Air Canada launches internal investigation into treatment of Saskatoon toddler
Sep 20, 2017, 6:45 am
#1
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Air Canada launches internal investigation into treatment of Saskatoon toddler
https://globalnews.ca/news/3757311/a...atoon-toddler/
Airline travel can be stressful enough and even more so with children, let alone if something goes wrong.
Now, one Saskatoon mother is speaking out against Air Canada after she said a trip to San Francisco, Calif., with her three-year-old daughter for therapy on Sept. 10 turned into a nightmare.
“We got out of the plane and typically when you gate-check a stroller, it’s waiting as soon as you exit and it wasn’t there.”
Airline travel can be stressful enough and even more so with children, let alone if something goes wrong.
Now, one Saskatoon mother is speaking out against Air Canada after she said a trip to San Francisco, Calif., with her three-year-old daughter for therapy on Sept. 10 turned into a nightmare.
“We got out of the plane and typically when you gate-check a stroller, it’s waiting as soon as you exit and it wasn’t there.”
Sep 20, 2017, 6:49 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Spatially speaking or metaphysically speaking?
Programs: Aeropain: Zirconia Status; Altitude: Marianas Trench Status; UA MP: 1 Kick to the curb status
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https://globalnews.ca/news/3757311/a...atoon-toddler/
Airline travel can be stressful enough and even more so with children, let alone if something goes wrong.
Now, one Saskatoon mother is speaking out against Air Canada after she said a trip to San Francisco, Calif., with her three-year-old daughter for therapy on Sept. 10 turned into a nightmare.
“We got out of the plane and typically when you gate-check a stroller, it’s waiting as soon as you exit and it wasn’t there.”
Airline travel can be stressful enough and even more so with children, let alone if something goes wrong.
Now, one Saskatoon mother is speaking out against Air Canada after she said a trip to San Francisco, Calif., with her three-year-old daughter for therapy on Sept. 10 turned into a nightmare.
“We got out of the plane and typically when you gate-check a stroller, it’s waiting as soon as you exit and it wasn’t there.”
“I was bracing myself for those people saying just chill out, travelling with kids is hard, suck it up,” Boyenko remarked.
“I have not had one person say that.”
Waiting for comments here to the contrary in 3...2...1...
Sep 20, 2017, 9:04 am
#4
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“In the end, it has nothing to do with the stroller. It’s how we were treated.”
Sep 20, 2017, 9:09 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2004
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Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
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I flew on an airline 200 times with a stroller. Gate checked it several times before having one failure where it went to baggage claim. Many times if we were waiting in the jetbridge, the captain himself took time to walk down to the tarmac and retrieve it for us.
If an employee at the gate or on the plane had told me to pick it up at the TICKET counter I'd have laughed and asked if I should also check in and buy my next ticket at baggage claim.
After that point, I bought a rugged, foldable stroller (Quinny) that goes into a bag the size or a carry on, and never had to gate check it again.
Expensive at $250, and the cheapskate side of me still questions why we paid so much. But it works out to only 2.5% of one if her $10,000 trips.
We travel international alot these days, and were shocked to see that Airports in the Middle East make it so easy for families with small kids. Airport courtesy stroller stations every hundred yards, more stroller stations at each gate area, more stations to facilitate leaving it before security and getting a new one right after security screeing.
Even for (gasp) economy passengers.
If an employee at the gate or on the plane had told me to pick it up at the TICKET counter I'd have laughed and asked if I should also check in and buy my next ticket at baggage claim.
After that point, I bought a rugged, foldable stroller (Quinny) that goes into a bag the size or a carry on, and never had to gate check it again.
Expensive at $250, and the cheapskate side of me still questions why we paid so much. But it works out to only 2.5% of one if her $10,000 trips.
We travel international alot these days, and were shocked to see that Airports in the Middle East make it so easy for families with small kids. Airport courtesy stroller stations every hundred yards, more stroller stations at each gate area, more stations to facilitate leaving it before security and getting a new one right after security screeing.
