NWIFlyer

Hi Bens

I have a J-class booking in July on which two legs are code-shared with EI following the demise of BD. In these circumstances, when the aircraft only operates a Y cabin (which is the case for EI on the DUB-LHR route) I would expect the ticket to be booked into the highest Y fare bucket.

If that had been done with EI, I would have got advance seat selection and lounge access.

However, I now find - when I ring EI - that the booking has actually been made in the very lowest fare class, so I now have to pay for seat selection ahead of check-in opening or risk my wife and I not being seated together and - because AC has not made provision for a third-party lounge in DUB - no lounge access.

On the return journey, I also have no lounge access in LHR.

The blow could have been softened if the excellent T3 Arrivals Lounge at LHR still existed, given I'd have had time to shower before taking the onward flight, but every indication is that you will not be retaining this when you move to T2 in June.

Do you have any plans to rectify these issues?

Jasper2009

There seems to be some cunfusion regarding what AC's policy is with regards to providing accommodation etc. during IRROPs.

The Air Canada policy says that AC will only provide accommodation in the event of controllable IRROPs and only to UMs, disabled pax etc. in the event of uncontrollable IRROPs.

However, that policy doesn't quite seem to match the *A guidelines which seem to indicate airlines shall provide amenities such as accommodation, food, transportation etc. to premium pax and *G pax on international itineraries.

Star Alliance Reference Guide (page 128)

Could you please clarify what AC's policy is regarding providing accommodation to J/*G pax on int'l itineraries in the event of IRROPs outside AC's control?

margarita girl

But AC is not differentiating pricing between mainline and Rouge is it?

I know I won't pay as much for Courtyard as I will for Marriott or Ritz.

PLeblond

I think this is a slippery slope. If you start pushing for compensation due to weather, especially in Canada, the reaction will most likely be pre-emptive cancellations (like the US carriers have started going). Snow storm forecast for YUL tomorrow... OK, AC cancels 200 flights for tomorrow, thereby bypassing the news to put people up.

CloudsBelow

I paid more for a night at a 3* Courtyard this past weekend in Vegas (Billboard Music Awards in town) than I paid at Ritz Carlton Naples on a relatively quiet November weekend.
Why should Rouge prices not be subject to similar market forces? What are you saying, exactly?

Jasper2009

I don't think it would have a major impact since the Star Alliance Guideline stipulate that the airline shall only provide accommodation (which is different from compensation) IF the pax is a *G member or in J AND is travelling outside North America. The number of qualifying pax on any flight should be rather low (not to mention many eligible pax will prefer to choose a nicer hotel and just get reimbursed by their company or CC).

PLeblond

Agreed in terms of *A guidelines. I believe the point was originally brought up from someone in NL. )I was avoiding responding due to the ask AC a question guidelines for this thread, but since it seems to have branched out a bit) If people want compensation for weather related IIROPS within domestic flights, the reaction could (would probably) be a pre-emptive cancellation of flights causing multi-day delays that would not receive compensation.

The Lev

I think AC's argument is that due to market pressure they have already been offering Courtyard prices but allowing people to stay at the Marriott.

That is of course pretty hard to swallow when you see that pricing to Rouge European destinations is roughly the same as remaining mainline routes - just serves as a "warning" that AC considers Y travelers to Europe (at least paying Tango) to be uneconomic.

danapop

Mods,

Might I offer a kind suggestion? Perhaps a dedicated "Ask the Bens" Thread there we can ask a question and get an answer and have no back and forth between members as it seems like a lot of questions are being missed and buried in unrelated discussion.

Just a thought.

bingocallerb22

"Hang Up And Call Again" is a highly recommended strategy here on FT for quite some time. I've done it with success. Others seem to as well. I am interested in hearing the AC perspective on this? Thanks!

moorw003

I think I should just clarify, as the person who brought this up that I'm not having a go at Canadian or N American law. I moved here, it would be crass of me to complain about something in that manner.

I'm talking purely in relation to the airlines themselves. I am well aware that talking about a rival airline on a frequent flyer forum is going to elicit a response that lists the negatives of the rival, and the positives of AC. I accept that, and accept that WestJet has it's failings. I should remind you that it is my preference to fly Air Canada though, and the fact I'll be 50k status next year (about to go 35k) shows, in general I prefer AC over the AT/WJ combo).

Just stating the cold hard facts though, when I was stranded in Toronto on January 1st, all WestJet passengers heading for St. John's were put up for free and given meal vouchers. Air Canada passengers had to pay. My fellow travellers at the hotel said to me the reason they fly WestJet was because when this happens, they get looked after. In many respects.

I'd like to thank people above for the advice about travel insurance. Alas, I do have travel insurance, travelling back and forth with luggage to Europe I'd be very silly not to. But claiming back on insurance is not easy or without time and effort so it's not something one wants to do if possible, and still results in money being used in the first stage. So of course, using an airline that limits ones need to claim back such bills is an advantage.

I also accept that it's something that, with lower operating costs, breakeven load level and profitability, WestJet are better able to provide. Given my experiences of the weather, the airlines and most importantly, the opinions of the people who travel these airlines... I will be using the WJ/AT to get back to the UK in December and January. But I didn't mean to rub anyone up the wrong way in saying that. And I wasn't questioning the North American vs European laws of the land.

My original question was how AC feel that I feel safer flying another airline in winter. In hindsight it wasn't a very good question though, it's a free market and it's one's prerogative to go with what suits based on different things . As a British Subject, to me that means anyone but BA

rehoult

A request that either Ben could hopefully pass on:

Change the flight pass info page off Flash. The purchase is already handled on an HTML only page, but you can't look at/purchase passes without going through a Flash based page. I'm currently at a hospital with only an iPad trying to price something out and I can't. Tres annoying.

King Chung Huang

Yes! ^ This also trips me up on my iPad or some of my Macs without Flash installed.

dave0823

Thanks for the response Ben, but this is the same response I've been hearing for the past few years.

Implementing Priority Boarding (as an example) as show below could easily be implemented by Air Canada with minimal costs and provide benefits to those higher-tiered members.

1- SE/J/MM
2- E35/50/75/*G
3- P25/credit cards
4- non-FF, non-CC


<Flame On>
I know this has been studied by Air Canada, but if this is such a high priority, why is there still no resolution to this?
<Flame Off>

Thanks again Ben, and we do appreciate your feedback!

Cheers,
Dave

canadiancow

I actually really like this, and I'd put E35K in group 3.

SE and J (the "best" customers) board first. Then *G, then "people we promised priority boarding to", then everyone else.

SGTM