Dec 2, 2017, 8:59 pm
Last edit by: canadiancow
As per AC Signature Suite page - July 2, 2021
* Air Canada Signature Class customers travelling on an Air Canada-operated flight (to Europe, Asia and South America) originally booked and ticketed in the following booking classes will be eligible for access to the Air Canada Signature Suite: J, C, D, Z, P. Only Aeroplan flight rewards booked as a Business Class Flexible Reward or a First Class Flexible Reward in J, C, D, Z, P, I booking classes are eligible for access. All bookings in R class (including, but not limited to, eUpgrades, Last-Minute Upgrades, and AC Bid Upgrades), Aeroplan flight rewards booked as a Business Class Lowest Reward or a First Class Lowest Reward, Star Alliance Upgrade Awards, Business Class flight rewards booked and ticketed by partner airlines, and I (including Star Alliance Upgrade Awards), as well as bookings made during irregular operations where the customer was not originally booked and confirmed in one of the eligible booking classes, will be excluded. Eligible customers may not invite guests. Access to the Air Canada Signature Suite is not available to customers travelling on promotional tickets or employees.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/premium-services/signature-suite.html
canadiancow's photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/0nui9iIVxRH5nczi1
Video of Signature Suite along with menus and food shots. https://youtu.be/QDdKM735n3k
* Air Canada Signature Class customers travelling on an Air Canada-operated flight (to Europe, Asia and South America) originally booked and ticketed in the following booking classes will be eligible for access to the Air Canada Signature Suite: J, C, D, Z, P. Only Aeroplan flight rewards booked as a Business Class Flexible Reward or a First Class Flexible Reward in J, C, D, Z, P, I booking classes are eligible for access. All bookings in R class (including, but not limited to, eUpgrades, Last-Minute Upgrades, and AC Bid Upgrades), Aeroplan flight rewards booked as a Business Class Lowest Reward or a First Class Lowest Reward, Star Alliance Upgrade Awards, Business Class flight rewards booked and ticketed by partner airlines, and I (including Star Alliance Upgrade Awards), as well as bookings made during irregular operations where the customer was not originally booked and confirmed in one of the eligible booking classes, will be excluded. Eligible customers may not invite guests. Access to the Air Canada Signature Suite is not available to customers travelling on promotional tickets or employees.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/premium-services/signature-suite.html
canadiancow's photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/0nui9iIVxRH5nczi1
Video of Signature Suite along with menus and food shots. https://youtu.be/QDdKM735n3k
New VIP lounge YYZ int'l: Air Canada Signature Suite
Feb 4, 2018, 7:13 pm
#991
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,844
There's no conversation. At the door, it's just "Welcome!"
Inside, it's "Can I get you another drink?"
You ask for something insane, and they just do it.
It reminds me of service onboard NH F. They do everything I ask for, but I feel more like a slavemaster than a customer. It makes me very uncomfortable.
I don't really know how to describe it better than that.
Inside, it's "Can I get you another drink?"
You ask for something insane, and they just do it.
It reminds me of service onboard NH F. They do everything I ask for, but I feel more like a slavemaster than a customer. It makes me very uncomfortable.
I don't really know how to describe it better than that.
but can you please give an example of something borderline that you asked that they just obliged without blinking?
Feb 4, 2018, 7:25 pm
#992
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,354
OK, I see what you mean.
So basically the "culture" is different. They seem to be truly at your beg and call, if you will. Maybe they're all new employees hired to specifically work in the SSL and haven't gotten to the jaded part yet where they spit in your food and frown at you when you ask for a fork.
So basically the "culture" is different. They seem to be truly at your beg and call, if you will. Maybe they're all new employees hired to specifically work in the SSL and haven't gotten to the jaded part yet where they spit in your food and frown at you when you ask for a fork.
Contrast that to actually getting to MUC. I ran into Nick, the concierge. I'd never met him before. But I asked him a question (about the delay), and when he saw the name on my BP, he started chatting with me. "I've seen you on the list before", "you must really enjoy flying to Munich", "at the end of the year, I assumed you just needed some more miles for Super Elite", etc. Nothing offensive, nothing interrogatory, just conversation that I could have walked away from at any point, if I wanted to.
Even at a restaurant (or I guess on board a flight), you get "Hi, my name is Bob, I'll be serving you today, let me know if I can do anything for you." In the SS, they just served. They did not introduce themselves, or talk.
You could replace all the SS staff with robots and my experience would have been the same. I would have had just as much conversation throughout the 5 hours I spent there.
I suspect they've been told to do this. "These customers are extremely high value. Do what they want. Don't bother them."
At least they didn't bow every time they brought me something
Feb 4, 2018, 7:33 pm
#993
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Feb 4, 2018, 7:38 pm
#994
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,354
Feb 5, 2018, 8:49 am
#995
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,139
It appears that there are other ways to get in the Suite besides flying paid business class on AC.
Some background details. My boss (SE100K) was flying YQB-YYZ-DEL-BLR on a PY fare. He had eupgraded the YYZ-DEL segment to J cabin. His YQB-YYZ got delayed and landed late, causing him to misconnect. He was met by an AC agent (concierge, most likely) at the gate holding an iPad with his name. He was escorted towards the international gates and, as they were walking, he was rebooked YYZ-LHR-BLR with the first segment in AC J and the second segment in BA Y (ouch!). The concierge dropped him off at the Suite and wished him a nice trip.
I wonder if he was rebooked in full J on AC858 hence he was allowed in. Or maybe the concierges can do this on a courtesy basis. Anyhow, now he won't stop raving about the food and the cocktails and was sad he only had 1.5h to spend in the lounge!
