Fizzer

I have a question on an almost similar but subtly different issue. We have upcoming AE Award flights but no longer have status with AC. We do have *A Gold status, however, with UA. Will we have to pay for bags?

Last year AC frequently made us pay for bags when checking in on paid flights because we didn't have UA gold at that time and were crediting to MP, even though we were *A Gold with AC at the time. When I made the award booking I expected no benefits as we are no longer AC E50 but now I am wondering whether we should.

I'd like to resolve this before flying because paying up front and then reclaiming later if we shouldn't have paid does not work. Whenever we have tried that ( on a couple of occasions last year) AC customer service failed to respond to any of our emails EVER and we gave up as the dollar amounts were just not worth the time it was taking. We were given a card with a phone number IIRC but when we worked through the tree of select 1, select 2 etc it turned out that they could only respond to emails ( begging the question of why you would give out a card with a phone number).

cavitron

Update here from the OP.

I submitted a complaint to Air Canada via the website (suggested by @ACAltitude on Twitter). They acknowledged the error and will be refunding the extra baggage fees. They also gave me a code for future discount.

kwflyer

How much was the discount code?

cavitron

10%

Incidentally, I got a second discount code for the same flight for another issue (destroyed bag / contents). Not the best flight ever! But customer service was great in resolving issues after the fact.

zrh2yvr

Well - For the first time in a long time - I know what it's like to have no status.

My wife and I are on an AE booking - I am E50 she is now E35. Both of the Aeroplan numbers are in the booking. Firstly - this will be my first domestic economy flight I've had since you had to pay for seat selection. So - our status is not showing on the BP's - even though they are showing correctly in the Reservation on AC.COM.

We were assigned Zone 5
We could not change the seats
It would not allow us to check bags without a fee.

All this essentially made just reverse the check-in and tomorrow we will have to deal with this as the YYC airport.

I would like the status to be in the DCS record because the flight is oversold and there are 7 open in J. Also - none of the premium seats have been assigned and thus we should be able to get a better seat - like really - - should it be the last people to checkin to get these seats or would you want to allocate them to your better customers. Also - whatever happened to the days that a AE redemption was essentially treated as good as a Full-Y (now I know - that's 20 years ago).

We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

superangrypenguin

I don't understand. Short of preferred seats (since you have to pay for this as only SE's get to grab those seats on a AE redemption for free), you cannot go on ac.com, click on manage my bookings and change seats? Can you call in and change seats?

CanadianMike

Just go board Zone 2 as you would anyways.
The checked baggage fee you should NOT have to pay either.

I'm E50k and traveling YVR > YYZ > CPH > EDI on an Aeroplan reward, my BP said the same but I had no troubles boarding in the Zone 2 line and explaining my status wasn't attached to the boarding pass for some reason.
And you can always just show your E50k tags / *Gold card if need be.

PointWeasel

Sorry to hear about your frustration with this issue.

It has been going on for years and AC in cooperation with AE don't give a flying duck.

It's even more annoying than when the LH rez system doesn't pick up your *G status and it takes them 3 to 5 times of removing and adding your number before it takes. I finally give up now with LH, just like AC.

Fizzer

When we recently flew on an AE reward with only UA *G but no AE status we followed the advice received here and checked in on line but selected no bags. We then dealt with at the check in desk with no problems. We got lounge access and free bags but no seat selection but it all worked well.

willflyforfood

On a recent YUL - FLA flight, the OLCI tried to charge me for my three checked cases. Did as was recommended here, checked in with no luggage, expecting to fight it out at the airport check-in the following morning. Got to the gate, told the agent i had three to check-in, he knew what the issue was and took care of it pronto. He red-tagged the 4th roller and off we went. Nexus line and we all got zone 2 boarding off my one E50 BP. Good one AC gate agent! Sorry, forgot to note his name!

zrh2yvr

For a 1 hour flight we dealt with all this craziness. On going through this, I think the main things we learned are.

1.) The status issue should normally only be a problem with Market awards and not classic . Classic are booked in the AE booking codes as because of this - the FQTV can be added in DCS and not result in any AE points being rewarded (0% booking class). With Market - they could result in points being awarded because these are real tickets with real booking classes.

