Last edit by: WoodlandCreature
Who is eligible for Air Canadas Concierge service?
- Super Elite, 24/7, via phone or email.
- Those booked into Signature Class, "at the airport".
- More details here: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...-services.html
In which cities are Concierge services available?
- For a no-longer up-to-date list, check the link above.
How do I contact a Concierge?
- Remotely:
- For SE: From the app, click your virtual Aeroplan Card and Customer Support. Email and phone numbers for Super Elite are shown.
- There are per-airport email aliases as well, unpublished, but following an obvious pattern if you interact with them.
- For Others: You don't.
- For SE: From the app, click your virtual Aeroplan Card and Customer Support. Email and phone numbers for Super Elite are shown.
- At the airport:
- They are wearing black AC uniforms.
- The following Canadian airports are known to have accessible, landside, offices, all relatively nearby the check in desks: YVR, YYC, YYZ, YOW, YUL
- Others: Good luck. Priority check in agent, or MLL agents, may be able to trigger one to materialize.
What exactly can/does the AC concierge do?
#76
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I don't see how the new system helps non-SE international J passengers as we are not given any SE phone numbers in the first place.
Why not have a central concierge telephone number for international J passengers where AC can check the locator and easily verify that you are indeed eligible for the service.
AC makes it as hard as possible for J passengers to reach concierges and then the concierges themselves are often dismissive to non-SEs if you do manage to track one down in an airport.
Why not have a central concierge telephone number for international J passengers where AC can check the locator and easily verify that you are indeed eligible for the service.
AC makes it as hard as possible for J passengers to reach concierges and then the concierges themselves are often dismissive to non-SEs if you do manage to track one down in an airport.
However, I agree AC concierges could actually be more helpful in helping J pax at the airport - especially when youīve tracked them down and theyīre not flooded with helping other pax.
IMO AC could implement a "priority line" for intīl J pax where you identify yourself with your PNR, so you at least donīt have to wait 10-60min when calling the regular line. LH has just introduced this feature for its F pax and itīs definitely an improvement.
However, when it comes to airport-related matters which can only be handled by concierges (or other airport staff), I think itīs just not feasible to provide phone access for all J pax.
#77
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
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AC wait times are brutal for non-Elite pax, and if you're in J, you should not have to wait to call in regardless of status.
#78
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,604
I hope these changes aren't the start of a cost saving measure that means we always go to a centralized dispatch when trying to contact an airport concierge. i.e.
Same-day travel? Press 1 - forwards to concierge dispatch, who will then forward your request or call to airport concierge if deemed necessary.
No same-day travel? Press 2 to forward to SE desk
I rarely use the concierge (once a year), but the primary reason is because they're at the airport I'm flying into or out of.
Same-day travel? Press 1 - forwards to concierge dispatch, who will then forward your request or call to airport concierge if deemed necessary.
No same-day travel? Press 2 to forward to SE desk
I rarely use the concierge (once a year), but the primary reason is because they're at the airport I'm flying into or out of.
Last edited by yvr76; Mar 28, 2014 at 7:45 pm
#79
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I hope these changes aren't the start of a cost saving measure that means we always go to a centralized dispatch when trying to contact an airport concierge.
No same-day travel? Press 1 to forward to SE desk
Same-day travel? Press 2 - forwards to concierge dispatch, who will then forward your request or call to airport concierge if deemed necessary.
I rarely use the concierge (once a year), but the primary reason is because they're at the airport I'm flying into or out of.
No same-day travel? Press 1 to forward to SE desk
Same-day travel? Press 2 - forwards to concierge dispatch, who will then forward your request or call to airport concierge if deemed necessary.
I rarely use the concierge (once a year), but the primary reason is because they're at the airport I'm flying into or out of.
Oftentimes the issue is rather time sensitive (short connection and asking concierge to call gate; need to be rebooked during irrops etc.); not to mention roaming costs.
#80
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: YYZ
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Wrong. No concierge dispatch. You end up at the SE desk if you hit 2 (at least I did). If your request should be routed to a concierge you need to call back. They told me to call back and push 1 this time as noted above in post #71!
#81
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,604
I know it's not like that now, but I'm worried this is coming down the line under the enhancement of 24-hour concierges.
#82
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: YYZ
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Understood. I'm not sure which one is worse. Being routed to the proper person or being told to hang up and call again. But I guess we're used to that with AC and AE when you don't get the answer you want! Just odd to be told by the agent to do it. Maybe they should work on their prompts.
#83
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC-SE MM
Posts: 1,251
Landed in Zurich and transferring to Milan. I was greeted by the AC Concierge who took me through transfer security and immigration in a flash. She then took to the Swiss lounge and showed me around. That's service.
#84
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#85
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Well, with hundreds of SEs coming through YYZ each day it wouldnīt be very practical.
Though Iīm still dreaming of the day AC introduces golf carts with (maybe with a throne on top) to drive SEs around the airport. (i.e. something similar to the TG F experience at BKK)
Though Iīm still dreaming of the day AC introduces golf carts with (maybe with a throne on top) to drive SEs around the airport. (i.e. something similar to the TG F experience at BKK)
#86
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Well, with hundreds of SEs coming through YYZ each day it wouldnīt be very practical.
Though Iīm still dreaming of the day AC introduces golf carts with (maybe with a throne on top) to drive SEs around the airport. (i.e. something similar to the TG F experience at BKK)
Though Iīm still dreaming of the day AC introduces golf carts with (maybe with a throne on top) to drive SEs around the airport. (i.e. something similar to the TG F experience at BKK)
#87
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Well, if itīs a dragon she could effectively use her attitude and keep shouting "out of the way - first class" while (nearly) running over any pax who donīt jump aside. (my last experience at BKK)
#89
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Looks like Super Elites are losing Concierge access until day of departure now
I doubt this change was implemented because 1 out of 1000 SEs called the concierge to have them make a restaurant reservation for the following week. Instead Iīd assume that
1) many SEs are clueless about what concierges can / cannot do and contacted the concierges when they should have called the SE line
2) some SEs "abused" the benefit by calling their local concierge office / treating them as their personal assistants asking them to deal with issues the regular res line can do (also - afaik - most concierges are not fully trained ticketing agents - so bothering them regarding complex ticket issues is an issue; IME some concierges donīt even know how to process a SDC)
The "day of departure" wording is somewhat restrictive, though I honestly canīt think of many cicumstances where one would need to contact the concierge more than 24-48h before departure/arrival.
#90
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Looks like Super Elites are losing Concierge access until day of departure now
I sent an email to a concierge a couple weeks ago about a flight next week, because I want to stand by for a flight that violates MCT, and I wanted to know if it was even possible to do that, so I could tell my family that I'd likely be arriving 3 hours earlier than scheduled.
I got a reply saying it would be no problem (as long as I have no checked bags), and to contact them again on the day of departure to be put on the standby list.
This is exactly the sort of question you need an airport agent, because phone reservation agents are not going to be familiar enough with the airport layout, and maybe not even standby policies, from my experience.
And they did respond quickly. And by sending an email, I gave them the opportunity to respond when they had nothing more urgent to do, whereas calling them will take up their time regardless of how urgent your issue is, or how many fires they're dealing with at the airport.
But anyway, that article seems really lacking of facts. There is a new phone system that directs you to reservations if you're not travelling today. That is very different from "the concierge won't help you". And I still think the phone system is just being put in place so that they can better control access (I foresee a "Please enter your Aeroplan number" prompt), rather than a way to get Super Elites to stop calling the concierge.