quantumofforce

Hahahahaha, lost it. Coffee almost sprayed everywhere!

SparseFlyer

I had the privilege (not saying this sarcastically as I actually appreciate it when people take the time to help) to have a very polite and constructive 10m discussion with what I believe is a very experienced check in agent.


The moral of the story is don't waste your time with this. And if you're travelling in Y, show your card.


(Note: this is directed specifically at flying on a reward ticket paid with points coming from a different account.)

canadiancow

Does "showing your card" get you standby priority (I'm thinking more along the lines of "IRROPS and all the flights are full" than "getting there early on Rapidair")? Op up priority? Your name on a concierge list so they can call you when there are IRROPS? Your status on the manifest for meal priority?

There are numerous benefits that cannot be obtained by showing your card. Some are extremely important (arguably the primary benefits of status) during IRROPS, while others might not even be missed.

But I just don't understand that little news bulletin. It says you can do something. How do you do it? No one seems to be able to. Agents have been EXPLICITLY instructed NOT to touch the FQTV field on reward tickets. Those who don't remember that memo and actually try, end up encountering a system error.

24left

Agree.


I can confirm that even when I book my Aeroplan tickets for my own account, my status does not always show (never sure why) and twice this year, I've had AC concierges who did not know how to add my # at check-in (so it would show on the PIL).

It seems there are some AC staff who know how to do this, some who don't and I would prefer it be consistent.

And thanks Sparse, for the reminder
.

canadiancow

When certain types of changes are made to Aeroplan tickets (like same day changes), I find the Aeroplan number drops off the FQTR field, and that "allows" agents to add it through their normal process. However, I've never experienced a situation where the points came from my own account AND I couldn't get my status to show. It's either already there, or it's trivial for them to add.

I had a check-in agent suggest I was using "last year's" SE tags (it was January, so they were still "current") when my BP printed with no status.

You certainly don't need to convince me of the important of having it on there.

yyznomad

Well, since you don't work at the airport, you are wrong.

djjaguar64

Ok i coughed so hard my hard boiled egg bounced out of my mouth.

Now does this include Star Alliance FF #'s as well?

mountaingrl

Had big issues this past weekend when I used my AE account to book flights for mountainboy, who also is an SE. We were traveling together and I was on a revenue ticket. Had IRROPS both ways and I was the only one called - even though our PNRs were linked.

Had slightly painful conversations on both the outbound and inbound when as I was called as we would ask the AC conceirge about mountainboy's ticket - and there would be big pauses - denial that he was SE until file opened, then apologies and rebooking for him on same rebooked flight as me. But it kept on being a comedy of errors where at the MLLs he would be told he couldn't come in, zone 4 boarding etc. all that was solved by opening file and/or showing SE card.

Worst part was on an oversold flight on the inbound, despite making sure agents at check in and conceirge were aware he was SE, 3 Y passengers on standby got the last 3 J seats as op ups. I asked them specifically what fare class they were traveling and they said economy and that they did not upgrade.
Even sadder is that I had specifically spoken to gate agent as she had come on the plane at the end of boarding to see how many seats were left (there were 3 empty J seats). I was in J and indicated that there was an SE in Y if she was planning to place passengers off the standby list into J. She didn't seem to care as she didn't ask for a name and ran off.

Later when they SD introduce herself I asked about policy for status passengers being given priority for ops ups - she was not aware but said on the manifest that mountainboy only had *G beside his name so that may have been a factor. So I think every agent had made sure his AE# was attached to file, but it did not show status.

DNAwizard

I agree that this is a pain in the rear end and that should be possible to add you AE number online. But one day I suppose...

However, so far I did not have any problem having my AE number added on my booking at the check-in counter at various airports, both small and large (YQB, YUL, YCD, LHR). This was either on someone else's points or my own since the AE number tends to disappear during IRROPS and needs to be added again.

mountainboy

Over last weekend, I tried to do that 4 times - once on the phone, 3 times at a counter. Two before IRROPS, two after IRROPS. I watched the agent attempt it on their screen, after IRROPS. It really doesn't work.

To show how strange their back-end/front-end interactions are, I was holding a BP that said *G, zone 4, ML*1, seated in Y. Indicated that it was AP ticket before IRROPS, but a re-issue after IRROPS changed it to Tango. Online, it showed up as Tango *J*.

We also appreciated the humour of SMS messages ahead of travel alerting us the AVOD system was inoperative on our DH3 leg. True, the AVOD was absent...

DNAwizard

It is hit-and-miss for sure. Sorry yours did not work. I always politely mention or confirm that it is for Altitude benefits only and not mileage accrual and that the AE number should therefore be in the FQTR field. And they are always surprised that "I know so much"!

canadiancow

I find I get that reaction if I say "J", "Y", or "PNR".

When I start talking about the difference between FQTR and FQTV, they ask which department I work in

SparseFlyer

I 100% agree with you guys.

The general argument I hear is "well you are J anyway so what does it matter."

Then you mention IRROPS and all, but it seems to be an afterthought, and I agree that the best benefit of status is when IRROPS hits and other factors.

The one thing I was offered this time that I never heard before was "I can add it to the comments that you are E50K just in case" , but in all honesty, I doubt GAs will waste time doing this if / when .... hits the fan.


But yeah. Myth has been confirmed I guess.

canadiancow

Well I finally did it. I'm flying on someone else's points.

Concierge was unable to override the Aeroplan number to get mine on the booking.

As a result, my PNR has had a note added to it, and they're going to make sure standby is processed manually for the flight so that I get my standby priority.

This is soooooo much easier and cheaper for AC than just letting us change the number

SparseFlyer

I was offered that option too, adding a "note to the file". In case of IRROPS.


Still going to write this off as a non-functioning benefit / feature of altitude status, as I doubt anyone will take time to go out of their way to check the comments on my reservation.


IRROPS happened, and it was clear that there was a big difference in treating the rebookings between me and another status pax (granted, there was a difference in status, so it might be from that too). It was a bigger hassle than it should've been.


Everyone I've spoken to at AC thinks I'm high off crack, even after I show them their own website lol! And it's been so long since the " news" was posted that answers have shifted from "this must be new and not yet ready" to "this must be from am older policy that no longer applies" !