Denied Priorty Boarding
Jun 6, 2012, 3:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*50K MM
Posts: 276
Denied Priorty Boarding
Not sure who these boneheads are who do the document validation in FRA for AC, but on a flight back to Calgary over the weekend all of the *G, SE, E flyers were denied priority boarding. I was flying in Y (could not get an upgrade). They made the announcement to board Business Class and everyone got into the priority boarding line as I've done/seen hundreds of times before. Then they started pulling everyone except those with seats in J out of the line to wait. Meanwhile 50 ft away in the Economy line everyone was boarding the plane. A few passengers questioned why and they just said "It's business only". When I saw economy passengers boarding the flight I asked again why they can board while status flyers were being held back, the "document checker" yelled at me and said "If you want to board the plane now then buy a first class ticket!" Granted my tone of voice may not have been the most polite, but I have a pretty low tolerance for incompetence and vague answers. I have Elite status for a reason, I fly AC regularly, but it seems it's not worth much.
Eventually we were allowed to board, but not until 2 sections of economy had already been called and started boarding. Given the perks are dwindling year by year, if AC and their contractors can't even provide the few perks we have, like priority boarding, what is the point of flying with AC? Especially now that E millage requirements have increased. I could fly any airline now.
Debating if I should lodge a complaint with AC and Star Alliance. I know other airlines do board J first, but AC have never done this and they were boarding Econ just a few feet away, so I wonder if they were just trying to exercise their "authority" to amuse themselves.
Eventually we were allowed to board, but not until 2 sections of economy had already been called and started boarding. Given the perks are dwindling year by year, if AC and their contractors can't even provide the few perks we have, like priority boarding, what is the point of flying with AC? Especially now that E millage requirements have increased. I could fly any airline now.
Debating if I should lodge a complaint with AC and Star Alliance. I know other airlines do board J first, but AC have never done this and they were boarding Econ just a few feet away, so I wonder if they were just trying to exercise their "authority" to amuse themselves.
Jun 6, 2012, 3:18 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,717
Not sure who these boneheads are who do the document validation in FRA for AC, but on a flight back to Calgary over the weekend all of the *G, SE, E flyers were denied priority boarding. I was flying in Y (could not get an upgrade). They made the announcement to board Business Class and everyone got into the priority boarding line as I've done/seen hundreds of times before. Then they started pulling everyone except those with seats in J out of the line to wait. Meanwhile 50 ft away in the Economy line everyone was boarding the plane. A few passengers questioned why and they just said "It's business only". When I saw economy passengers boarding the flight I asked again why they can board while status flyers were being held back, the "document checker" yelled at me and said "If you want to board the plane now then buy a first class ticket!" Granted my tone of voice may not have been the most polite, but I have a pretty low tolerance for incompetence and vague answers. I have Elite status for a reason, I fly AC regularly, but it seems it's not worth much.
Eventually we were allowed to board, but not until 2 sections of economy had already been called and started boarding. Given the perks are dwindling year by year, if AC and their contractors can't even provide the few perks we have, like priority boarding, what is the point of flying with AC? Especially now that E millage requirements have increased. I could fly any airline now.
Debating if I should lodge a complaint with AC and Star Alliance. I know other airlines do board J first, but AC have never done this and they were boarding Econ just a few feet away, so I wonder if they were just trying to exercise their "authority" to amuse themselves.
Eventually we were allowed to board, but not until 2 sections of economy had already been called and started boarding. Given the perks are dwindling year by year, if AC and their contractors can't even provide the few perks we have, like priority boarding, what is the point of flying with AC? Especially now that E millage requirements have increased. I could fly any airline now.
Debating if I should lodge a complaint with AC and Star Alliance. I know other airlines do board J first, but AC have never done this and they were boarding Econ just a few feet away, so I wonder if they were just trying to exercise their "authority" to amuse themselves.
On a recent YUL-MUC, they (swiss port) called first class boarding before anyone else despite the fact that the 333s do not have a first class.
Jun 6, 2012, 3:26 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
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Posts: 4,613
By all means file a complaint if you feel so aggrieved, but many Star Alliance partners don't really use the Star Gold boarding as I've come to notice (and I'm thinking of Asia in general). In fact, I believe it's offered as a benefit in the package as "Priority Boarding - where available".
By contrast, UA seems to be the most segregated of class or boarding groups.
Unless you lost out on bin space, I personally wouldn't worry about it too much.
By contrast, UA seems to be the most segregated of class or boarding groups.
Unless you lost out on bin space, I personally wouldn't worry about it too much.
