Canadian Airlines Plus - You think getting upgrades are difficult? Have you tried an award yet?

I have been on the phone for over an hour. First to CP, then to AC then back to CX and CP. I have been trying to redeem an award for some friends flying in from YSJ (Saint John) to Bangkok on Cathay Pacific with connecting service on Canadian.

Basically going out isn't too much of a problem. Except maybe from HKG to BKK when we are right in the middle of Songkran season (Thai New Year) and seats are full on every flight in all classes. Nevertheless, managed to solve that problem. Coming back is another story.

First there were no flights directly back on CX to YYZ. SO I tried routing them via Vancouver. That was a nightmare. It was impossible to get them on any flight after CX lands at 1245pm. No more CP flight to YYZ. The CP agent wasn't sure if we could combine CX with AC and CP awards. But I said that since CP and AC are considered one airline now, (she wasn't too pleased with that remark) that AC flights should be considered as CP flights to YSJ. There are hardly any award seats avaialable for any flight from YVR to YYZ much less to YSJ. Basically CP has all the morning flights and AC took over all the afternoon and evening flights in hopes of tapping the lucrative asian connecting traffic.

Well, after mush twidling of dates, we managed to fly my friends back to YYZ directly on CX and then connecting to YSJ the next day.

Just let it be known that you've been warned.

I think it is a little early in the game to start asserting that AC and CP are one carrier. (Though appearances are to the contrary).

CP and AC have not even got the domestic codeshares and reciprocal awards worked out. To mix and match CX with AC is, I think, premature. Their FF deal was torn up when CX went to OW. I gather that once the regulatory hurdles are overcome there will by CP seats on almost all AC flights and v.v. That should take a lot of the pain out of the process. But in the interim, I don't think we should be suprised that there are kinks.

That being said, there is no excuse for agents not being fully briefed on this. Agents should know clearly what AC/CP arrangements are allowable and which are not and be able to explain them to customers who need help.

Remember Milton & friends said that they believe that this integration is good for us the travellers because it'll give us more choice, more flights...maybe he should add that now you people will have less/no upgrades, no award seats.

[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 03-10-2000).]

FYI, AC*SE.... They have already started codesharing domestically. On the last couple flights I was on, they have been saying "Thanking for flying Canadian and our partner Air Canada" They dropped the "newly formed alliance" Oneworld part.

Yeah, I just noticed that the press release for Kelowna showed both AC and CP flt numbers.

In that case, there should be AC and CP reward seats on both.

Awards on CPlus on partner airlines that provided Canadian Airlines flights to the partner airlines' gateway are fine as long as they do not include Air Canada flights.

That might be fine but there are a lot of flights on there that are on AC. See my post above for CX flights arriving in YVR in the afternoon. There are NO CP flights at all after 1pm to Toronto and the East. Only AC. So people will be forced to take AC but awards on partner flights like CX/JL are not allowed to connect through. Unless you buy a seperate ticket.

I think it's time I move back to Asia.

The two will be "merged" "soon" so you will have a better choice. Don't know if CX will still be available at the time of merger though.

When I was trying to get an award flight YOW-YVR, earlier this month, one of the CP agents said it was too bad I wasn't travelling after March 7, because on that date CPlus members will be able to use their points on AC flights. (I pointed out AC wasn't able to get me any decent flights with my Aeroplan points for my dates of March 4&5, but that I appreciated the tip).

According to the agent, CP points will be useable on AC flights starting March 7, but not the reverse. Hmm, another move that put CP FF'ers on AC flights and potentially leaves even more seats empty on CP flights. I wonder who thought that one up.

andrew

I redeemed Some CP Points, got an AC awards ticket and ended up travelling on CP Anyway.
Currently in the YYZ Empress Lounge. All the staff seemed informed and ready to accept my wish.