yyz_atc_qq

Surely from a legal standpoint they don't.

It's no different than a TA issuing a ticket on a 014 plate (back in the good old days when TAs had different plates for different airlines). The TA is the person/entity the contract was with, not the airline.

Stranger

The TA issues the ticket on behalf of the airline. He is an agent as in agent of the airline. Just look at the IATA agency agreement. Contract is with the airline.

jerryhung

Hmm, I should call Air China reservation to confirm my wife's flight next week is actually good to go, geez.... (booked Sept 2015 for Aug 2016 travel, TPE-PEK-YYZ, CA to AC)

Stranger

Wouldn't hurt, would it?

transportprof

There is a long thread in the United forum that suggests Air China cannot be trusted to honor award ticket confirmations, even when there is a ticket #, PNR, and seat selected.

This was really bad in 2014 and 2015. Perhaps it has gotten better in 2016, but I am skeptical of booking award space of any kind on Air China for the reasons discussed in this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ed-hacked.html

rehoult

If CTA has sworn off Aeroplan, so much the better. It means you can use the provincial consumer protection bodies which can actual enforce their decisions, as if AP isn't the airline (or functionally part of it) then they are a TA.

canadiancow

I thought someone confirmed at one point was this is the REASON they won't book CA.

Aeroplan was getting too many "I'm at the airport in Beijing and they won't let me on the plane" phone calls or something like that.

kwflyer

Yet AP uses AC's ticket stock...

OP, I would escalate this to a team manager. Unlike a supervisor (who is really just a lead agent), the team manager is an actual manager with a lot more power. Agree with others that they either need to push the ticket through or buy you a revenue one. Good luck.

Sean Peever

But even if someone is able to say that because it's 014 stock it's AC's problem (I think that's a long shot when you consider all the facts). The problem has already been clearly identified by Aeroplan as Aeroplan's problem. They said their system (not AC's) doesn't work with CA and that it shouldn't have booked etc. This is without a doubt 100% on aeroplan AND they have even admitted it.

RealHJ

Definitely.

Ask CA to do your seat assignments. If they can do it, it's likely fine.

The CA call centre always wants to get you off the phone ASAP, so they won't listen or check that the ticket is OK...just ask for seats, that they'll understand and do. Otherwise, except the CA call centre to call very quick and be ready to hang up on you at the first opportunity they get.

When you call CA, be ready to hit 1 every one to two minutes of the 30-90 minute hold very quickly when prompted, as if you don't you will be dropped out of the queue. (CA has a very good way to get less people to service. While you are in the phone queue, every 1-2 minutes you have a 5 second window to hit 1 if you still want to hold. If you don't and are too slow, they will disconnect you and drop you from the queue.)

worldtraveller73

Adding to all this discussion, the compensation for these mishaps by Aeroplan is usually fixed and typically not very generous. I would guess it would even be less than 5,000 Aeroplan miles plus a refund of all miles. They are really a crap company when it comes to this sort of thing. You might get your call in fees waived if you had been charged them. Either way, I would be forewarned and manage expectations accordingly.

Stranger

They can say what they want. That's an issue between them and AC. But that's immaterial. At the end of the day the ticket is issued by AC, so your contract is with AC.

AC may dance like a devil in holy water (translating from French I guess), but the ticket is on AC stock, so ultimately contract is with them.

Stranger

Really?

Where is that compensation "fixed?" At the end of the day, Aeroplan is just a scam and the only real business involved is AC.

zoobtoob

That was me here. I was repeating what a very knowledgeable and confident sounding AP rep told me when discussing avoiding IST on a trip.

Aeroplan actively blocking CA, CM, and O6 award bookings at times.

RealHJ

Avianca and Lufthansa/M&M (and thus the numerous other EU airlines that are all under the M&M umbrella) are also blocking CA awards at this time. May be others also, but these two for sure.

UA was blocking CA awards last fall and earlier this year (and when it wasn't blocked, then CA would cancel the UA tix involving CA flights w/o passenger's authorization or knowledge, no notification and no refund), but now it's all worked out and UA awards on CA now are safe and getting properly ticketed and honored on the CA end.