AC Strike: Impact Reports Go Here (Just the Facts Please)
Jun 12, 2011, 11:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC*E50
Posts: 594
AC Strike: Impact Reports Go Here (Just the Facts Please)
***Thanks for your comments, but PLEASE remember to stay on topic! This thread is for on-the-ground feedback on delays etc... Discussion of the strike itself belongs in other threads. Folks are using this thread to plan their immediate travel, so let's help them out by keeping the noise down.***
Hello all,
As everyone now knows, AC's customer support staff are on strike. Notwithstanding AC's insistence that operations will go ahead as usual, there are a lot of concerns that things won't. We can expect that FT will be used as a clearing house for reports from the field on AC's success at keeping the planes moving.
If you have direct knowledge of the situation on the ground (e.g., you are flying, calling AC, visiting ac.com, booking with a travel agent), this is the thread to report back on your experience. If you absolutely have to ask what the situation is at Airport X, post it here. Please keep all other strike discussions/debates/editorializing to other threads so that this one stays clean and searchable.
To report your experience I suggest the following format:
Date: X June
Airport: XXX
Flight: ACXXX
What's working well: X*
What's not working: X*
Length of your Delay: X minutes at Y activity
Recommendations: X
* Parking/Check-in/Security/MLL/Boarding/In-flight/Arrivals/Luggage/Concierge/Special Services/Picket Lines/Delays/etc...
Thanks!
Hello all,
As everyone now knows, AC's customer support staff are on strike. Notwithstanding AC's insistence that operations will go ahead as usual, there are a lot of concerns that things won't. We can expect that FT will be used as a clearing house for reports from the field on AC's success at keeping the planes moving.
If you have direct knowledge of the situation on the ground (e.g., you are flying, calling AC, visiting ac.com, booking with a travel agent), this is the thread to report back on your experience. If you absolutely have to ask what the situation is at Airport X, post it here. Please keep all other strike discussions/debates/editorializing to other threads so that this one stays clean and searchable.
To report your experience I suggest the following format:
Date: X June
Airport: XXX
Flight: ACXXX
What's working well: X*
What's not working: X*
Length of your Delay: X minutes at Y activity
Recommendations: X
* Parking/Check-in/Security/MLL/Boarding/In-flight/Arrivals/Luggage/Concierge/Special Services/Picket Lines/Delays/etc...
Thanks!
Last edited by FrequentFlyerYYZ; Jun 15, 2011 at 7:51 am
Jun 12, 2011, 11:27 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC*E50
Posts: 594
Reserved
Last edited by FrequentFlyerYYZ; Jun 13, 2011 at 1:12 pm Reason: Adding links
Jun 13, 2011, 10:47 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 5,075
AC Reservations seems to be shut down now. Calling the priority line leads to a message saying that the reservations office is closed. Calling the general reservations line leads to a menu with no options to speak with a reservations agent.
Jun 13, 2011, 11:04 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: YMQ
Programs: UA*G
Posts: 268
AT AIR CANADA, WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO TAKING CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
Dear ******,
We are very disappointed that an agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) leadership has not been reached, leading call centre and airport customer service agents in Canada to take strike action.
Rest assured, however, that we will continue to operate our regular schedule. We have implemented a contingency service plan in an effort to minimize impact on our customers at the nine affected airports, i.e. Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto Pearson, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. John's, NL. As well, your Air Canada Top Tier Priority services will be affected as follows:
Priority Reservation Services. While you can still use your Priority Contacts for phone assistance, please keep in mind that wait times may be longer than usual. Ticketing services will not be offered at the airport. Existing bookings will be honored and future bookings welcomed. To book or modify a reservation, please visit the Manage My Bookings section on aircanada.com or consult your travel agent. The Aeroplan® Contact Center for flight reward bookings will not be affected.
Priority Check-in. We request that you check-in within 24 hours of flight departure online at aircanada.com or on a mobile device at mobile.aircanada.com prior to arriving at the airport. Self-service kiosks will also be available if required, but bear in mind that wait times will be longer than usual. Priority baggage drop-off lines will also be offered at all nine airports.
Priority Baggage Handling. This service will still be offered at destination airports.
