Diabeetus

Point taken.

I remember when Flex (Tango Plus) was often only $10-20 or so more than Tango on domestic flights.


I'm lucky in that I do get reimbursed or can write off about 50-75% of my travel.

Though, I wonder, for the "greater good"*, if not overbooking will then get people to stop whining about it. *Whatever that means, and whether it really benefits people is a different matter. Remember that even once a year flyers and tangoers will whine about how expensive airfare is regardless.

MSPeconomist

Many travel agents wouldn't do a better job on this. A lot of them are simply clueless, but they know the basics of how to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and packages.

tcook052

This isn't a thread about the abilities of travel agents, it's about a passenger who booked with a tour company and encountered problems.

Wpgjetse

Because her return ticket was around $300 before tax.

skybluesea

A lawyer would also understand that in willing to accept compensation, as offered, the matter therefore closes as terms are settled per the Tariff.

Bigger worry that CBC is on this case, NOT as a consumer advocate, but to reinforce its own position with government of how important they are in the public eye - and that commercial broadcasters are NOT protecting the public interest only like they can - of course, at the same time asking for massive budget increase?

And for these media efforts, how much sympathy is public really going to give with headline $10,000 cruise.

All we need is Feds to play hero and for those of us who pay handsomely for flexibility, guess what TAX HIKE is coming in the way of restrictions on airline tickets that force airlines to respond in other ways.

and for post that says AC only way to get to MIA, well, FLL is nearby with many AC flights per day at this time of year - and just as easy to take taxi to MIA cruise port - adds 45-60 minutes and about $70 taxi fare.

Northern Canuck

Kind of like business people whine about the flex and lat fares going up as a result of the impending change to AC's bumping policy which exists, according to AC, so that they can offer the benefits of flex and lat... The once a year "tangoers" (as you put it) will whine but they may also look for better fares with another airline or an airline that does not bump but has the same fares.

Wpgjetse

Something tells me it will not be the flex/lat fares going up. What will be effected will be the Tango fares. These fares will lose more benefits and become more restricted.

Symmetre

As has been noted, with AC the rouge cattle car is the only option YYZ-MIA - as is the case on many other transborder routes. At least on the YYZ-MIA run there are better options, but that's not always the case, is it? And let's face it, occasional fliers simply don't have the basis for comparison that you or I do. Cut her some slack.

And do you read every single page of the T&C each time you update some app on your phone or laptop? Not likely. No one reads all that crap.

Be mad at the CBC all you like, but maybe you should also wonder why AC keep giving them so much ammo to work with. If they simply delivered on their value proposition, CBC would have nothing to write about.

Um ... yup. Or at the very least be transparent about it. Make it a condition of rouge or the Tango fare class, and advertise it as such - it's a cheap seat, but you may be bumped. Some people will upgrade to Flex on that basis alone.

gold23

First off, Lindblad is an elite operator. About as high end as you can get, and if you are going to the Galapagos or Antarctica...there is nobody better. I would be absolutely shocked if they were at fault here.

I love how FT'ers often assume that the average person has any idea about travel needs. Most people fly once or twice a year- if that- and primarily for leisure. It's not unreasonable for someone to do extensive research on the actual destination and just assume they can get there easily. It seems like there were six or seven hours between her landing and the cruise. Of course she should have flown in the day prior, but I can absolutely understand the belief on her end that she'd be ok.

The blame here is squarely on AC. They are completely inept for people who do not know how to game the system.

YYT82

So because Tangoers and once-a-year flyers will whine regardless, keep overselling and bumping while bringing in true Open Skies and keep the business flying fares low. This way everyone wins, or should I say everyone 'whines'.

epiphani

According to the article, the package she purchased included the flight.

Except it's not. What if YYZ had been shut down for weather? She'd still miss her cruise - boats wait for no one.

Her "elite operator" booked her flight close enough to the departure that a flight bump caused her to miss it. Even if she'd been booked in J on a mainline flight, delays are possible. I think a large number of us have experienced a 24+ hour delay flying J and not being bumped.

So she got bumped. Yeah, that's unfortunate, but that comes with tango fares. There are all kinds of other factors that can affect air travel, and assuming everything goes perfectly is never a good strategy. An experienced flyer knows this, and an "elite operator" should know this as well.

On the assumption that the operator booked her flights, the "elite operator" screwed up, period.

Cozmo456

We are all expert flyers here. We know the pitch of the seat, what the right procedure is etc.

A retired lawyer booking from an elite agency knows squat.

In the pure chaos of IRROPS, I try to share my knowledge and help the people around me. I suggest we all FTers do the same instead of blaming them.

vernonc

While we FF know how to best protect ourselves from being bumped the infrequent flier does not. Its very easy to blame the customer. If AC is bumping then they should plan better. US carriers ask for volunteers at checkin stage, and then again at the airport. AC seems to do neither. And while it is prudent to fly in a day earlier for a cruise this is not always possible. Weather delays are a risk. IDB should not be when there are other options. The customer is more upset about the cavalier attitude of the staff and that they did not give her time to make other flights - she was in fact being accommodating.
I fly Tango frequently - company policy on low fares. To all the posters who state that you should checkin at T-24 to avoid being bumped, what happens once everyone starts to do this.

epiphani

AC's datacenter melts?

Cozmo456

This is why OLCI is down so much lately. Perhaps?