Check in agent not giving priority to priority queue
 

Just had a bizarre experience. Sitting in the sudbury airport and, due to weather, flight gets cancelled. it happens, right?

About 30 people pour out of the gate area and into the ticketing desk area. There are 2 counters, both open. There is a queue of approximately 25 people, and I notice the elite/super elite lane is open with no queue. With our elite cards in hand, My colleague and I stand in the empty line.

I understand rebooking takes time and everyone is frustrated. The agent takes someone from the regular line, then someone from the regular line again. We don't say anything, thinking he just hasn't looked up to notice. After this happens 4 times, we politely ask if we are in the right place or if we should rejoin the pther queue. The agent, fairly rudely, tells us to relax and that he will get to everyone eventually.

We decide to call AC reservations and rebook there. I get a seat, my colleague does not. If he had taken from the priority line as is designed to be done(??) we would have both gotten seats.

I just don't understand - Is the line not for that purpose? Anyone flown through Sudbury and had a similar problem? The gate agent's name is Garnet.

Yes AC should have taken from the priority line, but you've also learned a valuable lesson - calling the E/SE line is usually far faster and more effective than standing in line when a flgiht is delayed/cancelled.

during irrops/delays, everything can crumble. Yes, the agent should have helped you first and been polite, but of course, they were faced with an angry mob, so manners can dissappear :(

Status/J pax are usually told to go to the MLL and find an agent there, or call their priority contacts/concierge for help, as agents at the gates get overwhelmed quickly. Whenever something like this happens to me, first thing I do is call. The agent in a cibicle on the other end of the line isn't as stressed as the agent facing a line of furious, tired pax!

+1 Never stand in line Call the E/SE line, rebook, grab a coffee and when the line is empty, go get your boarding pass.

Echoing sentiments above to just call in.

But shouldn't status pax be given priority during IRROPS? Your colleague should write in regarding this (great that you have the name), especially if a) agents were not using priority line b) was rude to you.

I'd be pissed, and if all the above means he missed a flight then I think they'll probably throw him a discount code.

According to a staff member of a major US carrier whom I met (also an FTer), during IRROPS, everything is pretty much on a first come first served basis.

Status only comes into play when the pax needs to be waitlisted on a flight.

I think On My Way pax are the ones who get priority.

The MLL in YSB is lovely. :p

My last experience with a delay out of YSB experienced terrible customer service with a don't care attitude. Completely understand your frustration as I've been experienced the terrible service in YSB from AC. Always call the SE line.

[QUOTE=The Lev;20029344]I think On My Way pax are the ones who get priority.


The MLL in YSB is lovely. :p[/QUOTE

Don't run down the little cafe upstairs, spent many an hour there.

The way I operate is, to avoid all human contact as much as possible when it comes to travel, regardless of airline (as an SE, concierges exempted of course :D ). Of course, this does not mean that how you were treated by the agent was right. I'm just saying that's my way of making my life easier... never deal with the monkeys :D (sorry if I insulted any monkey out there)

Very typical for AC sadly

A normal trip really
- flight delayed
- flight canx
- wait in endless line
- rude service
- give up and use the phone
- post on flyer talk
- most everyone has had a similar Air Canastrophe

I'm to the point that if isnt a US airline flying me into or out of my destination and if isn't Westjet flying me internally then I'll rent a car. I just can't risk the AC lottery of bad experiences