Priority Boarding. You will still be invited to board your flight first.
Maple Leaf™ Lounge Access. Regular opening hours will apply, but travel assistance will not be offered in the lounge.
Concierge Service. A limited phone service will be offered in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. U.S. and international stations will continue to operate with minimal disruptions.
eUpgrades. Only requests processed on aircanada.com/eupgrades or through your travel agent prior to your arrival at the airport will be honoured. Upgrades may not be requested or cancelled once at the airport.
We apologize for the inconvenience. We look forward to welcoming you on board while we work things out on the ground.
For flight updates, information on our self-service tools and up-to-date information, visit aircanada.com.
Sincerely,
Air Canada
Dear ******,
We are very disappointed that an agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) leadership has not been reached, leading call centre and airport customer service agents in Canada to take strike action.
Rest assured, however, that we will continue to operate our regular schedule. We have implemented a contingency service plan in an effort to minimize impact on our customers at the nine affected airports, i.e. Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto Pearson, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. John's, NL. As well, your Air Canada Top Tier Priority services will be affected as follows:
Priority Reservation Services. While you can still use your Priority Contacts for phone assistance, please keep in mind that wait times may be longer than usual. Ticketing services will not be offered at the airport. Existing bookings will be honored and future bookings welcomed. To book or modify a reservation, please visit the Manage My Bookings section on aircanada.com or consult your travel agent. The Aeroplan® Contact Center for flight reward bookings will not be affected.
Priority Check-in. We request that you check-in within 24 hours of flight departure online at aircanada.com or on a mobile device at mobile.aircanada.com prior to arriving at the airport. Self-service kiosks will also be available if required, but bear in mind that wait times will be longer than usual. Priority baggage drop-off lines will also be offered at all nine airports.
Priority Baggage Handling. This service will still be offered at destination airports.
Priority Boarding. You will still be invited to board your flight first.
Maple Leaf™ Lounge Access. Regular opening hours will apply, but travel assistance will not be offered in the lounge.
Concierge Service. A limited phone service will be offered in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. U.S. and international stations will continue to operate with minimal disruptions.
eUpgrades. Only requests processed on aircanada.com/eupgrades or through your travel agent prior to your arrival at the airport will be honoured. Upgrades may not be requested or cancelled once at the airport.
We apologize for the inconvenience. We look forward to welcoming you on board while we work things out on the ground.
For flight updates, information on our self-service tools and up-to-date information, visit aircanada.com.
Sincerely,
Air Canada
Last edited by yul7075; Jun 13, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Jun 13, 2011, 11:05 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG (mind in YYZ)
Programs: MPC Green, AC Tangerine :)
Posts: 1,102
just got this email from AC:
AT AIR CANADA, WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO TAKING CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
Dear wwtsang,
We are very disappointed that an agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) leadership has not been reached, leading call centre and airport customer service agents in Canada to take strike action.
Rest assured, however, that we will continue to operate our regular schedule. We have implemented a contingency service plan in an effort to minimize impact on our customers at the nine affected airports, i.e. Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto Pearson, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. John's, NL. As well, your Air Canada Top Tier Priority services will be affected as follows:
* Priority Reservation Services. While you can still use your Priority Contacts for phone assistance, please keep in mind that wait times may be longer than usual. Ticketing services will not be offered at the airport. Existing bookings will be honoured and future bookings welcomed. To book or modify a reservation, please visit the Manage My Bookings section on aircanada.com or consult your travel agent. The Aeroplan® Contact Center for flight reward bookings will not be affected.
* Priority Check-in. We request that you check-in within 24 hours of flight departure online at aircanada.com or on a mobile device at mobile.aircanada.com prior to arriving at the airport. Self-service kiosks will also be available if required, but bear in mind that wait times will be longer than usual. Priority baggage drop-off lines will also be offered at all nine airports.
* Priority Baggage Handling. This service will still be offered at destination airports.
* Priority Boarding. You will still be invited to board your flight first.
* Maple Leaf™ Lounge Access. Regular opening hours will apply, but travel assistance will not be offered in the lounge.
