AC Presence on FT
May 26, 2014, 7:36 am
#826
Flying Blue Director
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CDG/AMS
Posts: 1,864
Y code share connectors aren't occasional. They are a fixture. I have yet to see any connector, say in Asia, showing any z fare on the code share segment. Even call center agents can't find them. So that's simply not evidenced by reality, I now end up nearly always booking two tickets, one in flex on AC to the gateway city, and one in j/z on the connector to my final destination, instead of z all the way, AC loses, the other carrier wins and I save money,
May 26, 2014, 7:38 am
#827
Flying Blue Director
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CDG/AMS
Posts: 1,864
Sorry, Ben, you just hit one of my buttons. In this context, "free" doesn't mean you don't pay for it. Once I buy a ticket, everything that comes with it is bought and paid for. When you say "free" what it actually means is I've paid for it whether I use it or not.
TANSTAAFL.
TANSTAAFL.
May 26, 2014, 7:41 am
#828
Formerly known as tireman77
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,514
Not wanting to get into semantics, but I think his point was the use of the word 'free'. I believe the better word is 'included'. That being said, your point, Mr. Ben, is fair; regardless of the terms used.
May 26, 2014, 7:51 am
#829
Flying Blue Director
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CDG/AMS
Posts: 1,864
Originally Posted by Allvest
The same happens with aeroplan tickets. Just recently changed the outbound only, same flight numbers exactly, by two days, and got hit with a $460 charge which wasn't even disclosed on the phone. So much for a free change or $90 change fee.
Originally Posted by Allvest
Arbitrary charges just don't cut it and I don't see how that should be an intentional way to do business. You are issuing tickets and making the fees up as you go along.
May 26, 2014, 7:53 am
#830
Flying Blue Director
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CDG/AMS
Posts: 1,864
You are joking right? Putting adverts at full volume over the PA system and telling me I should be grateful for the free entertainment. I am starting to think you had too much of your own cool aide. In military circles, hitting the opposition with unwanted loud sounding music is considered a method of psychological warfare. I suppose that's part of your business plan. Congratulations.
May 26, 2014, 8:11 am
#831
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: YYJ
Programs: AC - SE100K
Posts: 727
Hi Ben,
Just restating my question from a few pages back:
Can you please examine granting full AQM for a LMU purchase from Tango? I, for one, would buy them much more frequently if that were the case.
Just restating my question from a few pages back:
Can you please examine granting full AQM for a LMU purchase from Tango? I, for one, would buy them much more frequently if that were the case.
May 26, 2014, 8:50 am
#832
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
Hi Ben,
I realise that this may ruffle a few feathers but I wish that Air Canada would look at extending priority boarding to passengers who have paid a significant surcharge for preferred seating.
AC's system of boarding back-to-front creates a huge problem for your passengers in Preferred Seats, particularly on the 777s rows 18 and 31 (excl 77H).
Passengers in Preferred Seats board last in their respective cabins only to find that all the overhead bin space has been taken.
To make matters worse most if not all preferred seats have no underseat storage available to them.
PLEASE look into improving on this current procedure so that both Preferred and Priority passengers have Priority Boarding - regardless of status.
Thank you@:-)
I realise that this may ruffle a few feathers but I wish that Air Canada would look at extending priority boarding to passengers who have paid a significant surcharge for preferred seating.
AC's system of boarding back-to-front creates a huge problem for your passengers in Preferred Seats, particularly on the 777s rows 18 and 31 (excl 77H).
Passengers in Preferred Seats board last in their respective cabins only to find that all the overhead bin space has been taken.
To make matters worse most if not all preferred seats have no underseat storage available to them.
PLEASE look into improving on this current procedure so that both Preferred and Priority passengers have Priority Boarding - regardless of status.
Thank you@:-)
And how will this work when the seats become free at T-24? First to check in also gets priority boarding?
I totally agree with you there. However, let's take away the preferred seats priority boarding for a minute before we think of introducing that. Latitude fares have priority boarding as a feature, yet I know of few travelers who do fly Latitude who actually know that they can priority board....
But that's just it, isn't it? You don't pay for it, it's free. Before you liken us to some airlines that don't charge for IFE or show commercials, please keep in mind we have about twice the content of some other carriers on our internationally configured aircraft, and we don't have the budgets of carriers like CX/SQ/EK. Case in point, I recently flew an OAL (which shall remain nameless) and while their new IFE system was great there was virtually nothing of interest to watch.
Regarding headsets, it's TC that forbids anything other than earbud-type headphones connected into the aircraft's entertainment system (those words may sound familiar
), not us. After take off/before landing you are free to use whichever headphones you choose.
Regarding headsets, it's TC that forbids anything other than earbud-type headphones connected into the aircraft's entertainment system (those words may sound familiar
), not us. After take off/before landing you are free to use whichever headphones you choose.I also don't need to be told how good the TD Aeroplan Infinte card is every time I fly. I have one in my wallet.
I actually don't mind the "come to Newfoundland!" ads nearly as much.
I haven't missed an upgrade on a Y fare, but I've certainly missed them on M fares.
May 26, 2014, 9:04 am
#833
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC*SE100K 1MM, Little Lebowski Urban Achiever
Posts: 735
Bens,
This is one you should look in to - many Z fares on aircanada.com with a connecting codeshare book the codeshare in Y, but if booked on another travel site the entire booking (including codeshare) is in business class for the same price.
