BRAISKI

They didn't mention about people with AMEX Platinum? Just curious, I don't have that CC and I never fly to YYC



While that will benefit you and your wife, I don't think its in the best interest for the Lounge. If they include at least a 75k with a guest that will just increase the number of people, not to mention adding a the 50k and a guest. There are more 75k than 100k and there more 50k than 75k. If each of them will bring a guest then that would defeated the purpose of limiting the number of people.

Have you tried asking or contacting them asking for a special treatment or exception? Never hurts to ask

SensFan

Very good point. Credit card entrances are probably second in the pecking order after paid J though so they probably won't be touched.

King Chung Huang

I don't think credit card holders get to bring in guests, do they?

tkyoshi

American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Cardmember must present the American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card and a confirmed, same-day departing ticket on Air Canada, Air Canada Express™*, Air Canada codeshare or Star Alliance™**flight to be permitted access to a Maple Leaf Lounge. Cardmember is permitted paid guests in the lounge, pending space availability. Access to arrivals lounge is available upon presentation of a valid American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card and a same day confirmed boarding pass on an arriving Air Canada International flight, regardless of the fare type purchased. Access is subject to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge terms and conditions and may not be available due to unforeseen circumstances. Other conditions apply. Supplementary AeroplanPlus Gold Cardmembers do not receive Maple Leaf Lounge or Arrivals Lounge access.

I don't believe so. For free that is.

AC854

In my experience over several years - getting in is the easy part. Finding a seat (or seats) is the "biggy".

YYCishome

New to forum...please excuse any errors/typos/etc.

Spoke with AMEX today. AMEX Platinum card holders are excluded from entrance for the hours that are stated in the Air Canada notice for the YYC MLL and reno schedule (next 18 months or so).

Kind of defeats the purpose of the card, for my purposes, as YYC is home and I do utilize the lounge. As per previous posts notes, food is the same as the YVR lounge-no better, no worse.

Shareholder

Airlines can set their own rules for their own elites but must provide consistent access to STARGolds of other airlines. All US airlines have restricted access to otherwise eligible elites to their lounges when flying only domestic to protect the business model they use for lounges which is different than that used by other world airlines, including AC.

Kansaigaijin

Hmmmm,
I have the Amex platinum aeroplan card, largely for access to the YYC lounge.
Yes the lounge has been busy, but this was entirely foreseeable, other arrangements could have been made, or compensation offered in the way of vouchers for use at other airport F&Bs.
The card was sold with lounge access as a major selling point.
Seems like a breach of contract and very poor customer relations too me.

SELurker

There was a problem in this lounge with not being able to get a seat, or food, or drinks, because it's was overfull all the time and they have resolved it. Good job Air Canada. Sure people aren't happy but no one else has offered up a better solution that will work.

zkzkz

They could just close the lounge for renovations and not have all this winging about whether wives and credit card holders should be let in.

If your home base is YYC and you paid for the card mainly for the YYC lounge (then first of all -- really?) then speak to your card issuer and ask for a refund. They can deal with AC if they want AC to compensate them -- for all we know they're already are.

YYCishome

AMEX has responded to my inquiry regarding the restricted YYC MLL access using my AMEX Platinum Aeroplan.

I was sent a link to their Complaint Handling Brochure, in order to initiate an official complaint.

So, it seems that is AMEX's solution right now.

hearna

No the problem is not the lounge, its the whole airport. How YYC can be so out dated, undersized, understaffed, have very few restaurants post security, limited to no seating near the gates; how the airport authority regularly schedules flights like say YYZ and YOW side by sides with departures within 10 minutes of each other, etc etc etc.

BUT! Thank god they finally got their 250m new runway, now we don't have to wait 30-45min on the runway at peak to depart whenever there is anything more then a breeze blowing through the area...

Why YEG is so much bigger and open and offers so much more is beyond me….

Part of the rant stems from spending 30+ minutes in the priority security line this morning while the regular line was out in the check in area (around 5 5:30am), airport systems where down so no gate screens, no boarding computers…

EndRant

Stranger

So you want a Taj Mahal/white elephant? And you are willing to pay for it?

For the longest time, YYC was just fine. Of course traffic has been growing, and probably more than anyone dared to expect. But in the larger scheme of things, they have done a reasonable job at managing growth. Without spending the kitchen sink.

ProudEdmontonian

Altaflyer

Edmonton is the capital afterall