Bad first impression
 

I recently took my first flight on Air Canada from Toronto to Westchester County Airport. After having problems with the check in machines, I waited on line at the counter. The agent asked for my destination and I responded "White Plains-Westchester County Airport" She harshly replied that AC does not fly there. I said that they do and she kept insisting that they don't. I finally asked her to check the flight number and after checking her computer and realizing her mistake, she never apologized or said anything--shouldn't someone who works in her position know the destinations? I know this is a small thing but it just doesn't make a great first impression.

Just wait till you do the return flight, it is quite possibly the most ghetto operation I've ever seen for a major airline. Air Canada has no computers or staff at HPN, checkin is done manually by a Westchester county Airport employee with a flight manifest, the boarding passes and bagagge tags are hand written, and they are unable to issue your connecting boarding pass. The agent also has to hand write the passport details onto a sheet which makes checkin terribly slow, and god help you if you need to change something, i.e. FF# or seat selection, because it isn't happening till you get to YYZ. I believe it is also the only Air Canada station that E-Tickets are not available for. I really think this is skimping for AC as it leaves a really bad impression with the customer, especially when this is a significant UA station and they could very easily use there services.

Is this a relatively new service? I wasn't aware of it, I have to go to Poughkeepsie occasionally and it sure beats having to go all the way to/from EWR or LGA (although Stewart Newburgh would be even better).

Oh, and AC can't accept e-tix at LAS either.

Its not that new, its been operating since the winter schedule began so I believe that was the begining of october, after Alleghany's 5h30-6h00 slot was vacated due to inactivity. Poughkeepsie is probably marginally closer to HPN than LGA, its nearly exactly an hour by car from HPN to I-84 and I-87

Maybe UA does not want to handle AC at this airport ?
Even though AC/UA are code share partners, they are not required to handle them at all US airports.
In LAS, all AC operations, ramp, Passenger Service and Baggage Services are handled by
GlobeGround North America. DFW is handled by
Delta Airlines.

I know, however it would appear to be the logical choice, as they have all the infrastructure, and it is only one flight a day with checkin only being open for an hour.

This thread leaves me pondering on the *A concept of seamless travel. It seems that the outsourcing of services goes to the lowest bidder and not to partner airlines who have knowledge about the alliance. This can create problems for travellers.

Although even having UA handle the ground services causes problems.

AC really needs to step back and work on the consistency of their product. The entire flying experience should be very similar, regardless of whether I fly out of St. John's, Toronto, Sydney, or White Plains, whether I'm on any one of the 767s, an A340, an A320, or a CRJ.

Perhaps we will see some improvements now that things seem to be stabilizing after 2.5 years of turmoil.

[This message has been edited by StuMcIlwain (edited 05-29-2002).]

Are you sure the UAL staff is actually UAL? I know some of the other airlines at HPN do not have their own staff either. Last time I flew NW out of there I had a battle with the agent about my upgrade, ie refused to honor it at first, would not upgrade beyond DTW etc. The person had little to no knowledge of NW procedures.

Joyce15,

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience on our national carrier, but if it is any consolation, they do give bad service equally across the country, to every destination they serve, on almost every flight.