Presumably you are happier having us go to your site to book rather than to a third party.
This is one you should look in to - many Z fares on aircanada.com with a connecting codeshare book the codeshare in Y, but if booked on another travel site the entire booking (including codeshare) is in business class for the same price.
Presumably you are happier having us go to your site to book rather than to a third party.
May 26, 2014, 9:06 am
#834
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,153
I am starting to see some now, and oddly enough even using CX as connector. In CX case Z is offered but I don't suppose it would accumulate Q miles, right?
Through to Bangkok, there are no business seats offered except on Asiana via Seoul and oddly enough on Cathay via HKG. But none on ANA, UA, TG.
Through to Singapore, it's not offered on SQ, UA nor ANA in codeshare, but now I see the same non-codeshare ANA made available for an extra $4 which does show seating.
Looking up thoroughfares to HAM, LH isn't offered in Z on any flight I looked at.
May 26, 2014, 9:06 am
#835
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 12,068
May 26, 2014, 9:15 am
#836
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,153
If you can PM me some details I'm happy to follow up on this. You should never be charged more than your ticket states (plus any adcol that may be due).
This is an Aeroplan issue, not AC.
As I said, the fees are not arbitrary. If you believe you are being charged a different fee than you should be charged, please PM me details and I will be glad to follow up.
This is an Aeroplan issue, not AC.
As I said, the fees are not arbitrary. If you believe you are being charged a different fee than you should be charged, please PM me details and I will be glad to follow up.
Your team there are quite efficient. Just can't figure out why there would ever be a discrepancy. It drove the check-in agent and concierge bonkers. I finally agreed to pay the charge to let the front line staff off the hook and apply for a refund, which was granted.
I do thank you for the offer of follow up. Let me use my brownie points another time, please.
About the "Aeroplan issue". As long as you let them use your 014 ticket stock, their antics reflect poorly on Air Canada. Take it for what it's worth, but I believe it's worth a LOT of goodwill lost on a daily basis. To me, Aeroplan is run by a band of crooks.
May 26, 2014, 9:21 am
#837
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 16,652
Hi Ben,
I realise that this may ruffle a few feathers but I wish that Air Canada would look at extending priority boarding to passengers who have paid a significant surcharge for preferred seating.
AC's system of boarding back-to-front creates a huge problem for your passengers in Preferred Seats, particularly on the 777s rows 18 and 31 (excl 77H).
Passengers in Preferred Seats board last in their respective cabins only to find that all the overhead bin space has been taken.
To make matters worse most if not all preferred seats have no underseat storage available to them.
PLEASE look into improving on this current procedure so that both Preferred and Priority passengers have Priority Boarding - regardless of status.
Thank you@:-)
I realise that this may ruffle a few feathers but I wish that Air Canada would look at extending priority boarding to passengers who have paid a significant surcharge for preferred seating.
AC's system of boarding back-to-front creates a huge problem for your passengers in Preferred Seats, particularly on the 777s rows 18 and 31 (excl 77H).
Passengers in Preferred Seats board last in their respective cabins only to find that all the overhead bin space has been taken.
To make matters worse most if not all preferred seats have no underseat storage available to them.
PLEASE look into improving on this current procedure so that both Preferred and Priority passengers have Priority Boarding - regardless of status.
Thank you@:-)
The 777's typically have tons of overhead bin space and there is no reason that the "preferred" person needs to be the "last in their respective cabin" provided AC boards intelligently.
This may be more of an issue on narrow bodies where people at the back sometimes dump their stuff in the first available spot - but that is true for non-preferred seats too.
May 26, 2014, 9:22 am
#838
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
I'm not stepping in here to defend AC, but...
on the subject of hearing ads every flight...do I find them annoying, sure, but someone has to pay for the IFE. There are ipsos reid surveys that I've seen lately asking about what I thought about AC's IFE and if I would pay for it - gasp!
How do you guys justify going to the movies? You've paid for a ticket yet are forced to watch 30 minutes of trailers and ads. Same concept, no?
on the subject of hearing ads every flight...do I find them annoying, sure, but someone has to pay for the IFE. There are ipsos reid surveys that I've seen lately asking about what I thought about AC's IFE and if I would pay for it - gasp!
How do you guys justify going to the movies? You've paid for a ticket yet are forced to watch 30 minutes of trailers and ads. Same concept, no?
May 26, 2014, 9:22 am
#839
Flying Blue Director
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CDG/AMS
Posts: 1,864
We wanted to keep some differentiation between a purchased J fare and LMU, otherwise people may have less of an incentive to purchase an outright J fare if they knew they could always buy Tango and upgrade to get the same benefits. Less mileage is also one of the reasons we can offer the LMU at a discounted rate i.e. less cost.
May 26, 2014, 9:26 am
#840
Flying Blue Director
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CDG/AMS
Posts: 1,864
Yeah, this is a problem. Just yesterday, my free SDC turned into $75. The check-in agent (knowledgeable guy - I've dealt with him before) and some supervisor pulled out a 8.5x11 sheet that had a massive chart on it with everything, and even they couldn't make heads or tails of it. "Well, it's a Z fare. That should be free SDC." "But it's restricted - changes cost $75" back and forth between them. They said the system wouldn't let them do it without payment, so I paid and got a receipt. Is my best option to PM Ben, or should I fill out the online form?