Announcing Air Canada Altitude
Sep 21, 2012, 7:21 am
#196
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
AA = American Airlines
AA EXP = Executive Platinum status = highest status with American Airlines
MP = United Mileage Plus
1K = highest status with United
A3 = Aegean Airlines (their freuqent flyer program is very popular as you only need 20k status miles to earn Star Alliance Gold status)
Sep 21, 2012, 7:44 am
#198
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 648
Fair enough, but keep in mind that airfares are significantly higher in Canada. I sympathize with the grumblings. From a cost perspective, it is significantly less costly to obtain 50K status in the USA than it is in Canada. Long haul flights to Asia out of Europe are also less costly than from Canada, so EU FFs have a better value proposition. In Canada, the pax pay much higher airfares and are screwed.
As far as previous announcement ....... it was stated that *lounge would be a choice but not also losing ecerts as a choice PLUS cutting the available ecerts
Sep 21, 2012, 7:48 am
#199
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: YYZ, YYJ, ZRH
Programs: AC MM
Posts: 430
Thanks Jasper, I appreciate you providing the crib for that post, now I can go back and read it and try and make some sense of it.
As for the Aeroplan program changes - I'm SuperElite, and qualify for SuperElite every year because I constantly travel intercontinental in paid J for work purposes. To me, given my circumstances, the only benefits of Aeroplan SE membership are:
1) The dedicated phone number for SEs, which usually gets answered on the first ring, and;
2) The upgrade points, which allow me to buy Tango Plus fares for my international leisure travel and then upgrade to business. I've never failed to get an upgrade to J from a T+ fare in the past 3 or 4 years.
Everything else that the SE level offers (lounge access, priority boarding, priority check-in, priority baggage) I get automatically from any airline as a paid J passenger.
It doesn't appear to me that these 2013 program changes will affect me too much, although it appears at first glance that I lose a little bit by having to choose between a 100% bonus on Aeroplan points vs. a whole pile of eupgrade points at the start of the year - I think we used to get both in the past. But, I usually have lots of eupgrade points left over at year end, and now I will get a new benefit of being able to use eupgrade points to upgrade coach class Aeroplan reward tickets - so, I suppose it all averages out in the end.
What does surprise me is that Air Canada did not take the opportunity to sweeten the pot and encourage travelers (at all levels) to make more of an effort to fly on Air Canada and earn their frequent flyer status on Air Canada planes, as opposed to flying other Star Alliance carriers. In the past 5 years, I think I have only made 2 flights on any Star Alliance carrier other than Air Canada - in other words, the 100,000+ status miles I earn every year are flown entirely on Air Canada. From reading the comments in this thread, it appears that a lot of people earn Elite or SE recognition on Air Canada even though the bulk of their flying takes place on other Star Alliance carriers.
I would have thought that it would be in Air Canada's best interest to make it more attractive for people to fly specifically on Air Canada, rather than on any Star Alliance carrier.
As for the Aeroplan program changes - I'm SuperElite, and qualify for SuperElite every year because I constantly travel intercontinental in paid J for work purposes. To me, given my circumstances, the only benefits of Aeroplan SE membership are:
1) The dedicated phone number for SEs, which usually gets answered on the first ring, and;
2) The upgrade points, which allow me to buy Tango Plus fares for my international leisure travel and then upgrade to business. I've never failed to get an upgrade to J from a T+ fare in the past 3 or 4 years.
Everything else that the SE level offers (lounge access, priority boarding, priority check-in, priority baggage) I get automatically from any airline as a paid J passenger.
It doesn't appear to me that these 2013 program changes will affect me too much, although it appears at first glance that I lose a little bit by having to choose between a 100% bonus on Aeroplan points vs. a whole pile of eupgrade points at the start of the year - I think we used to get both in the past. But, I usually have lots of eupgrade points left over at year end, and now I will get a new benefit of being able to use eupgrade points to upgrade coach class Aeroplan reward tickets - so, I suppose it all averages out in the end.
