Heads Up: Ridiculous Hold Times for Air Canada Reservations
#151
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: SFO/JFK/MGA
Programs: UA 1P MM, AA-PP, AS, DL, HH G, SPG Gold, TA nada
Posts: 2,043
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.
#152
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 767
Going on 30 mins now. This is getting bad... twitter DM has not answered in 12 hours
#153
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: AC SE MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 904
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.
#154
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
#155
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E50/MM, HH gold, Nat Exec Elite, Kimpton Karma
Posts: 2,336
Very very frustrating just to get a response to a quick question not dealt with on the website.
#156
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
MM doesn't count for crap unfortunately, and E50 barely bypasses the line (by like half).
#157
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,622
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.
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.
#158
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
Doesn't cow have a setup to go straight to ring?
#159
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,187
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.
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.
Last edited by canadiancow; Jun 28, 2019 at 4:44 pm Reason: Fixed one of the numbers
#160
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Canada
Programs: *G
Posts: 2,304
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).
#161
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,220
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.
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.
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.
#162
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
They blame Telus now.
And IBM, as is tradition.
And IBM, as is tradition.
#163
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AC MM E50 , Former SPG, now Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 6,246
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
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
#164
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,158
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".
Daytime they seem to have enough staff... mostly because of all the new $17/hr "concierges".
#165
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,960
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.
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.