It really is a sad comment on AC that they feel that they have to implement a program like this, and that they call it a "customer recovery" program. I've not flown WestJet, but everyone I know who has is enthusiastic. WJ don't need to "recover" their customers because they don't lose them initially. My reading of this policy is that AC is saying: "We do a miserable job at customer service; we don't really want to deal with this problem; let's just compensate those people we've offended with $50 and maybe they'll feel better about it and keep flying with us." Inducing a cultural change in an organization is not easy to do, but AC doesn't seem to think that this is even worth considering as an option.