CBC: Dad, 2 young kids ordered off Air Canada plane after mother turned away at gate
Apr 26, 2017, 9:43 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,139
Pax might have had a BP issued with the "COUPON REQUIRED" mention or something similar. I have had that happen in the past. Not fun when you have no clue what that means.
Apr 26, 2017, 9:51 am
#32
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For the amount they are seeking, neither AC or the family is entitled to use a lawyer under Québec law, which is the governing law of all pax contracts with AC.
Apr 26, 2017, 9:53 am
#33
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Simple, CBC is reporting on something insignificant, and I'm calling them out. And strangers already pointed out the lack of factual reporting so let's focus on what AirCanada might be doing soon instead of this trivial nonsense.
And if you wish to call me out, then you should've contacted the moderator, but now that you've challenged me please read my post carefully as it would appear you wish to ignore the context in which the story needs to be put
And if you wish to call me out, then you should've contacted the moderator, but now that you've challenged me please read my post carefully as it would appear you wish to ignore the context in which the story needs to be put
CBC keeps reporting this story because it is topical for most Canadians and their click thru rates must be sky high otherwise why would they bother. And they did have another travel story about Sunwing a couple of days back so there is that.
Yes, AC does do good deeds and I am happy to praise them when warranted. However not sure how we can focus on what AC 'might' be doing soon re a N Korea conflict that might or might not happen.
Apr 26, 2017, 9:55 am
#34
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,927
I am curious what level of precision do people expect for an airline that in 2015 carried 41 million passengers.
...
Even an error rate of .0001%, only translates into a few thousand people affected, of course not pleasant for those impacted, but come on what do you really want to have happen here.
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Even an error rate of .0001%, only translates into a few thousand people affected, of course not pleasant for those impacted, but come on what do you really want to have happen here.
Apr 26, 2017, 9:57 am
#35
Join Date: Sep 2009
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AA not reissuing tickets correctly happened not once, but three separate times to me, so I tend to believe some sort of AA screw up is involved in the story.
Last time it happened to me when I was flying AA the next morning, but the flight was cancelled, and in the evening before the flight AA rebooked me on WestJet flight. I wake up in the morning and before going to the airport I check my reservation and see it was cancelled. Turns out AA did not reissue the tickets and WestJet cancelled the unticketed reservation. It was a major stress to get the tickets reinstated just a couple of hours before the flight.
The OP story seems to be a result of a technical issue of two airlines not properly working together - a very common issue. And then nobody takes responsibility and points fingers at each other.
Last time it happened to me when I was flying AA the next morning, but the flight was cancelled, and in the evening before the flight AA rebooked me on WestJet flight. I wake up in the morning and before going to the airport I check my reservation and see it was cancelled. Turns out AA did not reissue the tickets and WestJet cancelled the unticketed reservation. It was a major stress to get the tickets reinstated just a couple of hours before the flight.
The OP story seems to be a result of a technical issue of two airlines not properly working together - a very common issue. And then nobody takes responsibility and points fingers at each other.
Apr 26, 2017, 10:02 am
#36
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 16,093
So I've heard several people on this forum claim it's an AA issue.
On one hand, this is a vague sentence that can mean anything. On the other hand, improperly issuing an eticket would constitute wrongdoing imo, so I'll assume AA is telling the truth and it's not their fault.
Additionally, if it is an AA issue, AC itself acknowledges that it's no blameless:
Regardless of who caused this pax to be unable to be boarded, how do you defend AC's pulling off already-boarded pax because one member of their travel party -- who allegedly was okay with being left behind -- is left behind?
On one hand, this is a vague sentence that can mean anything. On the other hand, improperly issuing an eticket would constitute wrongdoing imo, so I'll assume AA is telling the truth and it's not their fault.
Additionally, if it is an AA issue, AC itself acknowledges that it's no blameless:
Regardless of who caused this pax to be unable to be boarded, how do you defend AC's pulling off already-boarded pax because one member of their travel party -- who allegedly was okay with being left behind -- is left behind?
1) Whose booking error it is? AA or AC. This can be demonstrated fairly easily in Court.
2) Did the family voluntarily give up their seats or were they ordered off the plane? Talking to the 3rd party present on the plane, that is other pax could clear this up. If AC lies...well, it won't e pretty to be AC apologists.
3) Did AC break the law on DOT rule re: IDB compensation?
