The last few times I’ve asked them to protect me on a guaranteed alternative without losing my original ticket they’ve advised me they are no longer able to do it. If they try, the automated system will cancel it as a duplicate. There used to be a workaround but they told me management doesn’t allow it anymore.

The one thing I’ve found still works is if you protect on something sufficiently different that the automated system doesn’t catch it. For example, one night there was bad weather to YQM but I asked concierge to protect me to YHZ instead and it wasn’t picked up by automated system because it was a different airport.

I've not heard that. I had myself protected on a BOS-YYZ flight last month when I wasn't sure if we were making it out. No issues doing it and fortunately it was not needed

I was told something similar recently by a concierge agent at YOW, with the slight caveat that the automated system cancellation is not guaranteed. He said: "So I'm happy to do it for you, but it's probable that the duplicate will be cancelled at some point."

I’ve also been protected when I emailed and luckily, since I flew into the Eastern Triangle, was able to standby for my original flight and make that one (the status helped, no question).

If you had to use standby to make your original flight, you weren't protected.

I didn’t come across clearly; I was rebooked to the next flight, but was able to land, clear immigration, and still be in a position to request standby on that original flight (while holding a confirmed booking on the backup flight).

e.g., If I were booked on AC400 and my inbound was running too close for comfort, I would email the Concierges to rebook me on AC402. Hustle off the plane, go through formalities, then still run to the gate and put myself on standby for 400.

I thought we were discussing the possibility (in your example) of being 'protected' on AC402 while still remaining confirmed on AC400. Hence cow's comment that if you needed to standby to get back onto AC400, you were simply rebooked to the later flight and gave up your confirmed seat on the earlier flight. But maybe I'm in la la land here.

Exactly. "Protection" is when you are confirmed on both flights, so you have a guaranteed seat on either.

They can obviously rebook you if you're going to misconnect. But being able to run for your original connection, hoping to make it, while knowing you have a confirmed seat on a later flight, is great for both minimizing your delay and increasing peace of mind.

Did amadeus not take away the "protection" feature?

Concierge service in YYZ for business class passengers arriving from Europe
 

Hey guys,

we will fly from MUC to EWR via YYZ with Air Canada (AC) in Business Class in December.

As we have a short connecting time in YYZ i wonder if a AC concierge could help us through immigrations…? Does anyone of you have experiences with such a case and if a AC concierge could help us? And if so, how can we „ask/order“ that one of them can maybe pick us up at the arrival gate in YYZ?

Thanks in advance for helpful tipps.

Chris

Great job in YYC
 

Shannon at YYC was great today arranging upgrades with a difficult situation due to system limitations. Pleasant efficient service , she had boarding passes and baggage tags ready for us, changed us to an earlier flight and bags and boarding passes through to Santiago and onward on our CM flights on Aeroplan.

YYZ is by far AC's busiest station. If your flight is delayed and it looks like your connection is dicey, a concierge may meet you at the gate and help you through US security/CBP. Or they may not. If your inbound is on time, you don't really have any need for a concierge. If you inbound is really late, they may just re-book you on the next flight.

You can't. You could ask the concierge in MUC at check-in or at the gate to make a request of the YYZ concierge team, but they're perpetually understaffed, and even if you make such a request, there's no guarantee they'll come to meet you.

I agree Adam. I just request it if connection looks really difficult but I wouldn't wait around for them. Not like the old days when we had them rush us to a BMW, run us to the gate and reopen a DEL flight for us.

Flying out of YVR (journey originating YVR) with AC internationally tomorrow, first for me as I always connect from elsewhere or fly NZ.

I’m very familiar with the location of SE check-in and concierge office on the domestic side, but is there one in the international terminal as well?
Walked by there a month ago and didn’t notice any.
Is it tucked away or non-existent?

It's not an international terminal. AC's international check-in area is around the corner from the domestic check-in. There's only one concierge office.