Some background details. My boss (SE100K) was flying YQB-YYZ-DEL-BLR on a PY fare. He had eupgraded the YYZ-DEL segment to J cabin. His YQB-YYZ got delayed and landed late, causing him to misconnect. He was met by an AC agent (concierge, most likely) at the gate holding an iPad with his name. He was escorted towards the international gates and, as they were walking, he was rebooked YYZ-LHR-BLR with the first segment in AC J and the second segment in BA Y (ouch!). The concierge dropped him off at the Suite and wished him a nice trip.
I wonder if he was rebooked in full J on AC858 hence he was allowed in. Or maybe the concierges can do this on a courtesy basis. Anyhow, now he won't stop raving about the food and the cocktails and was sad he only had 1.5h to spend in the lounge!
Feb 5, 2018, 11:31 am
#997
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,354
It appears that there are other ways to get in the Suite besides flying paid business class on AC.
Some background details. My boss (SE100K) was flying YQB-YYZ-DEL-BLR on a PY fare. He had eupgraded the YYZ-DEL segment to J cabin. His YQB-YYZ got delayed and landed late, causing him to misconnect. He was met by an AC agent (concierge, most likely) at the gate holding an iPad with his name. He was escorted towards the international gates and, as they were walking, he was rebooked YYZ-LHR-BLR with the first segment in AC J and the second segment in BA Y (ouch!). The concierge dropped him off at the Suite and wished him a nice trip.
I wonder if he was rebooked in full J on AC858 hence he was allowed in. Or maybe the concierges can do this on a courtesy basis. Anyhow, now he won't stop raving about the food and the cocktails and was sad he only had 1.5h to spend in the lounge!
Some background details. My boss (SE100K) was flying YQB-YYZ-DEL-BLR on a PY fare. He had eupgraded the YYZ-DEL segment to J cabin. His YQB-YYZ got delayed and landed late, causing him to misconnect. He was met by an AC agent (concierge, most likely) at the gate holding an iPad with his name. He was escorted towards the international gates and, as they were walking, he was rebooked YYZ-LHR-BLR with the first segment in AC J and the second segment in BA Y (ouch!). The concierge dropped him off at the Suite and wished him a nice trip.
I wonder if he was rebooked in full J on AC858 hence he was allowed in. Or maybe the concierges can do this on a courtesy basis. Anyhow, now he won't stop raving about the food and the cocktails and was sad he only had 1.5h to spend in the lounge!
But yes, he was rebooked into a revenue fare class, which gave him access.
This is fully in line with the access rules listed on the website and in this wiki, so it's not "other ways".
Feb 5, 2018, 12:11 pm
#998
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,139
He didn't purchase a paid business class seat and yet somehow ended up in the Suite. That is what I meant by "other ways". He may or may not have been rebooked in a revenue fare class, I don't have this information. I just wanted to raise the possibility of courtesy access granted to misconnecting SE100K pax.
Feb 5, 2018, 1:00 pm
#999
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 492
Not quite correct though
The updated website specifically excludes bookings in J for IRROPS when not there originally
.......Alliance Upgrade Awards), as well as bookings made during irregular operations where the customer was not originally booked and confirmed in one of the eligible booking classes, will be excluded.
Feb 5, 2018, 1:12 pm
#1000
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: TK *G
Posts: 3,099
Probably a courtesy by the concierge to address the downgrade to BA Y?
Or, the concierge intervened the rebooking process by manually booking flights, so the AC flight is not considered as booked under IROPS in the system?
Or, someone simply forgot the access rules.
Or, the concierge intervened the rebooking process by manually booking flights, so the AC flight is not considered as booked under IROPS in the system?
Or, someone simply forgot the access rules.
Feb 5, 2018, 1:17 pm
#1001
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,808
Least they could do. I don't think the downgrade was appropriate as per tariffs? Except if no Business seats and the passenger accepted it.
Feb 5, 2018, 1:39 pm
#1002
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 492
Nice to know some flexibility but if not taken in by concierge may end up going to SS and be turned away
Feb 5, 2018, 4:49 pm
#1004
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
AC rebooking people from R into JCDZP during IRROPs is nothing new. If you check altitude I suspect you’ll see a J fare (I suspect not P given short notice) and 150% miles.
If G or whatever is still shown, it was a courtesy, or error by someone Not that the rebooking wasn’t an error ... just one I personally thought would happen and others said nope it’s been fixed
AC IT!
If G or whatever is still shown, it was a courtesy, or error by someone Not that the rebooking wasn’t an error ... just one I personally thought would happen and others said nope it’s been fixed
AC IT!
Feb 5, 2018, 5:25 pm
#1005
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,354
AC rebooking people from R into JCDZP during IRROPs is nothing new. If you check altitude I suspect you’ll see a J fare (I suspect not P given short notice) and 150% miles.
If G or whatever is still shown, it was a courtesy, or error by someone Not that the rebooking wasn’t an error ... just one I personally thought would happen and others said nope it’s been fixed
AC IT!
If G or whatever is still shown, it was a courtesy, or error by someone Not that the rebooking wasn’t an error ... just one I personally thought would happen and others said nope it’s been fixed
AC IT!
Rebooked in Y, 2 credits used for a transcon, posts as G.
Rebooked in Y, 2 credits used for a transcon, posts as Y.
Rebooked from R to P, posts as G.
Rebooked from R to P, posts as P.
Though it's been posting more as the original fare lately.
Either way, if the system sees JCDZP, I can't see them not letting you into the SS.
Though maybe they should be checking the fare basis code too