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Heads Up: Ridiculous Hold Times for Air Canada Reservations

Heads Up: Ridiculous Hold Times for Air Canada Reservations

Old Jun 25, 2019, 10:15 am
  #151  
 
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Originally Posted by SparseFlyer
AC does do call backs. I think they've been doing it for several years now.

But they disable it when lines are too long because call back queues can grow to unmanageable levels very quickly.

I did a call back on this past Saturday. Call back wait time was quoted as 1:30 to 1:50. It did nearly take that long and I got an excellent agent in New Brunswick. I have zilch status on AC.
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Old Jun 26, 2019, 5:00 pm
  #152  
 
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Going on 30 mins now. This is getting bad... twitter DM has not answered in 12 hours
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Old Jun 26, 2019, 5:59 pm
  #153  
 
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Made 2 calls to the SE line yesterday evening and both answered within 1 ring. Each agent was cheerful and helpful. No qualms from me.
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Old Jun 27, 2019, 9:42 am
  #154  
 
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Originally Posted by YVRtoYYZ
Made 2 calls to the SE line yesterday evening and both answered within 1 ring. Each agent was cheerful and helpful. No qualms from me.
SE line is special. Never forget.
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Old Jun 27, 2019, 4:10 pm
  #155  
 
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Originally Posted by YVRtoYYZ
Made 2 calls to the SE line yesterday evening and both answered within 1 ring. Each agent was cheerful and helpful. No qualms from me.
Count yourself very lucky. Im at 33 min and counting (as I write) on the E50/MM line. Although, I don't think MM counts for anything in this regard.

Very very frustrating just to get a response to a quick question not dealt with on the website.
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Old Jun 27, 2019, 4:11 pm
  #156  
 
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Originally Posted by Bartolo


Count yourself very lucky. Im at 33 min and counting (as I write) on the E50/MM line. Although, I don't think MM counts for anything in this regard.

Very very frustrating just to get a response to a quick question not dealt with on the website.
MM doesn't count for crap unfortunately, and E50 barely bypasses the line (by like half).
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Old Jun 28, 2019, 1:06 am
  #157  
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I agree wholeheartedly with the subject of this thread. It is ridiculous that due to Air Canada's stupid phone menus and inability to enter answers until the full message has played, I regularly wait nearly a minute before I'm even put in the queue for my call to be answered!

I'm only half-joking with this. I'm still grateful that, as an SE, my calls get answered very quickly, but why is it that I have to listen to all these stupid messages about which menu option I want for language, AC vs Aeroplan, etc? It's an incredible waste of my time.
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Old Jun 28, 2019, 10:51 am
  #158  
 
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Doesn't cow have a setup to go straight to ring?
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Old Jun 28, 2019, 11:41 am
  #159  
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Originally Posted by SparseFlyer
Doesn't cow have a setup to go straight to ring?
English SE Res: +1888xxxxxxx,,,,,1,,,1,,123456789#,1
where xxxxxxx is the secret phone number and 123456789 is your Aeroplan number.

English concierge: +1866xxxxxxx,,,1,,1

English Aeroplan: +18003615373,1,123456789,7777
where 123456789 is your Aeroplan number and 7777 is your PIN

Amusingly I find the concierge line is pretty good about pulling up your profile based on caller ID, so I rarely have to identify, whereas the other two numbers require entering your Aeroplan number.
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Last edited by canadiancow; Jun 28, 2019 at 4:44 pm Reason: Fixed one of the numbers
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Old Jun 28, 2019, 4:40 pm
  #160  
 
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35 mins at 1.30 EST this afternoon. But an excellent agent who put together what the useless "government" TA routinely ignores. (And the best way the get them to pick up the call is to be doing something that makes having to respond really inconvenient - works every time).
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Old Jun 28, 2019, 5:42 pm
  #161  
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
English SE Res: +1888xxxxxxx,,,,,1,,,1,,123456789#,1
where xxxxxxx is the secret phone number and 123456789 is your Aeroplan number.

English concierge: +1866xxxxxxx,,,1,,1

English Aeroplan: +18003615373,1,123456789,7777
where 123456789 is your Aeroplan number and 7777 is your PIN

Amusingly I find the concierge line is pretty good about pulling up your profile based on caller ID, so I rarely have to identify, whereas the other two numbers require entering your Aeroplan number.
I still prefer the DL system:

1. Dial standard 1-800 number
2. 25 seconds later - "Good evening Mr. Hamer. Are you calling about your flight on Wednesday? Press 1 for yes..."

Air Canada blamed Nortel for changes to their upgrade program way back when. I'm surpised they are not blaming Nortel for call wait times now.
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Old Jun 28, 2019, 9:00 pm
  #162  
 
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They blame Telus now.

And IBM, as is tradition.
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Old Jun 29, 2019, 1:56 pm
  #163  
 
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53 minutes and counting right now.....

edit:
sometime between the 65 and 74 minute mark I had to leave the phone, and of course, it was answered and disconnected while I was gone.

Starting a new hold now....
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS

Last edited by IluvSQ; Jun 29, 2019 at 2:19 pm
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Old Jun 29, 2019, 6:47 pm
  #164  
 
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The SE concierge # and SE reservation desk have both had 30-50min holds for me if I call in at off-peak hours of 3-6AM EST.

Daytime they seem to have enough staff... mostly because of all the new $17/hr "concierges".
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Old Jun 29, 2019, 11:59 pm
  #165  
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I misconnected at YYZ tonight. Amazingly, the connection people were able to give me the hotel and meal vouchers right away. However, they could not rebook me. I heard others saying that the "ticketing office was closed until 4 AM". How can that be?

Calling the 800 number got a message saying we are so busy, we can't call you back or put you on hold. However, our great online tools can help you.

Online, my connecting flight is no longer in the PNR.

What do I do other than going back to YYZ in the morning?

Thanks.
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