2.) The agent would not enter our number (I think they are told not to). When I asked them if they could not or they would not (i.e. - I asked have you been instructed not to add it) she said no. I told her I knew how to enter it in "Native" - and then she really got defensive and said she does not know Native nor does really anyone anymore. I guess - it's like knowing how to do something at the dos prompt vs. someone who only knows how to point and click in windows.

3.) The most disappointing in the whole thing is that on a plane where it was fully booked - with almost none of the premium seats being pre-sold, we were not able to change to them without a fee and ultimately in the end - they were given to those PAX who had no pre-assigned seat. I tried not to get a seat pre-assigned but on booking - it was assigned and multiple calls to AE resulted in no progress . Then on the seat booking tool - you can not release your seat. - So we ended up with row 17. Again - one hour flight - no big deal - - just the process of the seat allocations at the last minute is frustrating.

4.) J-Class and likely op-up. J was only sold 1/9 then had to AOG DH Pilots - so lets say there were 6 seats open. Ultimately - there was no way for me or my spouse (also gold) to be . . let's say . . "considered" for any upgrade - or at least a seat change to premium.

Overall - we got exactly what we paid for. The ground staff were great (but rather unfriendly for what I would expect in YYC), flight uneventful . . and the bags were first of the flight so we made it out of the airport in minutes.

As my wife says when she reminds me not to get so wound up. . "first world problems".

I guess there is no easy solution for this - but I can say I will never redeem for a market award again - - I will just buy the ticket - I basically paid for it anyway.

kraftdinner_

I recently flew YUL-YYT in Y with miles from an account not belonging to me and had considerable frustration receiving SE benefits while traveling. After booking I had to call the SE line to book preferred seats free-of-charge, called the concierge during OLCI to waive the bag fee, called the concierge again at the airport when I collected my BP to try to get "Zone 5" changed to 1, and also needed to get the concierge to put notes on my file so I could get let into the MLL and also board with Zone 1 (as I was told my SE number couldn't be added to the reservation as the number from the person whose account it came from was in there and couldn't be removed.) At the end of the day, I received all my benefits I was entitled to, but not without considerable effort and frustration. I filled out the feedback form on the AC website, and this was the response I got:

"As a matter of interest for future bookings, the person making the booking must contact Aeroplan to ensure the guests "chip" or profile has been associated with the file if the person booking is not the person traveling. If this is not done the system can not recognize the passengers status level."

Has anyone heard of this "chip" before? So they're basically saying that Aeroplan has a way of associating your FF number with your profile, but the concierge isn't able to do anything?

HerpaYvr

June 25th YQF-YYC-YUL-BRU-LIS SE & two non status - All 3 on same PNR

Checked in online but picked up BP at counter, three priority bags, three zone 1 BP's

YUL - BRU flight delayed two hours, missed LIS connections, Concierge and MLL Agent WERE GREAT! All three upgraded to Executive First knowing we have no flight out of BRU to LIS, so we rested and enjoyed the flight in J.

Landed in BRU, concierge greeted us at gate, provided us with three J class tickets on TAP (no screaming hell) but very nice indeed, and full access for all three of us in the Lounge!

No complaints, Great service, we were looked after very well - Loved it

July 4th - LIS-YYZ-YYC-YQF - Lets see what happens

fin 645

I have encountered this issue many, many times. I have been able to get all benefits EXCEPT priority baggage, since the red priority tag is absolutely meaningless - if the baggage tag bar code does not reflect the proper status, off comes the tag (yes, they really go that far to annoy you).

If there are two travellers, one way around it is to list the SE passenger as the secondary passenger, and you can the enter the status at OLCI and it will all work.

I have never heard of any "chip" work around - many concierges have tried, but none have ever succeeded. AC is well aware of the issue, but seems not to care, and as I say, goes out of its way to make sure you are screwed.

(One one occasion, a proffered my SE card in Y for BOB, and the SD was most concerned that the manifest did not indicate my status - he even had a manager meet me - none of them were aware of the problem, so I filled them in).

lostinthewash

AE reward, my account, 2 travellers on the same PNR.

I did OLCI via the AC app ... it allowed me to change my FF number to Mr. LITW's SE number while checking him in.

Both boarding passes show Zone 1 and S100K, so it appears to have either allowed both SE numbers on the PNR, or overwrote both to his number but printed the status on both boarding passes.