Help from lounge agent in case of IRROPS
 

Currently experiencing IRROPS in YYZ. Can lounge agents assist me like customer service agents?

Need to get a FIM and new boarding passes on flights I was rebooked on.

Yes, but it can take longer because they still Have to check people in.

Are you flying international J? If so, you might be able to track down a concierge to help you out.

If you've already been rebooked and just need boarding passes printed that's pretty easy.

Was at the TB MLL during a few flight cancelations. They were pretty clear that they didn't do that there or it would create line ups. They did complete a checkin to get me a new boarding pass after I'd already made my change on the phone.

A few people were upset about the lack of help from the agents but they really aren't setup for it. United has dedicated customer service agents in their clubs. AC clearly does not.

From https://www.aircanada.com/en/traveli.../maplelounges/

;)

Here's the complete story. I was travelling in PY.

WX in YYZ caused ATC restrictions last night. My YQB-YYZ flight was delayed, which caused misconnect for AC882. Before leaving YQB though, I managed to speak to AC reservations on the phone and they got me seats on a later LH flight (in J) to MUC and then onwards to CPH. But the agent on the phone was adamant that I would need to get a FIM from an AC agent on the ground in YYZ to be allowed to board the LH flight.

Once in YYZ, I had 2 hours on the ground to sort that out. I figured that would be enough. Boy was I wrong. Complete mess at the customer service desk with very few agents available and the line moving oh so slowly. When I saw that I would not be able to get answered by AC CS, I tried my luck at the lounge - no go. I also tried directly with LH at the gate, nein, they would not let meboard as there was no ticket number attached to my booking. I could see my name on her screen and could see the big red X in the ticket column. LH GA redirected me to AC customer service.

The LH flight was leaving at 2305, I managed to speak to an agent at 2330... I am now rebooked on a flight leaving later today. AC882 is full so they rebooked me through ZRH.

I guess if I had had access to a concierge, I would have been able to get the FIM and board the LH flight. I know some people will say that I should just have paid for OMW or something, but I was just disappointed that on an evening with multiple IRROPS, AC would staff the CS desks a bit more efficiently to, you know, get people on their way.

I had been rebooked but still needed AC to issue a FIM - which lounge agents don't do, by the way, as I have learned last night. Showing up at the

Thanks for the update. That's pretty awful... I hope you face less drama today.

Out of curiosity, it sounds like you tried to everything airside (by talking to customer service and lounge attendants). In hindsight, would a landside agent have been able to help you more promptly?

Landside check-in would probably redirect you to ticketing, who'd have their own line with no priority queue afaik, probably.

Good point, I guess the extra time required to go through security would've offset any time save, if any, by not having to wait for the airside CS people.

There is no priority queue for Elite or SE at customer service at D or E gates. I did look for it.

Thanks for the sympathy. I did consider going back landside to try something else but I had invested quite some time already in the customer service queue. I figured it could be even worse landside actually so I didn't dare. Plus, as pewpew mentionned, getting through security again was something I wanted to avoid. It is hard to guess where the wait will be the shortest!

This is an area where UA and LH do well in their hubs. They have dedicated lines for their elites and *G at airside customer service centres. I have had my butt saved twice in UA hubs thanks to this.

I think it's been mentioned upthread, but the UA agents in their lounges are amazing at handling IRROPS. I usually just pull up the flights I want while walking over to the United Club and the agent promptly takes care of the re-ticketing.