How interesting would this report be? if he is Canadian and has never flown AC, has he ever flown? one flight on werstjet doesn't mean he can write a report...I bet this report is as useful as a condomn machine in a monastery.

Three words: Care; Respect; Attitude.

When compared to most other NA airlines AC is pretty good most of the time, i.e. when things are going as planned. Some of us would say that it's not the best, it's simply the least bad. The few % of the time when they're not good is when things go sideways for whatever reason (weather, mechanical, volcanos, etc). That's when most pax believe (rightly or wrongly) that they don't care, have no respect for the customers and have a bad attitude. You could write a book on why this happens, whether or not it's justified, what the root cases are, etc.

Many Canadians joke the the AC motto is, "We're not happy until you're not happy". To many more, the AC reputation really is lower than a snake's belly. Unfortunately, once a brand gets to this state it is impossible to fix without caring, respecting and having a customer-first attitude. Even then, as in my case, once things start to look like they're getting better, it only takes one or two incidents to reset at the bottom of the ladder and you have to start all over again.

If there is one thing they can do to improve? Look after your customers when things start to go wrong. That's when they need you most.

Public perception
Aeroplan relationship
Cleanup fare structure (last minute rip offs versus giveaways, US origin fares, etc)

The AC brand has been severely damaged by both the company and its employees. If Canadians have a negative perception now, it is because AC and its employees squandered the goodwill that was built up over the years. The sight of the bold maple leaf on an AC jet used to reassure me, now it doesn't. Canadian travelers want to take pride in their airline and both AC management and its personnel have to change their hostile negative attitudes and understand that they are a historic institution. At the risk of incurring the wrath of some people on this board, AC has a US airline mentality. What's needed is a reflection of Canadian values. Call it a naive view, but the airline went downhill when it embraced US airline strategies and US labour practices. Quatar, Emirates. Cathay and Singapore employ a varied group of international executives and the US approach to running an airline doesn't dominate. I'm not bashing the USA, but surely it must have dawned on someone that the US derived strategies are not working.

How far do you have to go back to find it was still "undamaged?"

Not sure I can remember.

It's not easy to cater at the same time to people making it a national sport to find rock bottom fares, but at the same time expecting a reasonable level of service.

Perhaps the real challenge is finding a way out of that infernal cycle?

I.e., getting people to understand, you pay rock bottom, do you seriously expect service?

Or, you want service, presumably you expect to pay for it.

Key issue, these are different business models, and maybe there is a choice to be made? AC (and many other airlines) is trying to have it both ways. Can that work?

Looks like AC is trying with their new T+ fare structures.

The websites, both AC and AP.

On the AC website, it often shows fares that are impossible to book and then comes up with some error message asking you to call the call center. The multi-city tool is useless for booking T+ fares unless by coincidence there are no T fares available. It is very rare that I can ever book my ticket on the website, I always end up having to call.

The AP website is down for maintenance way too often. I have never come across any other website that requires as much maintenance as the AP website. Due to the fact that I'm living in Asia, I probably notice this more because it's always down in the middle of the day. It's also impossible to book some valid itineraries online, especially multi-city. After selecting flight 1, the options for flight 2 are greyed out with a message saying that those flights cannot be combined with flight 1. Then you have to pay a $30 fee to book it by telephone because their website doesn't work.

AC and AP need make some effort to upgrade their websites to eliminate these glitches and minimize maintenance time.

Robots are programmed to carry out tasks with consistency and also to adhere to company policy.

Yes Sir/Maam, Right Away Sir/Maam!!!

and robot do not call in sick.

OP, here maybe another idea for you....

The focus of AP (and perhaps AC as well) is to reduce cost. What AP did is to drive members away with the "enchantments" hence reduce cost. What AC does is similar, introduce Tango fare and remove benefits, to reduce FA work load in flight to keep them happier.

Agreed that's what AC is trying to do. Won't work I suspect.

Not sure what you mean with "new T+ fare structure." I am nor aware of any changes in Tango Plus?

What world are you living in. I guess we travel on different airlines.

AC listens is a great idea, if they listen. We met with them on the do last year in Montreal. One on one they were fantastic, the whole evening was impressive. A couple of months later came the enhancements.


The attitude of most employees is one of the company is screwing us. What they do to help you is because they care on a personal level. Talk to one off the record, see how they are treated. There is no want to win like at WS. For many its just a job. If they upgrade you to J in an irop, they are held accountable. Lots of time wasting explanations required. Front line employees are afraid of an autocratic, far to big bureaucracy, that saps the life out of the company. It's an attitude that does not reward employees thinking out of the box or taking initiative. The shares are below 1.50 for a reason.

If it was not for the feds stacking the deck, and only based on their business model and executive talent, the company would have been bought out or have been liquidated long ago.

....your most consistent customers with downgrades in benefits and then having the added gall of calling them enhancements.

Don't fill the front of the plane with employees in uniform when the back of the plane is filled with folks with SE/E tags on their carry on.

Don't compare your service levels to the lowest common denominator (US legacy airlines) compare them to Airlines that actually provide decent levels of service.

Thats the best part of it all. They do not get tantrums!!

That was the whole purpose of the meeting, get you all drunk on free flowing beer and wine and then stab everyone in the back with enhancements.