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Deflategate; new executive pods deflating in-flight

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Old Nov 20, 2017, 2:16 pm
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Last edit by: Argonaut1000
Click here to go to a picture of the White Compensation Form and its stub






View Deflated Seat History Here (Database for submitted occurrences)
Enter New Deflated Seat Occurrence Here (Submit one if you have experienced deflated seat and it will show up in the database above)
----
From post #49 in this thread, here's one potential way to (re)inflate an AC seat:
  • Go the home screen "Your Seat". (find this on the seat side panel; not the main video screen)
    • Hold the top left hand corner "Air Canada" (with AC logo) for 3 seconds. Updated (Apr 9 18): may need to hold for as long as 45 seconds for key pad to appear
      • Dial pad shows up - hit 3-2-1.
        • Press "Reset Lumbar Support"
Note that this method has not met 100% success so YMMV.
A better method is for a crew member to use the reset switch under the seat, on the aisle side.

Compensation offers (green/white sheet completed)
40K AE- Apr 18 (50% back of the J class one way redemption)
2018 Jun - $500 coupon
2018 Sep $1,000 eCoupon or 40K AP (P fare TPAC)
2018 Sep $500 eCoupon (P fare TPAC) (no change on protest- update - 6 months later the $150 was increased to $500 - admitted they had made an error)

Compensation offers (no green/white sheet completed)
100K - May 5 (C$150 eCoupon; was moved to a functioning seat after meal service)
2017 Sept - 8,000 AE miles - reported via complaint web page after realizing it was a faulty seat, not standard discomfort; Asked for return of eUps but they declined.
2017 Nov & 2018 Feb - $500 coupons both times (second time on protest that $500 had been offered the previous time)
2018 Sep. $250 coupon (on a paid J TATL).
2018 Nov - $500 eCoupon (J TATL)

Standard eCoupon compensation offers (no haggling; following a recurring pattern)
~10+ hours: $1000
Long TPAC (TPE-YVR)

~6 to ~10 hours: $500
Short TPAC (NRT-YVR)
TATL
South America: YYZ-GRU

less than ~6 hours: 300
TCON


Have a Service Director (SD) That Is Giving You the Case of the Shrugs? Like the real life version of this ASCII emoji -> ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ?

No success with the SD and/or crew rectifying your deflated seat and you can't be/aren't accommodated to another J seat? If you asked for a compensation form and the SD says they have no idea what you are talking about, you can use the below picture of the stub portion to help freshen their memory (better than nothing)...

Please note that for the longest time, the "Green Compensation Form" version was used, and there have been recent reports of the "White Compensation Form" replacing the Green version. Reports here have indicated that the two forms are virtually identical except for the colour.
There is now an even newer White Form which explicitly lists "deflated seat" and "deflated seat and fixed", among many other items.

Here is a snapshot of the NEWEST full form (as of August 2019), courtesy of lallied

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31421855-post2093.html
Originally Posted by lallied
Clearly jinxed myself. New form in case hasnt been posted before.

Oops, see it has been. I just didn’t look far enough down ☹️


This is only the stub portion, courtesy of lallied





Originally Posted by lallied



There’s a main section which the SD fills in and detachable section you get to keep. Each has a reference number. It looks like the green one to me except it’s white.




Example

Mattress pads purchased and listed in this thread




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Deflategate; new executive pods deflating in-flight

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Old Mar 2, 2019, 3:51 pm
  #1231  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
Just got onboard AC739 YYZ-SFO on 3/2. 2A lumbar deflated. 2 for 2 today...

Last edited by capedreamer; Mar 2, 2019 at 4:07 pm
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Old Mar 2, 2019, 4:10 pm
  #1232  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 492
Originally Posted by CZAMFlyer
I'm not asking about the order of swapping seats, 24, I'm asking about the ethics of doing so.

Perhaps you feel that swapping out of a deflated seat is mandatory. It is not.

There are no ethical issues if you decide to stay in your assigned seat and not to "boot" or "toss" another person from their functioning seat.
There are no risks of running afoul of cabin crew if you stay in your assigned seat and don't request to "boot" or "toss" another person from their functioning seat.
The rules of musical chairs was noted. But they don't apply if you...wait for it...stay in your assigned seat and don't decide to "boot" or "toss" another person from their functioning seat.
If you don’t move when they tell you to, they deny compensation as an alternate was available. So you buy a J seat you can’t sleep in and then lose the right to claim any compensation if you don’t participate in musical seats? Talk about a catch-22.
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Old Mar 2, 2019, 5:30 pm
  #1233  
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Last edited by skybluesea; Dec 23, 2020 at 11:30 pm
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Old Mar 2, 2019, 5:37 pm
  #1234  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Originally Posted by skybluesea
yup, exactly why changed my habits and spend very little time on FT of late - better things to do than read about folks who pay for J and accept a park bench, then whine about it.
My question for you is what are the alternatives? If we don't accept the seat and raise a little hell on board what'll happen to us? Will we get Dao'd?

