ermintrude

First time visit to this forum on FT and a ton of posts already so I apologize if my question is repetitive, but does anyone know if AC followed the correct or reasonable procedures for VDB and IDB in this case.

Northern Canuck

Maybe because its tango fare that is usually subject to bumping according to the flying elite here. OK so then AC should remind everyone (all booking classes) that they may be subject to being bumped because AC believes in selling a seat twice to make more money. They might also remind all passengers that they shouldn't plan on getting to where they want to and when they want to unless AC decides its in ACs best interest to do so.

skybluesea

Not sure it really matters anymore, the traveller has accepted AC compensation, so what's the beef - I wants more I suppose, but then why did she except the $800 in the first place?

I do recall signing a waiver when I receive compensation for IDB couple years ago, so not sure if the same for US departure, but I'm signing that document I agreed not to pursue the matter further.

PS… Welcome to FT, and your comments are always welcome.

tcook052

The cruise itself wasn't departing MIA but she was joining a chartered flight ex MIA. Even with insurance however had she missed this flight and been re-booked on alternate flights with multiple connections she still could've missed the boat which is why I'd suggest it would've been prudent to have flown into MIA earlier and left some room for the unexpected.

Northern Canuck

The report says she received a cheque for $800, it doesn't say she accepted the compensation by cashing the cheque. Maybe that is why AC is still "working" on the file.

The smallest state

She wasn't asking for special attention. She was someone who paid a travel agent a lot of money for a trip. She was given a ticket, showed up on time, checked her luggage, then gets bumped. She was then (admittedly by her account) treated rudely, with little assistance and long lines that took so long to navigate she missed 2 flights that could have taken her.

How do you expect her to not have a separate itinerary? She was meeting a charter flight.

I agree the travel agent messed up with the tight connection, but AC made this worse by the poor service and absolute vacuum of empathy.

......oh and the travel agent made things worse by saying "go to the AC customer service desk. There is a dedicated line for agents to call to help clients in situations. That was a 'go bother someone else' ploy. But at least they stepped up and did right by getting her onto a cruise in May. I would be very confident that she will not be using AC to get her anywhere in the near future.

eigenvector

Yes it is prudent, because cancellations and delay outside of the airline's control can happen. Weather happens. Mechanical problems happen. Diversion due to engine failure or pax illness happens. I watched someone break down into tears at a United counter in Houston after our flight to SCL was cancelled saying they'd miss their connection to Easter Island for the "trip of a lifetime". Stuff happens.

But just because a volcano eruption cancelling all flights can happen, does not mean a passenger should accept delay when what did happen is the airline deliberately sold more seats than they could deliver in order to make a bigger profit. There is no external factor at play here besides Air Canada's business practices which have nothing to do with regulatory, safety or operational requirements.

Stranger

When you buy Tango you don't pay for empathy.

If your average Tango flyer were treated too well he probably would conclude he overpaid...

canadiancow

Okay having just read this huge thread, I have two things to say.

First, just because people are saying "she should have flown in a day earlier" doesn't mean we're blaming her. It's advice to anyone else reading this thread who may book a cruise. I've been delayed ~18 hours flying YYZ-YOW as a SE in J, due to weather. Stuff happens. It's advice, not blame.

The latter half of your statement is incorrect.

With COUPON REQUIRED, you can indeed print a boarding pass, go through security and preclearance, and make it all the way to the gate. However, then you may be called up, asked if you have a paper ticket, and then told you cannot board the flight. This happened to @thePhoenix_179 when he was E75K in LGA.

So did she have a valid ticket? I'd be interested in the technical details there.

I know another FTer recently created a PNR through their TA, checked in for the flight, printed a BP, but ended up cancelling it before ticketing it.

The smallest state

Great point. I wanted to check into an insane asylum once while waiting on hold with AC Rouge. The hold music would play and every 15 seconds a French Canadian man would shout "RRRRRRROUGE" into my ear.

Tango fare class really has to be the absolute last choice for anyone who has flown AC before. It's akin to Air Greyhound

expert7700

I disagree. Even without status,what's wrong with Tango class?

Does it say in the tariffs or on the Fare Comparison page that a benefot of Flex/Latitude is "we won't deny you boarding if overbooked"?

To my knowledge, status and checkin time trumps everything. When flying in the US we learned a decade ago that if you checkin late for a Southwest flight, you get the dreaded C (last zone) boarding pass, which means middle seat and a higher likelohood of being IDB'd.

The smallest state

Off of the top of my head............

You get 25% airmiles within Canada and "UP TO 50%" on international. I don't know where they delineate the "up to" hedging language as I have yet to fly Tango due to this.

You pay $25 or $35 for your bags.

$10 to do advance seat selection


Its just not a product I am interested in buying. In fact it is a product I will purposely avoid.

vernonc

Ok time to wait for the next CBC article in about 2 days. They did fill in with a sunwing bad vacation article sandwiched between the last two about AC.

fin 645

While many employees might be rude etc, I also put a lot of the blame on senior management. They have taken almost all discretion away from front line employees by automating everything to do with passenger priorities, be it upgrades or bumping. Any deviation results in a "please explain", so it's easier to do the annoy a passenger than to deal with the wrath of management. It's been going on for ages, but maybe this latest round of bumping furors will lead to agents having some greater discretion - or more to the point, time to deal with it. Agents are under the gun to get flights out on time, so they are forced not to spend time solving problems.

Which is not to say it is what happened here. There are still missing pieces, the biggest one being why she was chosen to be bumped. I am betting that she was on the lowest possible fare class, likely booked as a bulk cruise fare by the tour operator.

I am however, very surprised that the tour operator did not have better systems in place to deal with such eventualities, which must happen all the time for a myriad of reasons. Princess cruises guarantees to get you to the ship, even if at a later port, if you book flights with them. They also have a number to call if you are delayed. I am not sure why this person just gave up when problems arose, even if AC was to blame.

fin 645

But have you noticed how WS has managed to turn a lost dog shipped to the wrong place into a positive story?