Couple 'flabbergasted' after AC suspends tickets charging $6K to return from Portugal
 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...lict-1.4115596

Don't mess with a (retired) lawyer.;)

Don't worry, someone will be along shortly to explain why it was all his fault.

My two takeaways from this:

(1) AC's fraud detection techniques are messed up. There have been several cases like this recently. Cancelling return portions after the outbound tickets have been used is terrible way of doing things.

(2) The only way to get satisfaction from AC is through the CBC. This guy's complaint has been languishing for 2 months. He's getting near immediate satisfaction by going public.

According to the article, it wasn't that the complainant went to the CBC that got him traction with Air Canada, but rather it was because he filed a small claims suit in court against Air Canada.

Well done!

What perplexes about these stories is why and how the AC anti-fraud system works. Is it not up to the CC company to initiate anti-fraud measures? I've had cards temporarily suspended when the bank's system felt there was something suspicious but never the airline, hotel, etc.

What would also be interesting to know is how far in advance the ticket was booked and whether the credit card used to make the purchase was suspended.

The other peculiar part is cancelling just the return portion. Did they conclude there something else going on such as a hidden booking, etc.?

We'll probably never know but articles like this are a good reminder to always have enough room on your credit cards to get home.

That's the way to handle things :cool:. AC obviously doesn't care about a little bad press, but litigation is another matter...

I just cannot believe this. Even if they were flagged as fraudulent tickets, why was this not clarified by AC when the couple left Canada. They could have asked to see the credit card with which they had purchased the tickets and the couple would have not have to go through this drama.

It seems that AC and its IT crappy Fraud department has a broken process somewhere.

Article says:
"....through Air Canada's website for about $2,400. They paid by credit card."

Given that he was a lawyer, I hardly think he would go to the CBC and file a complaint against Air Canada if he had used a credit card to pay, and it subsequently got cancelled, or if the bank had issued an alert on his card, I doubt he would have not informed AC.

So, does everyone who buys a ticket from Air Canada and IS NOT A LAWYER and can't afford to fight Air Canada should their vacation travel be gutted because of AC's "fraud detection techniques", now have to spend time being anxious that they could be left stranded somewhere?

Don't say it won't happen again.

Let's please try to compose a thread title that accurately reflects the subject matter rather than something like "the latest CBC article on AC" which will mean nothing in days, weeks or months.

tcook052
AC forum Mod.

The couple in question forgot to include compensation under EU 261 in their claims since the denied boarding happened out of an EU airport and they arrived at their destination 23 hours later. They probably didn't know that they were entitled to this. For two people, that adds up to about another $1,600.

And Passenger Bill of Rights is expected to be tabled today.

It would be 1600 Euro, not $1600 (USA or CDN).

Nope, it would be C$1600 or €1200 for a Type 3 compensation:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight...h_compensation

This. Verification by presenting the physical card at check-in used is common enough. Some carriers do it universally; others limit it to high fraud potential routes. And I wasn't aware that Portugal was some sort of high fraud risk destination either.

If AC thought it was a fraud issue, why was the ticket not flagged for credit card verification at checkin instead of cancelling the return trip? Or it could have been flagged for verification when they checked in to return home.

Mistakes happen, we all get that. What turns a mistake into an error is your handling of the mistake. AC has botched, mishandled and ignored this poor couple for 2 months.

I would even defend customer service in this instance. The company I work for has a fraud department that will under no circumstances get on the phone with the customer, their word is law, they can perform almost any action and all questions from the service rep may or may not be answered.

The guy/girl in the much maligned "AC fraud department" who put the freeze on the tickets should be the first, last and only contact about this issue with AC. That person should immediately respond to the complaint with an indication of receipt of complaint, then followed by an explanation then (if warranted) compensation.

Instead they need to go to small claims court and the CBC to even get AC to acknowledge the issue. Absolutely shameful. The passenger bill of rights cannot come soon enough.