No - a five year old should not sit by himself
Mar 31, 2017, 11:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: YEG
Programs: AC SE 100K, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 87
No - a five year old should not sit by himself
A couple weeks ago I booked six Aeroplan reward tickets for my family to YEG-YYZ-MCO return over the Christmas 2017 break (yes - I plan early). Seats in either row 12 and 13 were selected with no problems. Got an e-mail from Aeroplan this morning telling me the YYZ-YEG return segment had been cancelled so we were moved to a later flight. Five of the party were put into row 16 (no recline) and our five year-old ended up being put in row 21 by himself.
Called to get our row 13 seats back for the new flight and encountered a pretty snarky agent on the line when I complained about the five year-old being put by himself. His response was that the computers don't know how old the passengers are (then why does it not pick up on the DOB that I enter?) and that I have to monitor the flights myself. I was a little blown away by his comment that if the computers were made smarter then AC would have to hire fewer agents like himself. Perhaps AC's highly esteemed IT department is a guaranteed union benefit
.
Oh well, I got my revenge - booked a couple of short-haul round-trips on WS right after getting off the phone with him.
Called to get our row 13 seats back for the new flight and encountered a pretty snarky agent on the line when I complained about the five year-old being put by himself. His response was that the computers don't know how old the passengers are (then why does it not pick up on the DOB that I enter?) and that I have to monitor the flights myself. I was a little blown away by his comment that if the computers were made smarter then AC would have to hire fewer agents like himself. Perhaps AC's highly esteemed IT department is a guaranteed union benefit
.Oh well, I got my revenge - booked a couple of short-haul round-trips on WS right after getting off the phone with him.
Mar 31, 2017, 11:28 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 733
To be fair, AC SOP would be to make the necessary adjustments to seat assignments during manual check-in or at the gate to ensure the child is seated with the parent. So the automatic seat assignment really doesn't have any meaning.
They could of course invest in better IT and make sure the automatic algorithm groups parent and child(ren) together, but they could also make a functional website. I'd prefer the latter to be done first...
They could of course invest in better IT and make sure the automatic algorithm groups parent and child(ren) together, but they could also make a functional website. I'd prefer the latter to be done first...
Mar 31, 2017, 11:31 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
Programs: IHG Gold
Posts: 4,820
Sounds like the guy was just using a (slightly misguided) sense of humour, because he is correct. If their IT worked properly, net result would be fewer jobs for people like him
Kind of depends how hard you complained---I try to take it easy on the phone staff. They just sail on the ship--they didn't build it.
Kind of depends how hard you complained---I try to take it easy on the phone staff. They just sail on the ship--they didn't build it.
Mar 31, 2017, 11:37 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
A couple weeks ago I booked six Aeroplan reward tickets for my family to YEG-YYZ-MCO return over the Christmas 2017 break (yes - I plan early). Seats in either row 12 and 13 were selected with no problems. Got an e-mail from Aeroplan this morning telling me the YYZ-YEG return segment had been cancelled so we were moved to a later flight. Five of the party were put into row 16 (no recline) and our five year-old ended up being put in row 21 by himself.
Called to get our row 13 seats back for the new flight and encountered a pretty snarky agent on the line when I complained about the five year-old being put by himself. His response was that the computers don't know how old the passengers are (then why does it not pick up on the DOB that I enter?) and that I have to monitor the flights myself. I was a little blown away by his comment that if the computers were made smarter then AC would have to hire fewer agents like himself. Perhaps AC's highly esteemed IT department is a guaranteed union benefit .
Oh well, I got my revenge - booked a couple of short-haul round-trips on WS right after getting off the phone with him.
Called to get our row 13 seats back for the new flight and encountered a pretty snarky agent on the line when I complained about the five year-old being put by himself. His response was that the computers don't know how old the passengers are (then why does it not pick up on the DOB that I enter?) and that I have to monitor the flights myself. I was a little blown away by his comment that if the computers were made smarter then AC would have to hire fewer agents like himself. Perhaps AC's highly esteemed IT department is a guaranteed union benefit
.Oh well, I got my revenge - booked a couple of short-haul round-trips on WS right after getting off the phone with him.
