Per the AC website the salary for new concierges at YYZ is $14/hour.:eek:

Based on this, I'm actually surprised that AC manages to attract at least semi-qualified concierges. But you're absolutely right: Many of the new concierges need to go through some extensive training (or just spend a few weeks with an experienced concierge).

Fully agree!

Recent conversation with the SE check-in agent:

me: Would you mind checking what the chances of my upgrade clearing are today?
agent: sure...(types away). Looks great.
me (surprised, since EF showed J2): Oh, great, so there's nobody else ahead of me on the waitlist?
agent: Oh, I've got no idea, but there are still two seats available.

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

That below the new proposed minimum wage in AB :eek:

I would think that the Concierge job should be a promotion for the best check-in/gate agents, rather than an entry level job.

This is just the reality of cheap air tickets. Companies do not have the margins for higher wages along with all the benefits. Consumers pushing prices down have forces most companies in this direction.

Really??? That's less than $30k/year assuming a 40-hour workweek :eek:

No way. Do you see the c-suite guys taking a hit because of this "reality"? If I'm putting someone in a consumer-facing role where they interact with my own (oft-redefined) definition of my most important customers, I'm going to pay them more than a liquor store clerk.

So, are you willing to pay higher fares? Most pax are not. AC must compete with Westjet every day, who pays lower wages, with little to no benefits. Pax will switch airlines for $10.

I would agree with you if we were talking about Tango tickets once or twice a year but we're not. We're talking Concierge - which is for SE and intl J pax. They need to invest properly in their higher value pax.


Concierge doesn't compete with WestJet. WestJet doesn't have a SE level of status or Intl J pax.

Irrelevant. The people who interact with concierges, the SEs and (allegedly) International J customers won't switch to WS because there's no equivalent for either SE or international J at Westjet.

Your position is analogous to saying AC will have to rip out J seats in international flights because people will switch airlines for $10. Meanwhile, AC is doing a fleet-wide upgrade to their international J.

AC defines what it takes to be SE. AC defines the perks and the benefits, including concierge service. If AC isn't skimping out on their new J seats or their celebrity chef then they shouldn't skimp out on their concierges; SEs and international J customers are *paying for it*.

Well, I do pay extra for flexible tickets, so, whatever the wage rate, can they please be trained how to do a SDC for a Latitude flight pass.

Dead serious about this if you're lurking AC. Frustrating as heck.

Try the Economy class check in. Dead serious they put all the knowledgeable people in the wrong positions.

Liquor store clerks here are paid far more than AC staff.

Wholly agree. But I can't phone them from the taxi.

I find a far better success rate with email :P

Actually you can if you know the local phone number ;)

@Wpgjetse

What exactly are you talking about?

The concierge service is offered by Air Canada to a specific set of customers and unless you can show me otherwise, nowhere on Air Canada's website does it say if you want real concierge service, your ticket prices will cost more.

I respectfully suggest you go back to post #200 by yyznomad and read that and continue from there. That should explain what we have been pointing out here.

The concierge service has NOTHING to do with your point: