Westjet to the rescue
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE; SPG Platnium; HH G
Posts: 551
Westjet to the rescue
Well another non winning customer service experience with Air Canada.
My daughter and her husband were visiting the U.S. and on their return she was denied entry through security because her ticket was in her married name and her passport was in her maiden name.
By the time she got a faxed copy of her marriage certificate to satisfy US security she and her husband had missed their flight.
And AC wanted to charge change fee plus price of new ticket for later flight for cost close to 1000.
They called me and I tried SE desk to see what was a reasonable solution. They said they should be able to get two later tickets for change fee at most. But they needed to work with AC at airport. As usual I give kudos for help of SE desk and I called my daughter and gave them the information. I was also told there were a couple of options with AC and there were lots of seats.
Well no luck with AC at airport. In the end, with the risk of being stranded another night and AC not budging, they bought two new tickets on WS for considerably less money and left that night.
Happy holidays from Westjet who has two new happy customers.
Westjet commented that they would have at most charged the change fee and given the circumstances may have waived it at least for her husband who stayed with her rather than flying home. This was a paid ticket but my daughter also collects aeroplan miles a lot is now talking of giving up on that and leaving aeroplan too.
My daughter and her husband were visiting the U.S. and on their return she was denied entry through security because her ticket was in her married name and her passport was in her maiden name.
By the time she got a faxed copy of her marriage certificate to satisfy US security she and her husband had missed their flight.
And AC wanted to charge change fee plus price of new ticket for later flight for cost close to 1000.
They called me and I tried SE desk to see what was a reasonable solution. They said they should be able to get two later tickets for change fee at most. But they needed to work with AC at airport. As usual I give kudos for help of SE desk and I called my daughter and gave them the information. I was also told there were a couple of options with AC and there were lots of seats.
Well no luck with AC at airport. In the end, with the risk of being stranded another night and AC not budging, they bought two new tickets on WS for considerably less money and left that night.
Happy holidays from Westjet who has two new happy customers.
Westjet commented that they would have at most charged the change fee and given the circumstances may have waived it at least for her husband who stayed with her rather than flying home. This was a paid ticket but my daughter also collects aeroplan miles a lot is now talking of giving up on that and leaving aeroplan too.
Last edited by YXUhomebase; Dec 7, 2014 at 6:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
Programs: It's hard to get status when the website won't let me book flights.
Posts: 5,706
Glad to hear your daughter and her husband got home safe, and glad to hear they were able to find a cheaper solution.
I am sure that the question is going to come up pretty quickly so it would probably be proactive if you were able/willing to share why her passport uses one name and she booked the ticket in the other.
I am sure that the question is going to come up pretty quickly so it would probably be proactive if you were able/willing to share why her passport uses one name and she booked the ticket in the other.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE; SPG Platnium; HH G
Posts: 551
It was a mistake on her part. And yes they were willing to pay the change fee willingly and I told them as much. they agreed. Her passport will be updated asap wen she returns home to avoid this on the future.
But what was disappointing was an the lack of compassion that even another AC agent agreed should have been extended and the willingness of another airline to help out instead with a better choice.
But what was disappointing was an the lack of compassion that even another AC agent agreed should have been extended and the willingness of another airline to help out instead with a better choice.
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE; SPG Platnium; HH G
Posts: 551
What is also telling is when I suggested they could pay AC what they wanted and appeal in Hope of a refund to at least down to the change fee.
But instead they were so disillusioned with AC that they rather paid WS knowing they will likely never get reimbursed for it.
But instead they were so disillusioned with AC that they rather paid WS knowing they will likely never get reimbursed for it.
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC E75K *G
Posts: 7,106
Anyway, she screwed up and then shopped around for the lowest cost alternative to fix the error. Good for her. I don't see any bad or good reflection on any airline here.
#6
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
You make this sound like some sort of calamity that fell upon your daughter from sinister external forces conspiring against her despite her heroic efforts to the contrary.
Anyway, she screwed up and then shopped around for the lowest cost alternative to fix the error. Good for her. I don't see any bad or good reflection on any airline here.
Anyway, she screwed up and then shopped around for the lowest cost alternative to fix the error. Good for her. I don't see any bad or good reflection on any airline here.
On the other hand, I thought that, when booking, websites indicate to use the EXACT same name on the ticket as it appears on the passport. And that is not just an airline requirement.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,101
Yeah, I'm going to side with AC on this one too. While it's surprising they didn't budge on just charging the change fee, technically it's an error on the part of the passenger... what should the limit of their flexibility be?
Was this a one-way ticket or did she get down to the US without a problem?
p.s. Why do people still change their names when getting married? Seems so archaic to me.
