CBC: 'Appalling': Woman bumped from Air Canada flight misses $10,000 Galapagos cruise
Apr 21, 2017, 9:58 am
#61
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Apr 21, 2017, 10:01 am
#62
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Except that she did nothing right. She didn't leave any wiggle room for weather or other issues. What if she had car trouble on the way to the airport and missed the flight? Would that have been AC's fault for not getting her there within the 6 hour window she had allowed herself? How can anyone with any modicum of intelligence not book to arrive at least the night before your scheduled cruise departure, especially when departing from a remote location? She didn't pay for seat selection, didn't OLCI prior to departure.
I am sick to death of these stories where people take absolutely zero responsibility for educating themselves about the product they have purchased, then blame the airlines when things go wrong. Absolutely, some complaints have some merit, but this isn't one of them. Bottom line, some people are just too stupid to fly, and she is one of them.
I am sick to death of these stories where people take absolutely zero responsibility for educating themselves about the product they have purchased, then blame the airlines when things go wrong. Absolutely, some complaints have some merit, but this isn't one of them. Bottom line, some people are just too stupid to fly, and she is one of them.
What else do I need to worry besides there may not be a seat for me when I arrive because the Centre may have oversold?
Should I have planned my travel to arrive at least 2 days before? Should I also plan to camp out at the Centre the night before to make sure that I would be amongst the first in the queue to enter to grab my seat that I have duly paid?
Apr 21, 2017, 10:02 am
#63
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Apr 21, 2017, 10:06 am
#64
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I have bought a ticket to see the Maple Leaf against the Capital at the Verizon Centre tonight.
What else do I need to worry besides there may not be a seat for me when I arrive because the Centre may have oversold?
Should I have planned my travel to arrive at least 2 days before? Should I also plan to camp out at the Centre the night before to make sure that I would be amongst the first in the queue to enter to grab my seat that I have duly paid?
What else do I need to worry besides there may not be a seat for me when I arrive because the Centre may have oversold?
Should I have planned my travel to arrive at least 2 days before? Should I also plan to camp out at the Centre the night before to make sure that I would be amongst the first in the queue to enter to grab my seat that I have duly paid?
Apr 21, 2017, 10:10 am
#65
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Difference - your ticket to an NHL game is non-refundable I believe. As long as airlines allow fully flexible and fully refundable tickets, they need to resort to overbooking to hedge against too many empty seats. Don't like it? Fly WS and their tickets cannot be refunded without an admin fee, but they don't overbook (supposedly).
But he might need some more prayers for the Leafs though
Apr 21, 2017, 10:10 am
#66
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I am sick to death of these stories where people take absolutely zero responsibility for educating themselves about the product they have purchased, then blame the airlines when things go wrong. Absolutely, some complaints have some merit, but this isn't one of them. Bottom line, some people are just too stupid to fly, and she is one of them.
Yes, if she'd shown up short of the checkin cutoff, or there had been a huge storm or whatever and she was complaining that she missed her flight I would not have much sympathy. And sure if it was me on a $10K cruise I'd allow more time to make it to the port. But none of that happened, so none of that matters.
She isn't "too stupid to fly" she is just like most of the flying public, and assumes that is she did the things she did, followed the rules that AC set out for her, that she'd get to her destination on time. I'd expect nothing different from 90% of the people on any given flight - most people don't OLCI, most people don't know their rights, different classes of fare, any of that knowledge we accumulate as frequent fliers. That isn't "stupid" that is just your regular fly once a year Jane Q Public. And I'd expect Air Canada to take care of her in this situation, and instead she got screwed.
Apr 21, 2017, 10:13 am
#67
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Apr 21, 2017, 10:19 am
#68
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Remember, the game is not in Toronto. Since the game is in the States, it's most likely not sold out. BTW, NHL is starting to restrict ticket sales themselves. They want all re-sold tickets to go though them and yes, there is a ticket name change fee. Team NHL teams do not always give out tickets anymore for their events.
Apr 21, 2017, 10:28 am
#69
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Most of us would have made somewhat different travel arrangements but we're not exactly "normal" travellers.
I too find it odd that this lady would drop $10K for a cruise but not arrive say, a day early just in case. But the article does say the cruise was to be her "trip of a lifetime" which could well be the case. It's entirely possible that up to this point, this lady has only ever taken standard, boilerplate trips and just never considered that planes can be late or go mech or anything else that typically happens. Yes she should have taken out an insurance package too, but a lot of people just don't think that way.
I do find fault with AC in this case for the simple reason that they oversold. I cannot think of any other industry where it's OK to sell something you don't have, then tell the customer "sorry you can't have what you paid for" when they show up at your store.
I understand the reason for overbooking. I've been on flights where it's easy to snag an entire row to yourself and while pleasant for me, that just can't be good for the airline. So overbooking is an "easy" solution to this problem and that's good for the airline. I get it.
But the airlines have to acknowledge that by engaging in fraud (selling something they may not have), they have to face consequences. And if that means paying people off to the tune of thousands in real compensation, so be it. In overbooking, the airlines will get away with it most of the time. But when situations pop up, as they will, then the airlines have to be ready to deal with it in more pragmatic ways.
DL got ahead of this with their $9950 limit. Is it so hard for other airlines to follow suit?
I too find it odd that this lady would drop $10K for a cruise but not arrive say, a day early just in case. But the article does say the cruise was to be her "trip of a lifetime" which could well be the case. It's entirely possible that up to this point, this lady has only ever taken standard, boilerplate trips and just never considered that planes can be late or go mech or anything else that typically happens. Yes she should have taken out an insurance package too, but a lot of people just don't think that way.
I do find fault with AC in this case for the simple reason that they oversold. I cannot think of any other industry where it's OK to sell something you don't have, then tell the customer "sorry you can't have what you paid for" when they show up at your store.
I understand the reason for overbooking. I've been on flights where it's easy to snag an entire row to yourself and while pleasant for me, that just can't be good for the airline. So overbooking is an "easy" solution to this problem and that's good for the airline. I get it.
But the airlines have to acknowledge that by engaging in fraud (selling something they may not have), they have to face consequences. And if that means paying people off to the tune of thousands in real compensation, so be it. In overbooking, the airlines will get away with it most of the time. But when situations pop up, as they will, then the airlines have to be ready to deal with it in more pragmatic ways.
DL got ahead of this with their $9950 limit. Is it so hard for other airlines to follow suit?
Apr 21, 2017, 10:33 am
#71
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Yes, DL is a PR amount, but a very effective one.
I agree banning overbooking isn't the solution, but banning IDB (or making it prohibitively expensive), I can get behind. Everybody has a price, and both the VDB and the no-longer-IDB passenger come out satisfied at the right price!
I agree banning overbooking isn't the solution, but banning IDB (or making it prohibitively expensive), I can get behind. Everybody has a price, and both the VDB and the no-longer-IDB passenger come out satisfied at the right price!
Apr 21, 2017, 10:36 am
#72
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Yes, DL is a PR amount, but a very effective one.
I agree banning overbooking isn't the solution, but banning IDB (or making it prohibitively expensive), I can get behind. Everybody has a price, and both the VDB and the no-longer-IDB passenger come out satisfied at the right price!
I agree banning overbooking isn't the solution, but banning IDB (or making it prohibitively expensive), I can get behind. Everybody has a price, and both the VDB and the no-longer-IDB passenger come out satisfied at the right price!
Apr 21, 2017, 10:41 am
#73
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I have bought a ticket to see the Maple Leaf against the Capital at the Verizon Centre tonight.
What else do I need to worry besides there may not be a seat for me when I arrive because the Centre may have oversold?
Should I have planned my travel to arrive at least 2 days before? Should I also plan to camp out at the Centre the night before to make sure that I would be amongst the first in the queue to enter to grab my seat that I have duly paid?
What else do I need to worry besides there may not be a seat for me when I arrive because the Centre may have oversold?
Should I have planned my travel to arrive at least 2 days before? Should I also plan to camp out at the Centre the night before to make sure that I would be amongst the first in the queue to enter to grab my seat that I have duly paid?
Apr 21, 2017, 10:50 am
#74
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,130
Give IDBd pax the On My Way number along with the IDB compensation voucher/cash. Concierge line is clogged as it is. These pax would be better served with OMW. There is no need to ban overselling, although the government will be under tremendous public (the misinformed) pressure to.
I suppose AC could follow the US model - Tango fares made absolutely non-refundable. You book it and if you don't cancel within 24 hours, we keep your money. You want to voluntarily change your flight? Buy a new ticket.
I suppose AC could follow the US model - Tango fares made absolutely non-refundable. You book it and if you don't cancel within 24 hours, we keep your money. You want to voluntarily change your flight? Buy a new ticket.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/book/fare-options-and-fees/to-the-us.html
Also, can't understand the criticism of CBC. They let AC respond; that AC responded with nothing of substance is hardly their fault.
Seems to me they're doing a lot more to inform the 'misinformed' public than AC is. If we are to accept overbooking as a fact of life (or contract), why doesnt AC advertise it as prominently in its fare grid as "Access to Maple Leaf Lounge", "Complimentary Meal", "Prepaid Air Canada Cafe Voucher" and other useless stuff in the grid posted above. Why not display potential IDB loud and proud, instead of hiding it in the fine print and playing 'gotcha' with unsuspecting pax?
Apr 21, 2017, 10:51 am
#75
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Yes, DL is a PR amount, but a very effective one.
I agree banning overbooking isn't the solution, but banning IDB (or making it prohibitively expensive), I can get behind. Everybody has a price, and both the VDB and the no-longer-IDB passenger come out satisfied at the right price!
I agree banning overbooking isn't the solution, but banning IDB (or making it prohibitively expensive), I can get behind. Everybody has a price, and both the VDB and the no-longer-IDB passenger come out satisfied at the right price!
If AC staff had offered up to their cap on VDB and there were no takers, they really need to re-examine their thresholds.
AC really needs to get ahead of these stories and ensure they're asking for volunteers, offering the max amount, and updating their thresholds if they're still not getting volunteers.