Missed the target for 2017 because AQDs were prorated to distance.
 

I thought I would be able to qualify for E50K this year. Living temporarily in the US for the year, most of my trips were on UA but with half-price AQD treshold, I thought it still be feasible.

At the beginning of December 2016, I had over 35K in miles but hadn't met the AQDs treshold. My qualification depended on only one big vacation to South Africa. I bought the ticket on AC website so it would count for AQDs:

Outbound (Dec 2016)
YUL-LHR AC J
LHR-JNB SA J (AC codeshare)
JNB-CPT SA J (AC codeshare)

Inbound (Jan 2017)
CPT-JNB SA Y (AC codeshare)
JNB-MUC SA Y (AC codeshare)
MUC-YUL LH PY (AC codeshare)

On my ticket, the price of the outbound was 1500$, inbound 700$ and YQ 700$. After checking on ITA Matrix, I expected the attributed value of YQ for the outbound at 470$ and expected to have approx 2000$ in ADQs for 2016 (the remaining value to be credited in 2017). All numbers rounded.

When the miles posted for the the outbound, the AQDs were less than half of the total ticket price (including YQ) and around 600$ less than what I expected to be credit for the 3 segments.

I filed a discrepant ADQs form that was responded within hours. I was told that there was no mistakes and that the AQDs were prorated to the distance of each segment on the total value of the ticket.

I ended up the year with 50 500 miles but short of about 200$ on ADQs for E50K. I had a few exchanges with AC but there was nothing to do, so I resigned to be E35K this year.

I read this blog extensively and haven't found any information on this particular matter so I thought it would be interesting to share as I learned it the hard way.

So much for "collectibles", eh 24left?

Who wants to deliver the bad news? I'll leave you with the honours...

LOLLLL

Ok boys and girls, SE package just arrived.

The metal tag holders are back to metal, no red coating. Not a plus IMHO

There are 4 bag tags and no physical plastic membership card.

Brief note accompanying package says "....and access your digital Altitude membership card on the Air Canada iOS or Android Mobile app."

Enjoy.


EDITED TO UPDATE: As per my post down thread, plastic card was included.
.

Well lets hope this is *A wide initiative....as I still get asked for my card at some *A lounges periodically.

Remember when it was so impossible to have a digital Altitude card for a variety of technological and practical reasons? ;)

I do.

I also remember that the desk agent at the YVR Domestic MLL dropped my phone while she was attempting to scan my BP.

I remember a GA dropping my phone attempting to scan while boarding.

Much as we are all happy about having the digital card, it seems some humans have difficulty holding the phones and scanning. It's one of the reasons I insist on the paper BP. Plus, I really don't want some people touching my phone (hint: the blue-gloved crowd).

I get asked pretty much every single time I visit an LH lounge. They've even refused to let me in until I produced it, a few times.

Also, fast track security in LHR T2 requires a card, every time I go through...

This is going to be an annoyane, I suppose.

I fly out of there monthly and can't even determine where this would happen.

At the gates you usally scan your BP. It's not an issue if you're alone, and the automated gates are on.

Sometimes the gates are all red X's and there's a person there letting people through.

Sometimes I want to guest my SO through (which according to LHR staff, is allowed), and that needs to go through the person manning the gates.

EDIT: Also, I mean on a Y ticket (usually shorthaul SK or LH). J ticket will obviously let you through regardless.

what about those of us that either don't have an iOS or Android device, or choose not to travel with it???

Then surely one of the new features coming to the website is the ability to print an Altitude membership card. Hopefully they fix the minor print size issue, the one that prevents on-screen content from fitting on the printed page, before launching that functionality :D

This is so the lounge agents can accuse us of attempted forgery? :rolleyes:

Oooooh, you're good at predicting airline employee responses to hypothetical situations. Do you work at the airport?

No, but I do fly to a lot of them :D

Membership Card Update
 

There IS a plastic card.

It seems mine somehow became unglued from the outer folded package and got stuck inside the mailer envelope when I pulled out the SE package.

Apologies to all and wow, so weird.