Dimsum Mum

We are flying AC16 in two weeks time. Three of our family are in preferred seats (purchased, not status). The remaining three are scattered around economy class, which is fine, they are happy to just plug in a device and hang out.
My husband will sit with the two kids who like having a parent with them. (all are over 12).
The AC website says:

Please note that you may be moved from your Preferred seat without notice in the event of an involuntary schedule or airport change (e.g. flight disruption, cancellation), to accommodate a passenger with a disability, or for any other reason that requires Air Canada to move you prior to departure or during the flight. If you are moved from your Preferred seat for one of these reasons, you may request a refund for your Preferred seat charges.

If we get moved from the preferred seating it would not be good for the kiddies.

Y class is showing sold out for the flight. Latitude fares show about 10 seats left in Priority Seating, one in PY.

I'd be very appreciative if someone could suggest how we should respond and ensure my husband is seated with our two kids if the preferred seats are reassigned?

Many many thanks

mlbmlb

I have had constant problems with unilateral seat changes by AC. Most times I find out by chance that row 12 is now row 49. I have written repeatedly to AC about this with the usual response reflected in the quote you included. I do not understand why - if they can notify you of an itinerary change - they cannot notify you of an equipment change resulting in a new seat assignment. And why there is no effort to reasonably accommodate the initial seat chosen.

Other FT people have recommended buying Expert Flyer to let you know so you can deal with it immediately ( or at least try to.)

Good luck.

YOWgary

You should, of course, receive the services for which you have paid, but I ask the following as a 6'1", 200-pound guy...

...what would the negative impact be of your children being seated in regular seats?

Is there some factor by which AC would owe you more than a refund on the Preferred-Seat fees?

mapleg

I have never once been removed from a preferred seat that was purchased.

arf04

It happened to me several times last spring--on the same flight. They swapped an E190 to an E170 and then back, and moved me out of my preferred seat the first time. I had to call in and get moved back, and then when they swapped back to the E190 I had to do it all over again. I couldn't do it online for some reason and I also had to argue with the agent one time about not needing to pay again. The whole thing was absurd as of course both those aircraft have the same seat rows in the preferred section and yet I was moved to the back of the aircraft. My wife an I also got moved out of our preferred seats on a swap from an E190 to an A320 in the spring. It seems to be routine. It's wise to keep an eye on things when aircraft switches happen as AC IT is not set up to handle seat assignments (or at least no consistently). We just got switched from row 3 to 1 on a swap from a 788 to a 789, which isn't so bad, but why??

Bartolo

I've also had this a number of times. Usual response is, "it's the computer". I can not understand, like other posters, why row 1 becomes row 43 etc. When I've asked to be moved back to row 1, the typical answer is "but there's someone in row 1. I couldn't move them that's their seat".

Stranger

The wording "you may be moved from your Preferred seat without notice" may well have no legal value from a contractual standpoint. But of course intimidation and BS is enough to deal with 99+% of the cases.

As to "the computer did it," yes, poor IT did it. Lise, oh Lise, when was it again that you are scheduled to retire?

Wpgjetse

Out of my 3500 flights with AC, I have never had my seat moved or changed. I don't think seat changes/moves are a problem at all.

YOWgary

I think perhaps there's been a misunderstanding.

I don't suggest that being among the larger humans gives me a better shot at *getting* Preferred Seats, it means I am more likely to suffer without them than, say, a 12-year-old.

24left

I am inspired that you have awesome experiences with AC.
Gives some of the rest of us hope.
Seriously.
Who wouldn't want to be you?

But others aren't you.
They don't have perpetually excellent AC experiences.

They come here seeking advice and perhaps a little comfort.

Just saying......

vernonc

+1. I have been moved a few times approx 3-5%, mostly due to equipment changes.

canadiancow

I've never had a seat assignment change, but I've booked 17A on a 319, connecting to 17A on a 319.

I ended up in 17A on an E90 and 17A on a 320.

No one cared.

YQY

last year I had a Rouge Plus Seat, 19A paid for on a Rouge A319. There was an aircraft swap, but from a Rouge A319 with 19A a Rouge Plus seat to an A319 with 18A the Rouge Plus seat. Some of the A319s economy rows starts in row 12, but others had a row 4 before going to row 12.

It was a horrible flight (as I'm 6'2 and 29" seat pitch did me in). They refunded the charge for me.


TL;DR if they move you out of a preferred seat they should refund you your money.

jc94

I paid for a preferred seat that got screwed up somehow. Not sure if it was an aircraft change or not but I emailed AC when I got back pointing out it was definitely not correct and it was refunded both ways despite having had it on the way out. I don't know if that was standard but I didn't complain.

Also, I was still sat next to the person I was meant to be with, despite us having booked completely separately due to different final destinations.

DrunkCargo

Not that this has ever affected me, but I've often wondered... a refund is obviously owed for being "downgraded" from a paid service, but what if you reserved the seat with your Altitude status?

Your refund would be $0, and hence, you'd be first pick to be downgraded no? At least, as a shareholder, I'd expect AC to do such. This is true of J upgrades too. I would always expect AC to take another $15k fare over upgrading a status member.