasing down seat-switchers on-board with the CC machine, the pre-departure routine could become a little hectic!
Last edited by jantaoYVR; Aug 14, 2014 at 4:48 pm Reason: typo/grammar
Aug 14, 2014, 5:28 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 1,022
In the past, my no-status parents have been able to select the remaining available preferred seats at OLCI. It appears now that UA E+ style, if you want to sit in the seat at anytime, you'll have to pay for it.
I like the idea in principle, but if this is in fact the case, and the FA's are going to be chasing down seat-switchers on-board with the CC machine, the pre-departure routine could become a little hectic!
I like the idea in principle, but if this is in fact the case, and the FA's are going to be chasing down seat-switchers on-board with the CC machine, the pre-departure routine could become a little hectic!
Aug 14, 2014, 5:30 pm
#12
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
No more distinction between Exit and Bulkhead seats. They are all considered as Preferred seats now so eligibility will be as per the webpage that's posted above.
Aug 14, 2014, 5:33 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2002
Programs: AC; Fairmont Plat; Accor Plat; SPG Plat, BA Gold; A3*G; AB Gold;
Posts: 232
I like the idea in principle because if the airline is monetizing the seat pre-check in, I think they should continue to do so after OLCI becomes available.
This also allows for status members booking inside the 24-hr pre-departure window (as I've often had to do) to retain some access to preferred seats.
Aug 14, 2014, 5:45 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
Seems pretty similar to what they had before as far as my E50k Flex fare domestic flying goes. The rules are fair imo.
My only problem is when I looked at an A320 recently it seemed like there was ALOT of "preferred seats".
1. If there's no extra legroom, and the only benefit is deplaning earlier, then they really aren't preferred because Row 18 then 19 there's maybe 30 seconds different? So where do you draw that line?
2. No middle seat should be preferred. Personally I think that's a joke, even in row 12, sure you get off faster and a bit of legroom but that should be a free seat, hell...make all middle seats free choice, then make the preferred ones row 12-20 instead of 12-18 or whatever.
My only problem is when I looked at an A320 recently it seemed like there was ALOT of "preferred seats".
1. If there's no extra legroom, and the only benefit is deplaning earlier, then they really aren't preferred because Row 18 then 19 there's maybe 30 seconds different? So where do you draw that line?
2. No middle seat should be preferred. Personally I think that's a joke, even in row 12, sure you get off faster and a bit of legroom but that should be a free seat, hell...make all middle seats free choice, then make the preferred ones row 12-20 instead of 12-18 or whatever.
Aug 14, 2014, 5:59 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: YWG
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,478
2. No middle seat should be preferred. Personally I think that's a joke, even in row 12, sure you get off faster and a bit of legroom but that should be a free seat, hell...make all middle seats free choice, then make the preferred ones row 12-20 instead of 12-18 or whatever.