Programs: UA 1P, CO Silver, AC, DL, AA, AS, SPG Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 135
I would love to see no-charge standby on all fares. If a seat goes out empty, there's no benefit to AC. If they can fill the seat, there is more space on later flights, meaning that there is at least the potential of either selling additional seats or faster irrops recovery or avoiding paying out VDB/IDB compensation.
If too much money is being made from same-day change fees, at least come to a compromise, for example allowing free standby within 2 hours of the ticketed departure, or on any connections.
I frequently arrive early for YYZ-YOW on transborder/international connections because I have Nexus and never check bags. It annoys me to no end that AC wants to charge me $150 to take a flight an hour earlier. No one is going to pay that much for an hour difference (if it was that important they'd be flying Latitude), and it costs AC nothing, so why not do something nice for the customer?
7. Aeroplan - I recognize that AC doesn't have control over AP these days, but I really question the shift that was made in the last few years to offer seats at higher redemptions. I can understand if there was one option at a higher redemption amount (eg. a 25,000 classic sold at 100,000 miles), but the current options provided at a series of different levels is nothing more than an insult for most people who go in and see this everytime...it is demoralizing at best and will hurt when WS starts its own program.
What seats, at what cost and at what quantity that are made available to aeroplan is completely an AC issue. Aeroplan only deals with what AC (and every other airline) gives them to work with. This issue is squarely in AC's court.
I'd like to humbly suggest bringing the J class food and drink up a couple notches. Service and seating is great these days (esp when compared to other NA carriers). However, food and drink is just disgraceful.
I understand we won't be having seat-side hand carved roast beef, but a much better effort should be made with meals.
Drink selection is also weak. You have a J class and no single malt scotch or real champagne? I understand you won't be popping open bottles of Mcallan 30 yr old, but something above the blended stuff would be a nice effort.
Could not agree more, some points have already been raised, like F&B quality and sparkling wine.
A 12 year Macallan would be great. You can get a 12 year old Glenlivet at MLLs, why not in the air?
Cheers to better J times ahead!
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Aeroplan member since July 27, 1990.
Programs: AC E, SPG nothing but wannabe Platinum :-)
Posts: 1,534
An example of how communication could be improved:
My girlfriend is in TLV now. She flew Y and on the way there during meal service she was offered "chicken or pasta". She asked how the pasta was prepared and the reply was, "Well, pasta is pasta."
While this is something that is easily addressed, I do understand that the underlying cause is most likely employee disengagement. (Same reason the "priority" bags come out whenever instead of coming out first.)
If the company (management) is asking employees to focus on the customer, it follows that the company (management) must focus on the employees. Only then will pax be offered something different then "chicken or pasta".
1. Agree re earlier post about standby - if a seat is empty, put someone in it.
2. Help people when you can, even if its weather. For example:
Rebook people on award tickets into available space whenever its convenient for them, not when you have award space free (for example, if tango is available then the plane should be a bit emtpy - put them in that seat).
Give people who live hours away from the airport a hotel room, or at least get a cheap rate somewhere nearby and for goodness sake give them something to eat and drink, in the event of a cancelled flight when you can't get them out that day. Especially on an international itinerary. Or especially for families. Whether its MX or WX. Doesn't matter why. In hand with this, get rid of on my way, or lower the price to $5 if you feel you must charge for everything (I hear it might be going anyway, but there's my two cents)
Or, pay for people's parking for a day. Bet you can cut a deal with Park N Fly and the GTAA for it.
3. (I'm told this is getting better already) Always be courteous, polite and professional, especially front line staff. I know its hard to have angry yelling people at you all day. Teach your staff strategies for coping with that and also perhaps psychological techniques for defusing escalating situations (there's lots of books on this out there). Get your staff to back each other up on this, so if someone is about to lose it, have their collegue say - you look like you need a break let me help this passenger.
Location: I like to fly, both as a pax and as a private pilot
Posts: 4,157
I agree with atsak's points, specifically the "help people when you can, especially in case of Wx".
For me, it all comes down to "backing up what you say"
- If priority tagged luggage is to come out first, make sure it comes out first
- When you announce a delay, be honest: I'd rather know it's a 4 hour delay, then 4x 1 hour delays
I'll give this some more thought, but it's positive that Calin is asking for this feedback - I hope he acts upon it!
I would love to see no-charge standby on all fares. If a seat goes out empty, there's no benefit to AC. If they can fill the seat, there is more space on later flights, meaning that there is at least the potential of either selling additional seats or faster irrops recovery or avoiding paying out VDB/IDB compensation.?
Or at least offer it for those travelling with no bags. I can see why they would want to charge for those with bags as someone has to find the bag, re-tag it, etc.
I agree on the Priority bags. Why waste all the time and effort to tag the bag and keep it sorted at the departure point only to have the customer's expectations widely missed by the arrival point's poor handling of the bags.
I now make it a hobby to count how many non-P bags are on the belt before my bag. I have gotten up to 86 before I saw my first bag and 113 before my second bag appeared.
This is not rocket science. They even have tractors in YYZ with huge Priority stickers on them to no avail.
Either make it a legitimate service or stop offering it.
Programs: AC*E / AMEX AeroplanPlus Platinum / RBC Platinum Avion / ICHG - Plat Royal Ambassador / HH Gold
Posts: 1,119
Get rid of fuel charges on AP rewards.
Allow P/E/SE to at least have some priority for 'D' class wait list for availability.. I think as it stands now if you book 'D' and not available then your not even included on a waitlist?
P/E/SE - When in the back could I have at least one free stiff drink
I frequently arrive early for YYZ-YOW on transborder/international connections because I have Nexus and never check bags. It annoys me to no end that AC wants to charge me $150 to take a flight an hour earlier. No one is going to pay that much for an hour difference (if it was that important they'd be flying Latitude), and it costs AC nothing, so why not do something nice for the customer?
More than once, I've been able to standby for an earlier YYZ-YOW flight free-of-charge when connecting from an international arrival. The one time the G/A asked for $50 (this was last year), I said I got in early from XXX and he said okay then, no charge. YMMV.
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13F
3) Ensure that the Aeroplan and Air Canada fuel surcharges are in sync. I realize that these are 2 different companies but I don't understand why the Aeroplan fuel surcharge can be significantly higher. Better yet, include the fuel surcharge in the base fare!
4) When there are any issues related to the J seats (green light burned out indicating seat is upright, seat lights that don't turn off/on without a reset, entertainment screen that requires a reset...all 3 happened on AC063 from YYZ to ICN on August 8), make sure they are resolved promptly
On the plus side...SSWU are great and I appreciate having the chance to choose SE benefits.
