AC Cancelling tickets
#31
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
I did a one way booking on AE in J, and moved it too F a couple days before departure.
Got a call from my credit card company 5m after hanging up. Fraud department.
They called from a number that showed the agent's name, not the financial institution.
Anyway, I missed the call and called back. Automated message ask of transactions were me, and that was all.
Called the next day to speak to a human, and they said everything is ok.
I didn't bother calling neither AC nor AP.
Everything was fine. Flight was great. End of story.
Got a call from my credit card company 5m after hanging up. Fraud department.
They called from a number that showed the agent's name, not the financial institution.
Anyway, I missed the call and called back. Automated message ask of transactions were me, and that was all.
Called the next day to speak to a human, and they said everything is ok.
I didn't bother calling neither AC nor AP.
Everything was fine. Flight was great. End of story.
#33
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,294
At the time of refund, the replacement ticket hasn't been purchased yet.
#34
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
Programs: It's hard to get status when the website won't let me book flights.
Posts: 5,706
Why is everyone assuming that this is the action of AC, and that AC is cancelling the flights etc?
It could just as easily be the action of the credit card company reversing the transaction / cancelling the transaction / putting it on hold, because they suspect fraud.
It could just as easily be the action of the credit card company reversing the transaction / cancelling the transaction / putting it on hold, because they suspect fraud.
#35
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,787
Why is everyone assuming that this is the action of AC, and that AC is cancelling the flights etc?
It could just as easily be the action of the credit card company reversing the transaction / cancelling the transaction / putting it on hold, because they suspect fraud.
It could just as easily be the action of the credit card company reversing the transaction / cancelling the transaction / putting it on hold, because they suspect fraud.
Except, in the cases discussed here (at least in some/most), it was mentioned that the people who got their ticket cancelled called their CC, and got an answer that as far as the CC is concerned, everything was OK.
#36
Formerly known as newbie elite
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: YUL
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Platinum, AC50K
Posts: 2,921
Why is everyone assuming that this is the action of AC, and that AC is cancelling the flights etc?
It could just as easily be the action of the credit card company reversing the transaction / cancelling the transaction / putting it on hold, because they suspect fraud.
It could just as easily be the action of the credit card company reversing the transaction / cancelling the transaction / putting it on hold, because they suspect fraud.
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,293
AC is doing this on legit tickets people have purchased.
If they suspect fraud (lame excuse) - flag these at purchase.
#38
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SEMM / HH Diamond
Posts: 3,150
And either way, why not give the customer a choice between a refund, or a proof of non-fraud (and then a re-issued ticket) (with no additional money changing hands in either direction).
#39
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AC E35K, NEXUS
Posts: 4,368
I presume the point of the refund is that something has indicated to AC that the purchaser may not have authorized the purchase and therefore AC is at risk of a chargeback.
What concerns me is that there is no apparent pattern of factors in the revoked tickets, based only on the one-sided stories trickling in to FT--which is the only information available to us--and this could cause anyone to worry that they may be next.
While AC may not want to disclose all of its fraud algorithms, to avoid helping fraudsters, it should instruct customers of anything they are expected to do and not do, with deviation at their peril. I feel the need to know how to reinstate my confirmed ticket. Will carrying my card and purchase transaction and confirmed itinerary and paid Amex statement help? It sounds like that would be futile, if the seats have already been released and resold.
The matter of AC botching the revocation by doing it unilaterally and without explicit notification is a separate and also bad issue. I don't think a refund-and-walk-away procedure is the only option available to AC.
What concerns me is that there is no apparent pattern of factors in the revoked tickets, based only on the one-sided stories trickling in to FT--which is the only information available to us--and this could cause anyone to worry that they may be next.
While AC may not want to disclose all of its fraud algorithms, to avoid helping fraudsters, it should instruct customers of anything they are expected to do and not do, with deviation at their peril. I feel the need to know how to reinstate my confirmed ticket. Will carrying my card and purchase transaction and confirmed itinerary and paid Amex statement help? It sounds like that would be futile, if the seats have already been released and resold.
The matter of AC botching the revocation by doing it unilaterally and without explicit notification is a separate and also bad issue. I don't think a refund-and-walk-away procedure is the only option available to AC.
#40
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE, HH Gold, Marriott Titanium, National EE, Sixt Platinum, Hertz PC, AVIS PC
Posts: 1,907
I'm still missing something here ... when AC submits the refund, do they still suspect fraud? If so, why are they refunding anything? If the fraud they are suspecting is that they won't get paid, then how can they refund that lack of payment? And if they do believe they will get paid, then where's the fraud?
And either way, why not give the customer a choice between a refund, or a proof of non-fraud (and then a re-issued ticket) (with no additional money changing hands in either direction).
And either way, why not give the customer a choice between a refund, or a proof of non-fraud (and then a re-issued ticket) (with no additional money changing hands in either direction).
Ron.
#41
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SEMM / HH Diamond
Posts: 3,150
Yes, ok, that makes sense. Although you'd think that they could just require the credit card to be presented in person at the airport, before letting the pax board. I'm sure that would still cause some angst (children flying but parents bought ticket, etc), but it seems like a better solution than just cancelling the ticket outright.
#42
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Providence RI
Programs: American Exec Plat, Hyatt Refugeeist, Marriot Gold, Air Canada Cattle Class, Korean Air Morning Plat
Posts: 988
The whole company culture at AC is skewered. The management and the employees are both wary of the other, and by extension the employees see their job in narrow silo's. Nobody will go over and above as they job has narrow parameters.
AC Fraud Guy - This is a fraudulent cc purchase. I must cancel. It's not my role to call the customer.
AC Call Center Guy - I am inbound calls only. I can't call the client
lets fast forward to departure day shall we........
AC Gate Agent - Call your credit card company, you are not showing on my system.
after booking a new flight
AC Flight Attendant - We are primarily here for your safety.
The whole company culture is one where the customer is little more than an after thought to be avoided. It is so un-Canadian too.
#43
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: YYT
Programs: AC E35k, HHonors Silver
Posts: 743
Check your tickets - Air Canada cancels bookings without warning
As reported by CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...ning-1.4147410
#44
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: YHZ/YQM
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 1,618
I'm surprised it took the CBC this long to run a story like this. We've been talking about this sort of thing for quite some time on FT. The recent dedicated thread:
edit: nevermind, the post got moved into the thread that I linked
Though it has been talked about in many other threads over the last few months.
There's no need to bash the CBC over this article, it is a clearly a real issue.
edit: nevermind, the post got moved into the thread that I linked
Though it has been talked about in many other threads over the last few months.
There's no need to bash the CBC over this article, it is a clearly a real issue.
Last edited by smallmj; Jun 6, 2017 at 9:17 am
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,787
I only wish the cbc would stop promoting that kid with an overinflated ego; not so good for their credibility. Not that I disagree with what he says.