Unfortunately what you mention is all too common, friend booked six seats for family. Got a notification the flight had been changed and found the four kids (all under 12) were spread over the entire rear cabin.
Mar 31, 2017, 3:09 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sudbury-North Shore-Manitoulin
Programs: AP SPG HH
Posts: 631
Couldn't your 5 year old have just switched seats with one in row 16? I do understand your frustration with loosing your row 13 seats, did you get them back?
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
Last edited by Northern Canuck; Mar 31, 2017 at 3:17 pm
Mar 31, 2017, 3:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton G,Nexus, Amex MR Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 4,422
Couldn't your 5 year old have just switched seats with one in row 16? I do understand your frustration with loosing your row 13 seats, did you get them back?
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
Mar 31, 2017, 7:03 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: YEG
Programs: AC SE 100K, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 87
To be fair, AC SOP would be to make the necessary adjustments to seat assignments during manual check-in or at the gate to ensure the child is seated with the parent. So the automatic seat assignment really doesn't have any meaning.
They could of course invest in better IT and make sure the automatic algorithm groups parent and child(ren) together, but they could also make a functional website. I'd prefer the latter to be done first...
They could of course invest in better IT and make sure the automatic algorithm groups parent and child(ren) together, but they could also make a functional website. I'd prefer the latter to be done first...
Mar 31, 2017, 7:05 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: YEG
Programs: AC SE 100K, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 87
Sounds like the guy was just using a (slightly misguided) sense of humour, because he is correct. If their IT worked properly, net result would be fewer jobs for people like him
Kind of depends how hard you complained---I try to take it easy on the phone staff. They just sail on the ship--they didn't build it.
Kind of depends how hard you complained---I try to take it easy on the phone staff. They just sail on the ship--they didn't build it.
Mar 31, 2017, 7:15 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: YEG
Programs: AC SE 100K, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 87
Couldn't your 5 year old have just switched seats with one in row 16? I do understand your frustration with loosing your row 13 seats, did you get them back?
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
With regards to the price I was shocked at how expensive the flights were. Tango fares running at $2k/person?
Glad to have the IKK - total with taxes for the six of us was just over $900 plus 150k aeropesos. My parents decided to fly the day before us but booked into Delta First for $1200pp all-in.
Mar 31, 2017, 7:18 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: YEG
Programs: AC SE 100K, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 87
It's on a A320 so it's one row ahead of the exits...but I didn't want the possibility of an equipment change moving us to an exit row.
Mar 31, 2017, 8:17 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 733
I've been there and done that so you'll have to forgive me for being pessimistic with their SOP. We had a similar situation about one year ago, and equipment change would have put us in an exit row, so they split us up without letting us know, and not all of the kids were with adults. Flight was full so they couldn't adjust. Made for an interesting trip...
Mar 31, 2017, 9:17 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 812
and yet thousands of children between the ages of 8 and 12 every year travel without a parent anywhere on the airplane.
Mar 31, 2017, 9:20 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BKK/SIN/YYZ/YUL
Programs: DL, AC, Bonvoy, Accor, Hilton
Posts: 2,918
Sounds like the guy was just using a (slightly misguided) sense of humour, because he is correct. If their IT worked properly, net result would be fewer jobs for people like him
Kind of depends how hard you complained---I try to take it easy on the phone staff. They just sail on the ship--they didn't build it.
Kind of depends how hard you complained---I try to take it easy on the phone staff. They just sail on the ship--they didn't build it.
Couldn't your 5 year old have just switched seats with one in row 16? I do understand your frustration with loosing your row 13 seats, did you get them back?
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
"I would have booked my 2017 Xmas break now if AC hadn't raised the price 40%. My business will also be going elsewhere if they don't drop again soon."
I will be doing the same for my annual trip to the Caribbean next winter since AC has raised the return fare by 39%! Since it's a rouge flight WS is a good alternative.
'The higher cost is due to the excellent and high quality meals served on board. As well, the additional investment in cabin cleanliness and spiffy hats for Rouge FAs makes it worth it.