Apr 26, 2017, 10:22 am
#38
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E50/MM, HH gold, Nat Exec Elite, Kimpton Karma
Posts: 2,354
Once again the stupid reporter says that USA DOT regulations require that AC pay $1350 each as IDB compensation. That's incorrect and, in fact, it would have been so easy for that "journalist" to check the actual rules. In this case, the reporter even seems to "copy" the compensation portion of the rule correctly and then nevertheless says that they're entitled to $1350 each. What happened to basic reading comprehension?
Apr 26, 2017, 10:33 am
#39
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If the issuing agent does not do it right, the receiving airline may never get paid.
Apr 26, 2017, 10:39 am
#40
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I dont understand how the checkin agent 'didnt catch' the mistake and issued a boarding pass.
How does a boarding pass get issued without a paid-for ticket? This is where AC is full of crap. If there was no ticket, no boarding pass would have been possible.
Everytime I get rebooked on AC from another airline, there is a complicated checkin process that takes 20 minutes and has to be handled by the agent, and by some back-room security bs, since its a last minute full Y/J booking usually that I didnt pay for
In any case, the more bad press on AC, the better.
How does a boarding pass get issued without a paid-for ticket? This is where AC is full of crap. If there was no ticket, no boarding pass would have been possible.
Everytime I get rebooked on AC from another airline, there is a complicated checkin process that takes 20 minutes and has to be handled by the agent, and by some back-room security bs, since its a last minute full Y/J booking usually that I didnt pay for
In any case, the more bad press on AC, the better.
Go get a TA to create a reservation for later today without ticketing it. You can check in and get a boarding pass.
My E75K friend was denied boarding for this reason on a 014 ticket booked through AC.com with all AC flights, and modified through reservations. Compensation was 5k miles for him, and 5k for me (I chose to not board without him; we were on one PNR but my coupon was properly attached to the segment).
I find AC agents never notice COUPON REQUIRED when they're printing BPs, but it's something I always look for to ensure my travel goes smoothly.
That being said, I find it's pretty rare for AC to come out and say "no, that's not what happened", so I'm curious.
From what I see, nothing prior to boarding the plane was AC's fault (though they could have caught and corrected it), but it's really going to come down to how and why they were "ordered off" the plane.
Apr 26, 2017, 10:41 am
#41
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
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This. And if the receiving airline might not get paid, why should they take the chance. No businesses would be willing to swallow that. The only thing is the AC agents could have done a better job providing nothing for the family while apologizing to the family that there was nothing that could be done until AA issues the FIM properly (or attaching the electronic coupons properly). There, problem is back with the originating airline and no PR hit.
Apr 26, 2017, 10:46 am
#42
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,073
Uh, I think you misunderstood what I meant. I meant that if AC believes they did nothing wrong, then they should really do nothing for the customers. But there is a persuasive way to talk to the customers and make them think that the agents have tried everything they could. Asian airlines are exceptional at this, and at the end of the do-nothing, you would feel bad to even get angry at them.
Doing nothing for the customer in some situations is entirely appropriate - as I think may be the case in this situation - but you do have to make the customer feel that they are getting the best service possible, even if they are completely in the wrong!
Apr 26, 2017, 11:16 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Maybe all these news stories will lower AC usage and then AC will drop their prices?
Is it just me or is that picture of the AC kiosks with the lady in green and two blokes from at least one previous post. Are CBC just re-using the same image?!
Apr 26, 2017, 11:31 am
#44
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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* Her "beat" includes either Air Canada or travel in general. Most newspapers assign reporters to beats so that they can become mini-authorities in a particular area. It keeps reporters from having to learn a new subject with every single story they report.
* People read her stories and then reach out to share their own experiences.
Apr 26, 2017, 12:07 pm
#45
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
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Issues of accuracy and fact checking aside, there are probably a couple issues at play here:
* Her "beat" includes either Air Canada or travel in general. Most newspapers assign reporters to beats so that they can become mini-authorities in a particular area. It keeps reporters from having to learn a new subject with every single story they report.
* People read her stories and then reach out to share their own experiences.
* Her "beat" includes either Air Canada or travel in general. Most newspapers assign reporters to beats so that they can become mini-authorities in a particular area. It keeps reporters from having to learn a new subject with every single story they report.
* People read her stories and then reach out to share their own experiences.