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Air Canada introduces zoned boarding

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Old Nov 15, 2014, 2:15 pm
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Air Canada introduces zoned boarding

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Old Dec 16, 2015, 8:49 am
  #2626  
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Originally Posted by ffsim
While you're correct about the letter of the law regarding companions, the GA had already made the determination that the Z1 and Z2 could board together. I think it's wrong for the security guard to say otherwise, especially since he's in no position to determine "companionship" eligibility.
I would expect the security guard to assume the system works.

Given that assumption, the fact that they had different zone numbers means they were not on the same PNR.

This, combined with, "she's my sister", would make her ineligible.

If someone's going to break the rule, they should be the one criticized. In this case, that's the GA.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 9:00 am
  #2627  
 
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
Given that assumption, the fact that they had different zone numbers means they were not on the same PNR.

This, combined with, "she's my sister", would make her ineligible.
I called AC to have the PNR's linked after the fact. If the linking happened correctly, should both BP's have shown zone 1?

On a related note, if multiple passengers are booked on the same PNR, do AC's systems automatically attach the zone # of the highest status passenger to the PNR?
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 9:01 am
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
I would expect the security guard to assume the system works.
But the system also "works" when my wife with a Z5 BP boards with me in Z2. So while the guard can assume the system works all he wants, he's still not in a position to determine or even confirm eligibility.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:19 am
  #2629  
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Originally Posted by CanRulez
I called AC to have the PNR's linked after the fact. If the linking happened correctly, should both BP's have shown zone 1?

On a related note, if multiple passengers are booked on the same PNR, do AC's systems automatically attach the zone # of the highest status passenger to the PNR?
"Linking" is nothing. It means nothing. It's nowhere close to being on the same PNR.

Originally Posted by ffsim
But the system also "works" when my wife with a Z5 BP boards with me in Z2. So while the guard can assume the system works all he wants, he's still not in a position to determine or even confirm eligibility.
Unless he said "this is my sister".
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:26 am
  #2630  
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Overall, I have seen a general improvement system wide with zoned boarding, however, work still needs to be done at some airports.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:29 am
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
"Unless he said "this is my sister".


He has no reason to say anything at all to the security guard. We're not talking about a gate agent here or even an AC employee.

Replace "security guard" with border police, local police or even the duty free attendant. None of those people have any say over the airline's boarding policy.

Again, if my wife was with me or if I had a mistake on my boarding pass (e.g. it says Z5), the guard has no business overriding the GA. Put it this way: the authority to board rests with the GA, not some security guard. That's why it's the GA who's in front of the computer.

Chalk this one up to an over-zealous security guard, as usual.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:31 am
  #2632  
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Agent #2 at YYC signaled for the person at the front of the zone 2 line to come forward when zone 1 had just started, but I knocked him down with my cane and hobbled over instead.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:32 am
  #2633  
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Originally Posted by ffsim


He has no reason to say anything at all to the security guard. We're not talking about a gate agent here or even an AC employee.

Replace "security guard" with border police, local police or even the duty free attendant. None of those people have any say over the airline's boarding policy.

Again, if my wife was with me or if I had a mistake on my boarding pass (e.g. it says Z5), the guard has no business overriding the GA. Put it this way: the authority to board rests with the GA, not some security guard. That's why it's the GA who's in front of the computer.

Chalk this one up to an over-zealous security guard, as usual.
I would agree with you if the security guard had been wrong and the GA right. But that was not the case.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:34 am
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
I would agree with you if the security guard had been wrong and the GA right. But that was not the case.
None of what I said has anything to do with either party being right or wrong. I'm saying the guard has no say in the matter anymore than you have the right to stand at the door of the plane and block Z2 from entering.

I'm done with this back and forth; it's well passed ridiculous already.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:39 am
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
I would agree with you if the security guard had been wrong and the GA right. But that was not the case.
I may be missing something, but wasn't the GA right? The AC website explicitly states that "Immediate family members (including spouse, common-law, same sex partner and dependent children) may board at the same time as Altitude Super Elite 100K, Elite 75K, 50K, 35K or Star Alliance member, even if not travelling on the same reservation." so wouldn't one's sister constitute as immediate family?
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:43 am
  #2636  
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Originally Posted by marke190
I may be missing something, but wasn't the GA right? The AC website explicitly states that "Immediate family members (including spouse, common-law, same sex partner and dependent children) may board at the same time as Altitude Super Elite 100K, Elite 75K, 50K, 35K or Star Alliance member, even if not travelling on the same reservation." so wouldn't one's sister constitute as immediate family?
I made this mistake earlier. Googling this...

"The immediate family is a defined group of relations, used in rules or laws to determine which members of a person's family are affected by those rules. It normally includes a person's parents, spouses, siblings, children and first cousins."

I do not believe that a sister is immediate family? I'm not too sure.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:47 am
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Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
I made this mistake earlier. Googling this...

"The immediate family is a defined group of relations, used in rules or laws to determine which members of a person's family are affected by those rules. It normally includes a person's parents, spouses, siblings, children and first cousins."

I do not believe that a sister is immediate family? I'm not too sure.
"Includes" isn't the same as "consists exclusively of," but good luck fighting a GA over it during the boarding process

I consider siblings to be immediate family, but they're not explicitly spelled out on AC's list so you'd be at the mercy of the GA's personal definition (or boss' instructions).

Last edited by ffsim; Dec 16, 2015 at 10:57 am Reason: Added emphasis in quote
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:51 am
  #2638  
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Originally Posted by ffsim
"Includes" isn't the same as "consists exclusively of," but good luck fighting a GA over it during the boarding process

I consider siblings to be immediate family, but they're not explicitly spelled out on AC's list so you'd be at the mercy of the GA's personal definition (or boss' instructions).
Well, not to go completely off tangent but I do believe it's relevant.

When I think about my own private health/dental insurance, my wife is covered, but my sister is not. Ergo, my sister is not immediate family?

I dunno if that analogy helps bring clarity to the situation.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 10:55 am
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Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
I dunno if that analogy helps bring clarity to the situation.
Not at all, especially since your post includes "siblings" already

To clarify, it's AC's list that excludes siblings; your quote from Google clearly includes them along with first cousins.
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Old Dec 16, 2015, 11:16 am
  #2640  
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Originally Posted by marke190
I may be missing something, but wasn't the GA right? The AC website explicitly states that "Immediate family members (including spouse, common-law, same sex partner and dependent children) may board at the same time as Altitude Super Elite 100K, Elite 75K, 50K, 35K or Star Alliance member, even if not travelling on the same reservation." so wouldn't one's sister constitute as immediate family?
Originally Posted by ffsim
Not at all, especially since your post includes "siblings" already

To clarify, it's AC's list that excludes siblings; your quote from Google clearly includes them along with first cousins.
Right. The AC list (for both zoned boarding and lounge access) is basically "spouse and children".

Your siblings do not get your benefits.
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