Hello All:

I visited Aeroplan's website today to book a Canada-Europe ticket for my niece.

I found out that I could not book her in business class, even though seats were available (at the 'Classic' level), because Air Canada has a new policy that the SE member must travel with the passenger on at least one leg of the itinerary - unless the passenger is the SE member's spouse or child. I'm single and childless.

Then, after looking at the fees I had to pay for the ticket (over $600), I saw that the taxes and security fees - in other words, the disbursements made directly to the government - were only about $200, but Air Canada had imposed a "Carrier Admin Service Fee" of $453 on this ticket.

What kind of crap is a "Carrier Admin Service Fee", especially if the SE member books the ticket on the website? I mean, who's trying to fool who here - the darn ticket is supposed to be a free reward ticket. I don't mind paying the taxes and security fees, but paying the airline $453 to get what is supposed to be a free ticket is a bit over the top.

To heck with Air Canada - after 25 years, 10 years in a row of Elite or Super Elite, and 950,000 'status' miles, I get treated like this? Stuff them, I'm going somewhere else. I fly paid J all the time, and I don't need any 'status' with illusionary 'benefits' when I fly paid J.

By continually nickel and diming away, this airline has killed the goose that laid their golden egg.