What does surprise me is that Air Canada did not take the opportunity to sweeten the pot and encourage travelers (at all levels) to make more of an effort to fly on Air Canada and earn their frequent flyer status on Air Canada planes, as opposed to flying other Star Alliance carriers. In the past 5 years, I think I have only made 2 flights on any Star Alliance carrier other than Air Canada - in other words, the 100,000+ status miles I earn every year are flown entirely on Air Canada. From reading the comments in this thread, it appears that a lot of people earn Elite or SE recognition on Air Canada even though the bulk of their flying takes place on other Star Alliance carriers.
I would have thought that it would be in Air Canada's best interest to make it more attractive for people to fly specifically on Air Canada, rather than on any Star Alliance carrier.
Sep 21, 2012, 7:55 am
#200
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 648
Sep 21, 2012, 7:56 am
#201
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC*E50
Posts: 594
Is the international pier of YVR in the same security zone as domestic? If so, say you are flying overseas from YVR as an ACE35 - will they stop you from entering the domestic lounge with an international boarding pass? Do they already do that today?
Sep 21, 2012, 8:03 am
#202
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: LGA
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Marriott Plat Prem., Hilton Gold, National Exec Elite.
Posts: 2,533
I tried asking the information booth guy that once so that I could take a shower in domestic, and he strongly discouraged me from doing so - can't remember exactly why but from what I recall it was a different security zone.
Sep 21, 2012, 8:16 am
#203
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 16,655
If Star Alliance lounge access is very important to you, that is an option that you can choose as a 35K. If you switched to BA, you'd have no access with them either unless you got a status match.
One thing I haven't noticed is whether as a 35K once you reach 50K or 75K in 2013 you get early access to the additional benefits as is the case this year when people reach Elite from no or Presitge status. If yes, then part way through the year you will have all your benefits back.
Last edited by The Lev; Sep 21, 2012 at 8:35 am
Sep 21, 2012, 8:18 am
#204
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: YYZ
Programs: UA1K2MM ACMME50 SQPPS HHDiamond Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,391
There is one security that is puts you @ the ramp/escalator to the Domestic MLL. As you clear that security point, left turn takes you to Domestic gates, Right turn to hallway to international gates.
Sep 21, 2012, 8:22 am
#205
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: YYZ
Programs: UA1K2MM ACMME50 SQPPS HHDiamond Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,391
It doesn't appear to me that these 2013 program changes will affect me too much, although it appears at first glance that I lose a little bit by having to choose between a 100% bonus on Aeroplan points vs. a whole pile of eupgrade points at the start of the year - I think we used to get both in the past. But, I usually have lots of eupgrade points left over at year end, and now I will get a new benefit of being able to use eupgrade points to upgrade coach class Aeroplan reward tickets - so, I suppose it all averages out in the end.
.
.
Not really
Selection #1 2 of the 4.
100K Bonus Points
50 e-Upgrades
95K/90 for Requalification
Gift a friend 50K Elite status
Sep 21, 2012, 8:40 am
#206
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 16,655
It doesn't appear to me that these 2013 program changes will affect me too much, although it appears at first glance that I lose a little bit by having to choose between a 100% bonus on Aeroplan points vs. a whole pile of eupgrade points at the start of the year - I think we used to get both in the past.
What is new and could be a benefit for you is the ability to nominate someone else (spouse, parent, child, FT friend...) as an Elite 50K. If you were to choose this, you'd give up either the eUpgrades or the 100% bonus miles.
Sep 21, 2012, 8:41 am
#207
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
The challenge AC has is finding both bilingual program and tier names. Certainly cuts down on the options.
Sep 21, 2012, 8:43 am
#208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 16,655
Checked baggage allowance. Our complimentary checked baggage allowance for Altitude members remains unchanged versus this year's program, and among the most generous in the industry. New next year, when special equipment such as bikes and surfboards is checked as part of your complimentary checked baggage allowance, the handling fees will be waived for all Altitude members.
http://www.aircanada.com/en/aeroplan...rport_Services
Complimentary Sports Equipment Handling
Enjoy waived handling fees when special items such as bicycles and surfboards are checked within your complimentary checked baggage allowance on flights operated by Air Canada and Air Canada Express.
