LAX

No wonder I was on hold for close to 45 minutes earlier this year and I am an AC nobody.

LAX

acysb87

As canadiancow also notes, my personal wait times on the SE line are not nearly that long.

I have waited far too long on phone with AMEX(as in which department to actually talk to and RBC Rewards the other day who kept telling me thanks for my patience. 1 hour 2 minutes to book YSB/BGI r/t for 2 passengers. (I did get the booking fee waived )

IOW ,hold times are getting longer everywhere these days.

nomii

Had to call a few times over the last couple days, and my hold times as a non-elite were:

50 mins
40 mins
45 mins
30 mins

Ridic.

mromalley

Last time I called the SE line, my wait was 7 minutes and the agent apologized for keeping me on hold. Normally, it is under 5 minutes on hold.

jc94

I'm surprised that as far as I can see no-one has yet mentioned that if the calls were cut off less often and dealt with correctly the first time it would also be better

I had to call three times earlier this year for the same booking (all quick waits even on P25k line) when one of the issues was neglecting to include my Aeroplan number.

Seriously, I'm calling a number that I have to type my number into, the guy clearly knows it's me, and you can't issue a ticket with that number attached?

And it was four calls in total, because the first one cut me off. Again if I've put in my number you clearly have my cell details so why was I not called back?

Adam Smith

Where has the OP gone?

Since I became SE, I have very rarely had to hold at all when phoning AC or AE; generally my calls are picked up right away. So it feels like OP is no longer SE anymore. Not to mention the concierge point.

The couple of times in the past year or so that I've called the E75K or E50K line on behalf of a family member, the wait hasn't been more than a couple minutes either.

lobo411

I called as a nobody to get a seat assignment (booked an award ticket thru United). 12 mins or so, and the agent was very fast/competent. Seats assigned and an email confirmation sent in less than 2 mins.

canadiancow

Woooooow.

I hate AC's new phone crap.

The slow-talking English+French garbage, plus the WE ARE EXPERIENCING HIGHER THAN NORMAL CALL VOLUMES.

It was about 60 seconds before I could make my first selection.

yul36

Booked on line, new web site would not allow me to add a gift card, called in 1 HR, would have been bearable on speaker phone except the new music is designed to really get on your nerves so you hang up.
Agent who answered was not sure how to do it, went to ask someone and hung up while putting the call on hold. Called back, only took 50 minutes. agent knew what she was doing and reissued. Selected seats in the bookable by altitude section, still Y but closer to the front.

Needed to make a change with in the 24 hours, on hold for 50 minutes.I shutter to think if I am ever in an irop overseas and need help from an agent.

One could grumble and fly WS except their wait times over the last two months have been just as bad.

rickg523

Air Canada - So Elite.
Don't Even Bother Flying With Us Until You Earn SE Status.

New ad campaign. Apparently they decided maybe honesty would work.
Should do wonders for their bottom line.

segacs

This may be the most honest thing I've seen in this thread, ever.

As a non-status passenger with no real hope of ever earning any status (I don't fly much for business), I personally avoid AC like the plague whenever I have any other option. Most of the alternatives aren't great, but they're generally better than AC.

I recognize that Elite and SE passengers may get okay treatment from AC. But for the rest of us, it's become an insufferable pain.

I just used the last of my Aeroplan miles -- which I've been collecting since 1992 -- to book a one way reward flight this November (*A but not AC). And that'll be that, since I doubt I'll ever rack up enough points for another reward flight.

I'm not saying I'll never fly AC again. I live in Montreal and there are times when it's not easily avoidable. But whenever I do have a choice, I usually opt for something -- anything -- else.

Are you listening, AC? (Actually, probably, yes. AC is just as happy to see people like me go. After all, we're not profitable customers.)

J. Leslie

Have some domestic travel coming up. Nothing serious...just six segments over 9 days. On hold with the ironically-named AC 'customer service ' for 40 minutes today. Gave up and called Westjet who were also experiencing "higher call volumes". I took the call-back option and got a call within 6 minutes.

No prizes for guessing which airline got my business.

No status here - haven't been SE for a dozen years.
I see no reason to even try with this Walmart of the air. I don't drink when I fly, and I hate pickles ;-)

segacs

I usually opt for Porter for short-haul domestic. Decent beer on every flight, and ne'er a pickle in sight. (Though the cookies and cappuccino at the YTZ lounge are awesome.)

Jumper Jack

them butter cookies are the Beeeeeeest!

As for the hold time..spot on!
FU unless you are E50+/SE lol

J. Leslie

Not an option out of YYC, sadly. Maybe some day.
My brother (YYT based) flies Porter all the time. He can't sing its praises any higher. He's also been completely turned off AC - and he's an SE.