sokolov

Air Canada has recently implemented an automatic rebooking process. My understanding is that it watches connections, and if it thinks you can't make a connection due to a delay on the incomnig flight, it automatically rebooks you to a later connecting flight.

While probably well intended, this new "improvement" suctions donkey.

The real life result is that you are standing at the gate of your connecting flight while Group 1 is bording, but you are refused and have to wait several hours for the next flight.

Who can I alert at Air Canada, and how, to stop this harmful "customer service" initiative?

The problem is that the automatic rebooking happens HOURS before the scheduled departure of the connecting flight. At that time, they can't possibly know if the connecting flight is itself on time or not.

Also, the assumed connection times are too long.

I have been hit by this lunacy TWICE in one week - even though, the second time around, I had called in and specifically asked to NOT be rebooked, and I was told that a relevant note has been added to my ticket. That didn't help at all - that's why I think it is an automated process.

I am sure there are other unintended consequences.

The smallest state

The flights you were automatically rebook out of...........were they oversold?

sokolov

The same thought has crossed my mind, but I don't have the relevant information. And I thought *G passengers (which I am) usually don't get bumped.

Anyone know if AC622 was oversold yesterday?
And AC7667 last Sunday?

The smallest state

I'm in two minds Sokolov. If they know you will miss it, they should do it automatically. Something though leads me to think this is an AC helps AC and tells customer it is for their benefit move.

isi

I agree it would suck to make it to the gate in time to board but have been rebooked on something later; however, twice I have ended up on the very next flight out to my destination which I never would have gotten a seat on if I hadn't been rebooked while still flying in to my (missed) connection point. If AC had waited to rebook me until my first flight arrived I would have ended up spending a night at an airport hotel instead of at home.

sokolov

Yes and no.

Yes, but three hours before departure they simply can not know if the connecting flight is itself on time! Once there are delays in the network, it is likely that more flights will be affected - the famous ripple effect they keep telling us about. In my experience, that is the case more often than not.

No, not with too long connection times.

No - not if I specifically ask not to have that "service". If the next flight is full once I get there, then that's on me.

No - because that can make things worse. I have a story about that, too, but I digress. I would like to know what the best way is to bring that up with Air Canada.

Eternity000

I know this is just semantics, but why isn't that an IDB situation? You made it to the gate on time and were rebooked without your consent... don't see how AC can just put their hands in the air for this.

fin 645

AFAIK, they have been doing this for years - it's not new, but it sure causes a lot of frustration since it is automatic and agents can't undo it.

Adam Smith

Yes, it has been going on for years. Not sure if it's true that agents can't undo it, but I think that in practice your seat on the first flight has likely already been given away, so there's usually nothing they can do even if they can and want to.

I think that generally sokolov has a good point though. The system can definitely be aggressive, especially when it comes to SEs/NEXUS holders/people with no checked baggage.

As SE, I've been told that calling concierge can help deal with this and since I started doing that, I haven't been re-booked off a flight I could make, even when I was under MCT based on new arrival time of my first flight.

yyznomad

+1*10(power)425386946345

canadiancow

If there is still space on the flight, tell them to put you back.

If there is no space on the flight, then it's an oversell, and you were IDB'd. Demand compensation.

This is an email I sent to the YVR concierge while waiting to push back in SFO last weekend.

Of course, by the time we were in the air, it was VERY clear we were going to misconnect, so they just rebooked us.

But yes, this is a very real problem.

Adam Smith

Why did most of the capital letters in my post disappear when you quoted me? But thanks for the massive support

quantumofforce

I had to screenshot your post because the advertisement below it made me LOL for real

http://i.imgur.com/oFMgaoC.png

flyquiet

Like CC says in his message to concierge, protecting you makes sense, irreversibly rebooking to a later flight is not always a welcome unilateral move. Other than wanting to gazump your seat to alleviate overbooking, why could they not just protect and not rebook?

fin 645

As a good friend of mine says, "don't lapse into logic". And thanks for using the word "gazump" - have not seen it on FT before, but with a dictionary definition including "swindle", it could be said to fit some of AC's actions perfectly.