Transpacificflyer

That's a bit harsh in respect to those who expressed a concern. IMO the Aeroplan approach demonstrates the contempt that Aeroplan has for its customers. Why could it not have posted an announcement on the website such as "We regret to advise we are having some issues with our website. Please contact an agent who will assist until we are able to resolve the issue". Some service charges may be waived.
Time and time again we see that Aeroplan is not transparent and fails to provide full disclosure. Therefore, I do not believe it unreasonable for some to believe that Aeroplan could have been testing the waters. It is an organization that has squandered its credibility.

robsaw

If this whole thread was indeed about a temporary bug, Aeroplan still deserves a whack across the proverbial customer-relations backside for failure to adequately inform via the website or provide the proper answer via their agents. For a corporation that has just received a kick-in-the-teeth from its biggest partner (AC) and taken a beating on its share value this is not the way to build confidence.

imverge

I think you should be directing any name calling to Aeroplan and not people who experienced difficulty in searching awards, myself included.

You would think any legit company that is having significant IT issues (if you want to call it that) would do the proper thing and communicate that on their website or even inform their call centre staff! I guess that's too much to ask.

In failing to do so... members were left wondering ... is going on.

Aeroplan has lost confidence and trust from members with their shady blocking of Air China, Copa, Avianca and now with the recent SWISS "issue".

24left

Sometimes it's fun to read Gary Leff's columns

1.

"Aeroplan Quickly Brings Back Online Booking of Awards Outside US and Canada"

by Gary Leff on May 27, 2017

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/


2.

"Aeroplan Hates Their Customers, No Longer Lets You Book Most World Awards Online"

by Gary Leff on May 27, 2017

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....awards-online/

ulyparis

Haha "I’d be glad that Aeroplan is likely to die a sorry death in 2020 if I didn’t have half of million of their miles, and a desire to use them for something other than LCD toasters."

flyquiet

TTYs are obsolete and I have not owned one since 1999, or whenever it was that I was in the pilot for the small original RIM Inter@ctive Messenger. By then, I was fed up with TTY relay operators leaving incorrect messages, butting in with personal opinions, and pissing off my business associates. I'm pleased you cooperate with your customer so graciously. The Canadian Association of the Deaf says virtually no deaf people use TTY, except deaf-blind. Some deaf like video relay (where they sign to the operator and the operator voices to you and signs for you to the customer.) I don't like sign language in 2D, and I prefer to express myself directly. (Those who cannot read and/or write English enough to be comfortable with that are certainly entitled to video relay.)

The fundamental principle is that I shouldn't have to use a stigmatizing, obsolete, and extra-cost technology when MAINSTREAM technology exists to accommodate me (email, SMS, secure messaging, for starters). If my bank, hairdresser, doctor, and insurance company can all work out a way to securely communicate using mainstream technology, surely Canada's flag carrier can measure up?

daniellam

Here is my guess as to what actually happened:

Incompetent IT staff doing routine system maintenance of the Aeroplan website "accidentally" deleted the award codes for flight awards that don't involve North America. These codes drive the "pricing" of flight awards.

When a customer tries to search for a particular routing and the system can't match the routing against a valid award code, they get a message asking them to call AC.

As the "deleted" award codes are now reloaded back into the system, searches for awards involving purely non-North American segments are showing up again.

Guava

That still wouldn't explain the answers given to members who called, which was supposedly verified by a supervisor after a 30 minutes wait. The members were explicitly told there was an unannounced policy change. Why is that? This doesn't seem like the type of answer that CSR would make up after checking it with a supervisor.

grandgourmand

Business as usual with Aeroplan, of course. Could have been due to high volumes of calls. Give them a break.

imverge

Not only that but the phone number that populated in the error message is one we haven't seen before.

imverge

Yeap, business as usual at Aeroplan... is ALWAYS experiencing high call volumes!

Transpacificflyer

Which is why, I am of the belief that it was an attempt to sneak through a change. They were caught, people protested and now it's back to the chicanery planning room for the geniuses who tried that move.

I have a bad feeling that the death spiral of Aeroplan is going to be rather painful for those holding points. FT members caught a break on this one, but Ma & Pa Kettle saving up for the trip to Santa Banana next year are in for a surprise.

mapleg

I don't think it was an attempt to "sneak through a change". I think it is just one of many IT issues at Aeroplan. Someone asked an agent what is going on, and was told they had to phone in for certain types of routes that previously could be booked on line. That person interpreted that as a change in policy, presumably etched in stone. We can't tell as that person ended up being hung up upon by Aeroplan and perhaps did not get the chance to phrase the question properly.

I see an IT issue at Aeroplan that lasted for less than 24 hours. I don't see it as some kind of stealth move indicative of future offerings (or lack thereof)

I don't fundamentally disagree that the program and benefits will continue to be eroded. I just don't think they are smart enough to drop some kind of experimental stealth bomb on us and back off after some squawking on enthusiast forums and websites.

Tangentially, I don't think if my bank website goes down for 30 minutes that some kind of dreaded future event is about to happen.

Guava

And the new phone number: 1-888-270-7025. A member said he has never seen that # before. Do you believe an IT glitch also generated this number?


Possible but given the recent news regarding Aimia and AC, can you really fault people here for being somewhat on the edge?

Why do you believe Aeroplan is incapable of such a move? The people running Aeroplan aren't smart people?

Except Aeroplan is not a bank account. Your bank cannot just void your account balance if and when they feel like. But if you believe your Aeroplan account is as secure as your Canadian bank accounts, then nothing I say can help any further.

mapleg

I find that phone number listed as far back as 2007, so does not look new.


http://www.canflyer.com/canflyer/ind...b-site-glitch/

In any case, I get your points, it's just I don't spend a lot of my time wondering about conspiracy theories.

I will use up my remaining points and in short order. Have one flight to Australia and Japan booked (all on line), and will use the rest for 2 mini RTW's or multiple stop Asia J trips