Call AC and try and explain. Maybe something will come of it? I'd be curious to know
I'm not quite ready to book, but might try once things firm up enough.
Originally Posted by
pitz
Its ultimately AC's business decision what inventory to offer on those flights, and whether to publish a fare to the final destination or not with their codeshares.
On the intra-Europe stuff, IIRC, AC doesn't actually engage in any risk sharing, so basically the "code" appears on such a flight for marketing and convenience purposes only. There's nothing wrong with using AC or Expedia an agent to book the "native" flights, as opposed to booking through AC as principal.
I've advocated lots on here for a complete abolition of code-sharing, but if AC ropes someone into paying a high bucket on an intra-Europe flight, that can only keep the cost of flying low for the rest of us.
I wouldn't say 'stupid'. But its a deeply archaic system, that of fare pricing, that has had hack after hack applied to it and really doesn't reflect modern times. I'm sure it frustrates AC reservation staff to no end to be using a system straight out of 1970s mainframe COBOL as well to build and price itineraries.
I'm also in favour of an abolition of code-sharing, for many reasons.
But this is just nuts. You mention AC not risk-sharing, but if anything, that should mean a more reasonable fare. It's not like AC took the price of YYC-FRA-YYC and then added on the cost of buying the partner flights here, it's many multiples of that cost.
I don't see how this would keep fares lower for the rest of us, I bet anyone buying this kind of stuff just goes straight to AC's bottom line.