whimsey21

I'll add my experience to the list--I hadn't seen this thread before, but wish I had. I was booked with wife and 2 kids on a PEK-DEL segment on Air China a few weeks ago, as part of a much longer trip with all other segments on other *A carriers. We had booked 2 tickets using Dividend Miles, and 2 tickets using UA miles about 10 months prior. I called Air China routinely every few weeks to verify that everything was ok with our tickets and trip (I couldn't find a way to check status on-line), and happened to call 2 days before departure one final time. On that call, I got the "there is a problem with your tickets. This isn't an Air China Ticket Number" and eventually a "your tickets have been cancelled by USAirways/United." Calling US, I discovered that the flight had been cancelled by Air China (still don't know why). AC hadn't notified anyone. AC said they could rebook me on one of their flights a week later, which wasn't terribly useful as I had plans in various other countries that couldn't be changed. Several calls back and forth (like the OP), with AC consistently claiming that it wasn't their doing, and that the other carriers had cancelled the tickets (despite the fact that AC themselves had cancelled the flight).
I fortunately didn't go through the same disaster as the OP, as I was at home prior to the trip starting, and could spend hours on the phone with US and UA trying to find four last minute C tickets to get me from PEK to India (and believe me, that took many many hours). Eventually I was able to get everyone to India one day late and in the wrong city (causing some chaos to my pre-existing non-refundable plans), and on a carrier that wasn't CA, through the kindness of several US and UA phone agents.
I certainly won't be booking Air China ever again-- I frequently thank my lucky stars that I was paranoid enough to call one last time before leaving, and not to have discovered the cancellation when in PEK...

phlwookie

For stuff like this, the general (though not absolute) rule is that prior to checking in, deal with the ticket issuing carrier. So in this case, I would insist that even though CA (Air China, AC is actually the code for Air Canada) had caused the mess, US and CA needed to figure out a plan B. Had irregular ops happened after commencing travel, CA should be the one to clean it up. Now of course this thread is a lot about how CA has failed to do so on multiple occasions, in which case my next call would be to US to plead for help.

globaltravelers

It is very good that you all refused to move or go away from the counter. That is what they want. It is fun when you have all the 3 generations witnessing ca tactics.. good job.

In my case, we even took turn to go to wc. Ca even asked us if we wanted to go get the luggage together (no! We wanted to always have one person at the counter, in case they closed it after we leave, as it is late in the night), or go to ask for help at the sq counter (no, ca can call sq directly, in any case, sq is not responsible), come back tomorrow (ca: supervisor will be present tmorrow! Me: no, you can call the airport duty manager, or beijing duty manager). Etc etc...

Do not leave until you get resolution. More witness the better.

globaltravelers

Useful relink for iata resolutions:

http://www.caymanairways.net/iata/ma...st-Ed-2002.pdf

Derrico

wow thanks for the warning.. Will take a pass on Air China.
Actually was looking at some award tickets that routed through Beijing, and wondered why so much first was available. I guess I know now.

moondog

FYI, this thread is about Air China. While I admit that CA's customer service is abominable, their peers really aren't any better.

TProphet

I lived in Beijing for 3 years (I left in February) and flew Air China a lot. They are an industrial Communist airline and the service is like United, although maybe more friendly. Getting things done in China is always a negotiation. It helps if you know some Chinese expressions so you can call BS more easily (although this can backfire if not done correctly). Either way, being persistent but polite eventually pays off. I have had the best luck with Air China when some Chinese guy is completely flipping out and having a shouting match - I'll walk past the crowd watching the scene to one of the other agents standing in shock and ask them to do something. The sight of a laowai getting help while the airline staff refuses to do anything special for someone who is unreasonable usually makes them even more angry, but it's a "small victory" for the airline staff.

... these are things you'll only experience in mainland China though. Hope you can enjoy a visit someday.

metoo

Seems like a nightmare. Is this mostly from flights originating from China?

I have a U.S. airways awards ticket for LAX-PEK in late December 2013 but my connection will be with Thai Airways to Bangkok.

LAX-PEK will be my only segment with Air China. I have called to confirm my first class seat several times. Not problem. Am I supposed to give my Travelers info before I check in at LAX on day of trip?

moondog

No; their indifference is present pretty much everywhere they fly. That having been said, CA's international performance is actually pretty decent (e.g. I haven't heard a single complaint about LAX-PEK since it switched to 773s).

Happy

Good grief. I so wish I have had some time to research a bit before rushing to book a UA award right before a long trip to Asia (on AA award flying CX F thankfully) because by the time we return, it might be too late to beat the UA devaluation clock...

We would fly FLL-IAH-PEK then have an open jaw restart in HKG, fly HKG-BKK-CDG on TG.

I am hoping that given we do not have a connection and we do not rely on CA to fly us out, we may be able to avoid most of the really bad things others have suffered.

Suddenly the F suite on the IAH-PEK does not look that attractive any more if one needs to constantly worry about whether one's flight is still in place.

Why CA canceled the flight the family of 4 was booked on? Shouldn't be any weather related. And they were booked 2 with UA miles 2 with US miles but all 4 bookings got canceled without informing the passenger...

This really got me worry as I just ticketed the UA award for travel in Sept 2014. sad.

I could not believe CA allows passengers smoke in the cabin!

moondog

One doesn't need to "constantly" worry about this. Check out flightaware; those 77Ws have a very impressive performance record.

whimsey21

I never did find out why they cancelled our flight-- I did a little bit of poking around after I got back from the trip, but it was nearly a month later and the most I could see was that it was an isolated cancellation-- the previously scheduled flight on the same route and the next few scheduled flights on that route all went off on the correct day of departure. It was not weather related, as they cancelled it roughly a week early, and I did end up leaving PEK the same night on SQ with no weather/airport issues.

globaltravelers

that's air china for you.. I suspect someone got bored and targeted reward redemptions and cancelled it.

maybe they want to send a signal to usa reward flyers to avoid ca.

moondog

Would you care to support your assertions?

Taipei

At the time of OP flight CI (Taiwan China Air) was a ground staff for CA, so more than likely all staff was CI at the Taipei Airport. CI staff that work CA flights also work CI and other flights (check in/gates), they do not know much about Star. I belive now its EVA air staff which does AC check in TAipei, they do now rules better. Does not fix the problem, but I can understand why it happened with CI staff at check in for CA flight. Its interesting they put you on CI instead of BR. I took many CA flights TPE/PEK/PVG and sometimes on CI, sometimes same check in people (in TPE), they did not know much about Star/UA elite (in my case) benefits (used a chart for lounge for example, but anything more they would not know), they know more about SkyTeam (thier alliance), and new Greater China Airline Team. My guess if like many things in Chinese culture staff are not allowed much flexiblity in fixing problems and things they do not know well. (in this case CI not knowing CA well and passing you to Beijing)

I have used lots UA miles CA (Air China) had no problems at all (all for flights within Asia though).