Jun 6, 2012, 3:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 6,369
If I was the OP, I'd definitely raise this to AC so the feedback can make it's way back to the FRA Station Manager to correct.
Jun 6, 2012, 3:30 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*50K MM
Posts: 276
Fortunately the other Econ passengers were at the back of the plane so was still able to secure bin space (the only real perk of priority board). Likely not worth perusing, but an annoyance nevertheless. Iberia is the same way with their priority boarding too. SpanAir (before they went under) was the same way. They never did priority boarding. Boarding Asian flights is always interesting. It's a mad rush for the line like a bunch of 13 year old girls at a Justin Bieber concert. 
Jun 6, 2012, 3:31 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MSP and HKG
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Posts: 332
By all means file a complaint if you feel so aggrieved, but many Star Alliance partners don't really use the Star Gold boarding as I've come to notice (and I'm thinking of Asia in general). In fact, I believe it's offered as a benefit in the package as "Priority Boarding - where available".
By contrast, UA seems to be the most segregated of class or boarding groups.
Unless you lost out on bin space, I personally wouldn't worry about it too much.
By contrast, UA seems to be the most segregated of class or boarding groups.
Unless you lost out on bin space, I personally wouldn't worry about it too much.
Correct answer is stop whining and get on with it. If you are so upset then fly on a private jet.
Jun 6, 2012, 3:32 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*50K MM
Posts: 276
Jun 6, 2012, 3:37 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*50K MM
Posts: 276
Maybe you just like the all the shiny cards?Good grief...
Jun 6, 2012, 3:42 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
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Posts: 5,899
Jun 6, 2012, 3:58 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 751
complain
I would certainly send a polite letter of complaint. I fly FRA-YVR once a year and while it's always super-busy, haven't experienced that sort of problem.
A few comments:
Having said all this, things go wrong and it's how an airline remedies a problem once made aware of it that's perhaps the better measure of their service standards. A bit of forgiveness is a good thing.
A few comments:
- The document checkers are not the check-in desk, though they work with them
- There's a concierge available to assist and I've found them VERY helpful in FRA
- Air Canada flights follow AC rules; LH follow LH rules. To YVR it's an LH flight; YYC is AC
- When someone tries to deny my rights as Elite I will not move until it's sorted. Because there's usually at least 10 others in the same boat.
Having said all this, things go wrong and it's how an airline remedies a problem once made aware of it that's perhaps the better measure of their service standards. A bit of forgiveness is a good thing.
Jun 6, 2012, 4:41 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
It probably cant hurt to complain to AC, but it wasnt AC staff you were dealing with.
The staff doing the passport checks at FRA are Securitas staff AFAIK and are among the most unfriendly and incompetent airport staff Ive encountered.
More often than not boarding AC flights at FRA is a mess (and Ive flown AC out of FRA a few dozen times), they usually try to have all pax queue up to have their documents checked (and get a stamp on their BP), run out of time, and start boarding at the same time.
The staff doing the passport checks at FRA are Securitas staff AFAIK and are among the most unfriendly and incompetent airport staff Ive encountered.
More often than not boarding AC flights at FRA is a mess (and Ive flown AC out of FRA a few dozen times), they usually try to have all pax queue up to have their documents checked (and get a stamp on their BP), run out of time, and start boarding at the same time.
Jun 6, 2012, 6:26 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC E75K *G
Posts: 7,116
It doesn't matter who is staffing the flight - it is AC's ultimate responsibility to provide the services it advertises.
I think it is worth a quick note of complaint, if for nothing else than to alert AC that they aren't providing consistent service at that location.
Keep the complaint to the bare facts. They failed to allow SE, E, and *G board with business class. (Don't mention any of your personal feelings about the matter.) Maybe you'll get some miles or a discount code thrown your way.
I think it is worth a quick note of complaint, if for nothing else than to alert AC that they aren't providing consistent service at that location.
Keep the complaint to the bare facts. They failed to allow SE, E, and *G board with business class. (Don't mention any of your personal feelings about the matter.) Maybe you'll get some miles or a discount code thrown your way.
Jun 6, 2012, 7:25 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 768
Fortunately the other Econ passengers were at the back of the plane so was still able to secure bin space (the only real perk of priority board). Likely not worth perusing, but an annoyance nevertheless. Iberia is the same way with their priority boarding too. SpanAir (before they went under) was the same way. They never did priority boarding. Boarding Asian flights is always interesting. It's a mad rush for the line like a bunch of 13 year old girls at a Justin Bieber concert.