* eUpgrades. Only requests processed on aircanada.com/eupgrades or through your travel agent prior to your arrival at the airport will be honoured. Upgrades may not be requested or cancelled once at the airport.
We apologize for the inconvenience. We look forward to welcoming you on board while we work things out on the ground.
For flight updates, information on our self-service tools and up-to-date information, visit aircanada.com.
Sincerely,
Air Canada
AT AIR CANADA, WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO TAKING CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
Dear wwtsang,
We are very disappointed that an agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) leadership has not been reached, leading call centre and airport customer service agents in Canada to take strike action.
Rest assured, however, that we will continue to operate our regular schedule. We have implemented a contingency service plan in an effort to minimize impact on our customers at the nine affected airports, i.e. Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto Pearson, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. John's, NL. As well, your Air Canada Top Tier Priority services will be affected as follows:
* Priority Reservation Services. While you can still use your Priority Contacts for phone assistance, please keep in mind that wait times may be longer than usual. Ticketing services will not be offered at the airport. Existing bookings will be honoured and future bookings welcomed. To book or modify a reservation, please visit the Manage My Bookings section on aircanada.com or consult your travel agent. The Aeroplan® Contact Center for flight reward bookings will not be affected.
* Priority Check-in. We request that you check-in within 24 hours of flight departure online at aircanada.com or on a mobile device at mobile.aircanada.com prior to arriving at the airport. Self-service kiosks will also be available if required, but bear in mind that wait times will be longer than usual. Priority baggage drop-off lines will also be offered at all nine airports.
* Priority Baggage Handling. This service will still be offered at destination airports.
* Priority Boarding. You will still be invited to board your flight first.
* Maple Leaf™ Lounge Access. Regular opening hours will apply, but travel assistance will not be offered in the lounge.
* eUpgrades. Only requests processed on aircanada.com/eupgrades or through your travel agent prior to your arrival at the airport will be honoured. Upgrades may not be requested or cancelled once at the airport.
We apologize for the inconvenience. We look forward to welcoming you on board while we work things out on the ground.
For flight updates, information on our self-service tools and up-to-date information, visit aircanada.com.
Sincerely,
Air Canada
Jun 14, 2011, 2:40 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: YUL/EZE
Programs: AC*SE,SPG Platinum,HHounours Gold, FairmontPlat
Posts: 990
I just tried calling the SE desk and when you call and press #2 option the phone disconnects? Can't get a live minion on the phone for the past hour?..
This part of the email I find amusing...
Concierge Service. A limited phone service will be offered in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. U.S. and international stations will continue to operate with minimal disruptions.
This part of the email I find amusing...
Concierge Service. A limited phone service will be offered in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. U.S. and international stations will continue to operate with minimal disruptions.
Last edited by EZESE; Jun 14, 2011 at 3:46 am
Jun 14, 2011, 5:36 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YYC
Programs: IC - RA, AC - SE 1MM
Posts: 413
My experience at YYZ was great
I took five minutes from taxi cab drop off to the lounge using electronic boarding pass and nexus line. The lounge check in line was way better then yesterday and employees were faster and way nicer at MLL check in. There was no one at the baggage SE check in and the regular baggage line did not seem that bad. All flights on board are on time except one cancelled Ottawa flight and one other delayed flight. Based on my experience I would like to thank air canada and as a loyal SE member, I would strongly suggest not to negotiate and keep the current replacement staff or take this opportunity to hire new staff to completely replace the union staff.
Last edited by IC Expert; Jun 14, 2011 at 5:37 am Reason: spelling
Jun 14, 2011, 6:21 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE, HH Gold, Marriott Titanium, National EE, Sixt Platinum, Hertz PC, AVIS PC
Posts: 1,910
I took five minutes from taxi cab drop off to the lounge using electronic boarding pass and nexus line. The lounge check in line was way better then yesterday and employees were faster and way nicer at MLL check in. There was no one at the baggage SE check in and the regular baggage line did not seem that bad. All flights on board are on time except one cancelled Ottawa flight and one other delayed flight. Based on my experience I would like to thank air canada and as a loyal SE member, I would strongly suggest not to negotiate and keep the current replacement staff or take this opportunity to hire new staff to completely replace the union staff.
Ron.