Was this a one-way ticket or did she get down to the US without a problem?
p.s. Why do people still change their names when getting married? Seems so archaic to me.
#8
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 492
While AC had the right in their capacity to charge the change fee and all, AC could have helped them out.
There would have been NO LOSS to AC to help them out.
That's the difference between WestJet and AC. WestJet sees no loss in helping out. AC is just money hungry.
There would have been NO LOSS to AC to help them out.
That's the difference between WestJet and AC. WestJet sees no loss in helping out. AC is just money hungry.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,187
Although the OP's daughter clearly made a mistake, I rather think that is not really the point.
Once again, we have a great example of AC GA's either being too scarred to do the compassionate thing or just unwilling to do so. Although FFers may not concur, this is why WS is usually seen in a better light by the general travelling public who travel infrequently and gauge their experiences primarily by those odd trips they take.
AC staff, unfortunately, once again come across as robotic drones of the faceless megacorp
Once again, we have a great example of AC GA's either being too scarred to do the compassionate thing or just unwilling to do so. Although FFers may not concur, this is why WS is usually seen in a better light by the general travelling public who travel infrequently and gauge their experiences primarily by those odd trips they take.
AC staff, unfortunately, once again come across as robotic drones of the faceless megacorp
#11
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AC - SE, SPG - Platinum, HGP - Diamond
Posts: 369
We don't know that. What airport did this occur at? Many stations AC serves are not staffed by AC (usually United).
Although the OP's daughter clearly made a mistake, I rather think that is not really the point.
Once again, we have a great example of AC GA's either being too scarred to do the compassionate thing or just unwilling to do so. Although FFers may not concur, this is why WS is usually seen in a better light by the general travelling public who travel infrequently and gauge their experiences primarily by those odd trips they take.
AC staff, unfortunately, once again come across as robotic drones of the faceless megacorp
Once again, we have a great example of AC GA's either being too scarred to do the compassionate thing or just unwilling to do so. Although FFers may not concur, this is why WS is usually seen in a better light by the general travelling public who travel infrequently and gauge their experiences primarily by those odd trips they take.
AC staff, unfortunately, once again come across as robotic drones of the faceless megacorp
#12
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 286
Which rules? Per OP the SE desk said they should only be made to pay the change fee "at most"
#13
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC E75K *G
Posts: 7,106
As far as rules go, it would seem to depend on whether they had missed the flight, or they only knew they were going to miss the flight that had not departed.
If they knew they were going to miss the flight they should have been able to do a same day flat fee change at the airport for at most 150 per ticket.
So I'll retract my indifference towards how they were treated at the airport if in fact they were entitled to the same day change.
If they knew they were going to miss the flight they should have been able to do a same day flat fee change at the airport for at most 150 per ticket.
So I'll retract my indifference towards how they were treated at the airport if in fact they were entitled to the same day change.
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: YKF
Programs: AC Elite 50K, Amex AP Plat, Choice Privileges, National Exec Elite, Via Prefrence
Posts: 2,996
Ben Smith is on record that AC is looking to maximize shareholder value and yields above all else. Therefore extracting maximum revenue from a non status passenger when they are most vulnerable, fits in line with this new strategy (bonus points for doing it during the holiday season).
You should not be surprised by this, given the significant oversight your daughter made with her ID and BP, and the ancillary fee happy US AC agents.
AC believes your daughter will be back when they beat Westjet by a dollar. They may (or not) be right. But in the end, the AC industrial complex doesn't care. Just like how the general public doesn't care which airline they fly so long as its the cheapest/most convenient.
You should not be surprised by this, given the significant oversight your daughter made with her ID and BP, and the ancillary fee happy US AC agents.
AC believes your daughter will be back when they beat Westjet by a dollar. They may (or not) be right. But in the end, the AC industrial complex doesn't care. Just like how the general public doesn't care which airline they fly so long as its the cheapest/most convenient.
Last edited by kwflyer; Dec 7, 2014 at 9:20 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE,MM
Posts: 363
Assuming the facts are as stated .... I think AC should be embarrassed about stories like these.
Booking flights is just more and more complicated, by their own design. No wonder people make mistakes when booking. There are now 25 (or something) different fare classes. Every option has insanely different fare rules. The vast majority of pax can't possibly read/understand the boilerplate. Most important, it is obvious that no advantage was sought by the pax.
They should do better.
Booking flights is just more and more complicated, by their own design. No wonder people make mistakes when booking. There are now 25 (or something) different fare classes. Every option has insanely different fare rules. The vast majority of pax can't possibly read/understand the boilerplate. Most important, it is obvious that no advantage was sought by the pax.
They should do better.