Even for (gasp) economy passengers.
Sep 20, 2017, 9:26 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2014
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AC Mistake Number 1 "when you gate-check a stroller, it’s waiting as soon as you exit and it wasn’t there.”
AC Mistake Number 2 "were told the stroller was at the ticket counter."
AC Mistake Number 3 "It wasn’t there when they arrived "
AC Mistake Number 4 the runaround and endless eye-rolling from Air Canada staff began.
AC Mistakes Number 5 [airline attendant] "said ‘yes’ and then she turned away and didn’t radio, didn’t phone anybody.”
AC Mistakes Number 6 the two were told the stroller was in the baggage area.
AC Mistakes Number 7 request for the staff to bring the stroller to them or the assistance of a wheelchair went unfulfilled
AC Mistakes Number 8 would leave the airport three hours later without a stroller and a promise from Air Canada to reimburse her for another
AC Resolution 101 was offered 25 per cent off the base fare the next time they booked with Air Canada.
………..now media has found out. Customer is in contact with the CBC
AC Corporate Speak 101 “We are very concerned to learn of this, as it does not reflect our standards on how we expect customers to be served or cared for, or how gate-checked strollers are to be handled. We will be contacting our customer directly about this truly regrettable situation, and we are also looking into this matter further.”
AC Customer thought that STILL has never sunk in at AC “In the end, it has nothing to do with the stroller. It’s how we were treated.”
The lies, the eye-rolling, the deep audible sighs, the assurances of action only to go sit down with nothing done, the promises of future compensation and the most famous AC employee tactic of them all……….telling the customer to go somewhere else, ANYWHERE ELSE.
AC Mistake Number 2 "were told the stroller was at the ticket counter."
AC Mistake Number 3 "It wasn’t there when they arrived "
AC Mistake Number 4 the runaround and endless eye-rolling from Air Canada staff began.
AC Mistakes Number 5 [airline attendant] "said ‘yes’ and then she turned away and didn’t radio, didn’t phone anybody.”
AC Mistakes Number 6 the two were told the stroller was in the baggage area.
AC Mistakes Number 7 request for the staff to bring the stroller to them or the assistance of a wheelchair went unfulfilled
AC Mistakes Number 8 would leave the airport three hours later without a stroller and a promise from Air Canada to reimburse her for another
AC Resolution 101 was offered 25 per cent off the base fare the next time they booked with Air Canada.
………..now media has found out. Customer is in contact with the CBC
AC Corporate Speak 101 “We are very concerned to learn of this, as it does not reflect our standards on how we expect customers to be served or cared for, or how gate-checked strollers are to be handled. We will be contacting our customer directly about this truly regrettable situation, and we are also looking into this matter further.”
AC Customer thought that STILL has never sunk in at AC “In the end, it has nothing to do with the stroller. It’s how we were treated.”
The lies, the eye-rolling, the deep audible sighs, the assurances of action only to go sit down with nothing done, the promises of future compensation and the most famous AC employee tactic of them all……….telling the customer to go somewhere else, ANYWHERE ELSE.
Sep 20, 2017, 10:05 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE100k, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 2,648
After that point, I bought a rugged, foldable stroller (Quinny) that goes into a bag the size or a carry on, and never had to gate check it again.
Expensive at $250, and the cheapskate side of me still questions why we paid so much. But it works out to only 2.5% of one if her $10,000 trips.
We travel international alot these days, and were shocked to see that Airports in the Middle East make it so easy for families with small kids. Airport courtesy stroller stations every hundred yards, more stroller stations at each gate area, more stations to facilitate leaving it before security and getting a new one right after security screeing.
Even for (gasp) economy passengers.
Expensive at $250, and the cheapskate side of me still questions why we paid so much. But it works out to only 2.5% of one if her $10,000 trips.
