Adam Smith

I don't know that there's a perfect website that can handle everything, but AC's definitely seems to do less than others.

Because they should always be trying to be more profitable.

jc94

I've spent ~45 mins on the phone to them for two flight bookings because the system wasn't able to deal with a 5 segment trip and because money off vouchers (only % off ones) work through the website. I hate doing it because then the flights don't show up in manage my bookings.

I wonder how sites like Expedia fare here. I know people who've booked through Expedia because it's cheaper... does that hurt AC? Surely not. I'd much rather pay through AC because I'd rather deal with them over Expedia in the event of something going wrong ... but I've never had issues booking through Expedia (just after booking)

lcohen999

I find it is even the little things

I use TripCase (because my TA uses Sabre) and it works perfectly.

However, if I change my iten after my first flight, that change never properly reflects in TripCase. It will always show the old flight.

That is ONLY with AC Flights, United, Qantas, I change to an earlier flight, TripCase is updated immediately

Stranger

Penny wise, pound foolish.

Transpacificflyer

The vast majority of transactions on AC are simple. A to B and are the result of purchase by unsophisticated consumers. Transactions that cause headaches are a small number. Cost to upgrade isn't justified by the presumed gain. FT members who have issues are how many? 10? 20? 100? How many transactions does AC make in a year?

Sean Peever

Well there are 2 things to mention here.

1) You make it sound like only FTer's have problems, this simply is not the case, those are just the ones you are reading about because you're reading it on FT.

2) There are many A to B that do not work, I posted an example earlier. Super simple A to B and back. At the very least they should make A to B work.

canadiancow

I'm not sure if this fully counts as "crappy IT", or just how they don't post delays early enough.

But on Saturday, I wanted to fly SFO-YVR for drinks. I booked the 8pm, even though I could have caught the 5pm, because:
1. I had a friend who might fly up with me
2. Due to the event time, my options were to wait in the SFO Centurion lounge or in a paid bar somewhere in Vancouver, and I opted for the former

I had another friend flying out of SFO around 4pm, so we went to the airport and spent some time in the lounge.

I received an email from the concierge about two minutes after the 5pm pushed back, telling me my flight was delayed 2 hours. I received a third party notification on my phone around the same time.

With the new arrival time being after midnight, there was no point going to YVR any more. So I cancelled it and went home.

If their system were smart enough to realize that with an inbound coming from YYZ, there was no way in hell it would be on time, and had delayed it by 1 hour at 4pm (rather than 2 hours at 5pm), AND NOTIFIED ME, I would have taken the 5pm flight.

Instead, AC received no money from me, and 571 left wide open in both cabins.

The key part of this is early notification. If the inbound flight is 5 hours, and you need 30 minutes to turn it around, then at 1530, if the inbound is still on the ground, post a 30 minute delay. Repeat this process every 30 minutes. Then even if they make up 30 minutes in the air, they haven't "overdelayed" it. And people like me will actually pay to fly.

And people who "need to fly" won't feel as pissed off that they left home/hotel/downtown 2 hours earlier than they needed to.

Stranger

If in a potentially tight situation, I sometimes check the status of the incoming flight. Which one can often identify.

canadiancow

I often do too, if I'm in a "potentially tight situation".

When I am sitting around all afternoon, and don't "need" to be at my destination, I prefer to not worry about things.

At the end of the day, I wasn't really fussed, but AC lost money.

When I'm booked on a 1720 out of SFO and I'm going straight from work, you bet I'm checking the inbound. I don't want to leave work until I absolutely have to.

quantumofforce

Posted in another thread, but relevant here as well.

The forced use of the beta site prevented me from booking a multi-city itinerary that was transpacific. I booked with Asiana instead. Always wanted to see seoul

smallmj

Isn't this the sort of thing that got drunkcargo in his status mess? Hope it doesn't happen to you as well.

CanRulez

Cow went to the Centurion Lounge.

Sean Peever

If I recall correctly, from the letter the DC posted, they specifically said something along the lines of - without the intention to fly - which is not the case in Cow's situation.

canadiancow

They delayed my flight over 2 hours. If THAT is not a valid reason to cancel a flight (not that I need ANY reason to cancel a flight beyond "I no longer want to go"), then I don't really care.

zorn

Can you not imagine the froth the AC/AP forum could whip itself into if someone came here with a report of a flight with several 30 minute delays updated few times every 30 minutes?

It is possible the rage would be so scarlet that the usual six or seven people would pass out from apoplexy before their automated fingers get around to typing out predictions of the imminent arrival to such a thread of the imagined swarm of AC apologists.

In conclusion I think for public health reasons along AC should not adopt this practice.