We travel international alot these days, and were shocked to see that Airports in the Middle East make it so easy for families with small kids. Airport courtesy stroller stations every hundred yards, more stroller stations at each gate area, more stations to facilitate leaving it before security and getting a new one right after security screeing.
Even for (gasp) economy passengers.
2) In Japan, Narita has a free stroller rental service as well:
https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/faq_ask/
Fortunately, the couple of times our gate-checked stroller was to be delivered at the baggage claim, the gate crew provided this info. No lost strollers yet after 32 flights with the little one.
Sep 20, 2017, 10:14 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYC / random hotel in YYZ
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Posts: 922
We never had an issue with about 50 flights with my daughter.... no matter the airline. Even had the captain go down once when the ground crew were taking their time.
BUt crappy response from ground staff on this one.
BUt crappy response from ground staff on this one.
Sep 20, 2017, 2:45 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Is that all you got from the entire article ? Depending on where the ticket counter is the washroom may be a hike with the kid and bags. And she was probably not told it was going to be 45 mins - more likely we should have an answer any minute which dragged onto 45 mins. I do not think any parent would have just stood there with a kid in a dirty diaper if told the wait was 45 mins.
Sep 20, 2017, 3:15 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2011
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Oh look, another PR disaster handed to the media on a silver platter by Air Canada.
But it is just the CBC / "mainstream media" with an axe to grind, right? I wonder where the snarky attitude on AC's Twitter account is now.
Paging more white knights to the thread...
But it is just the CBC / "mainstream media" with an axe to grind, right? I wonder where the snarky attitude on AC's Twitter account is now.
Paging more white knights to the thread...
Sep 20, 2017, 4:27 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2017
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Is that all you got from the entire article ? Depending on where the ticket counter is the washroom may be a hike with the kid and bags. And she was probably not told it was going to be 45 mins - more likely we should have an answer any minute which dragged onto 45 mins. I do not think any parent would have just stood there with a kid in a dirty diaper if told the wait was 45 mins.
I know you want to be mad at the airline because it's the trendy thing to do these days, but let's not overlook how gross it is to allow a child to sit in their own feces. It would not be surprising to me if she did it just for the sensationalism in order to make the story marketable for the media.
Sep 20, 2017, 4:30 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Posts: 495
Cab fare to nearest Babies 'r Us store: ~$30 (8.2 miles from SFO, I checked)
Cab fare back to airport/car rental/actual destination: ~$30-$100
New stroller (whether partially or completely reimbursed): $50-$1000
....
Lack of negative publicity from an easily-solved problem: priceless!
Cab fare back to airport/car rental/actual destination: ~$30-$100
New stroller (whether partially or completely reimbursed): $50-$1000
....
Lack of negative publicity from an easily-solved problem: priceless!
Sep 20, 2017, 5:36 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BKK/SIN/YYZ/YUL
Programs: DL, AC, Bonvoy, Accor, Hilton
Posts: 2,920
I found the woman to be calm and reasonable. The story as stated is credible. I don't "blame" Air Canada though. This really is a human behavior incident. What I see here were insensitive and lazy workers. The fact that they were employees of Air Canada is a side issue.
Air Canada management didn't tell the employees to be insensitive and lazy. What Air Canada needs to do is to investigate and if the story is substantiated, to discipline the employees and to hold them accountable. It looks to me like the workers failed to observe the most basic standards of civility and betrayed their own union's social responsibility position.
Hold the workers responsible, not the airline. All that the blaming of AC does is to allow these slobs to hide and to do it again because they will be allowed to continue with their behavior.
Air Canada management didn't tell the employees to be insensitive and lazy. What Air Canada needs to do is to investigate and if the story is substantiated, to discipline the employees and to hold them accountable. It looks to me like the workers failed to observe the most basic standards of civility and betrayed their own union's social responsibility position.
Hold the workers responsible, not the airline. All that the blaming of AC does is to allow these slobs to hide and to do it again because they will be allowed to continue with their behavior.