It's easy enough for you to say if you don't like the service fly someone else. Like whom? WS doesn't fly the routes and have the schedule many of us need (at least domestically) - their Maritime service is laughable and that's being charitable to them. As it stands, DL, UA nor AA are allowed to fly within Canada due to the mythical cabotage regulation meaning you have to drive 1-2 hours south to get "domestic" service with the big 3 airlines. And don't even get me started with PD! And that's saying nothing of the corporate contracts many of us are part of which compel us to fly them on INTL itineraries!

The point of this thread isn't to whine and complain (although there is a decent amount of that going around). It's to document the issues as it stands, point out potential solutions to the issue (i.e. Rondelle reset and #AirCanadaCamping ) and to come up with a unified message to compel AC to take this situation more seriously so that hopefully it will be resolved this decade!

Safe Travels,

James
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Old Mar 2, 2019, 7:12 pm
  #1235  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,232
'Seatuational' ethics on one hand, organized consumer action on the other.

It seems like this thread is now populated by a mix of philosophers, lawyers and reasonable people. I'll leave it up to the reader to figure out who is who.
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Old Mar 2, 2019, 10:27 pm
  #1236  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: Bottom feeder Star Gold
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Originally Posted by 24left
And there are absolutely consequences of running afoul of cabin crew. Few of us are willing to test that however.
If I had a nickel for the number of times people argue points that weren't made... There is no debate about whether or not there are consequences of disobeying crew. One need not go that far. I don't understand this fear of crew retribution. If there are no unoccupied functional seats to move to, is the consensus that AC will deny compensation? Am I understanding that the crew may potentially force one passenger to cede comfort to another, thus creating discomfort to both? If so, please explain why this airline wins your business.

Originally Posted by Bohemian1
It seems like this thread is now populated by a mix of philosophers, lawyers and reasonable people. I'll leave it up to the reader to figure out who is who.
I didn't expect this degree of cynicism. I suppose we shouldn't even pose the question? I'm curious the reason of such adamant opposition to the concept of declining to inconvenience another passenger by asking them to switch to a deflated seat so that we might be more comfortable. I doubt I'd feel comfortable doing such a thing, whereas others might transfer the hardship in an instant. What's wrong with exploring the idea?

Originally Posted by j2simpso
My question for you is what are the alternatives? If we don't accept the seat and raise a little hell on board what'll happen to us? Will we get Dao'd?
If you raise a little hell on board, you might be asked to leave. But nobody is suggesting that as a tactic.

Originally Posted by j2simpso
It's easy enough for you to say if you don't like the service fly someone else. Like whom? WS doesn't fly the routes and have the schedule many of us need (at least domestically) - their Maritime service is laughable and that's being charitable to them...And don't even get me started with PD!
On which Maritime routes might you get an AC deflated seat? On which domestic routes that WS doesn't offer multiple daily departures could you find yourself in an AC deflated seat? How does Porter's operation enter the debate? I'm curious the relevance of these points.
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Old Mar 2, 2019, 10:46 pm
  #1237  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Originally Posted by CZAMFlyer
If you raise a little hell on board, you might be asked to leave. But nobody is suggesting that as a tactic.
The implication was that you as the passenger could simply not accept the seat. May I ask, how, pray-tell would you be able to decline the seat? How would that work exactly? Some have mentioned demanding being downgraded to PY and being comped for the "downgrade" but I'm unsure how well that will fly close at time of departure.


Originally Posted by CZAMFlyer
On which Maritime routes might you get an AC deflated seat? On which domestic routes that WS doesn't offer multiple daily departures could you find yourself in an AC deflated seat? How does Porter's operation enter the debate? I'm curious the relevance of these points.
The point I'm trying to make is sure, WS/PD may be an alternative in some instances for domestic travel. But do remember that they don't fly to all the regional airports Canadians want to get to and a bulk of domestic travel is international in nature. For instance, I suspect few sane people would fly strictly YXU to YYZ. Many are actually flying YXU to LHR (via YYZ). Similarly in the maritimes, while AC doesn't operate wide bodies there (yet) many passengers wanting to make long haul journeys will start at their journey at their local airport (i.e. YSJ) flying on to YUL/YYZ to catch the jumbo to the place they really want to get to (where Signature Service would be offered).

Simply saying that there exists alternatives is not sufficient when those alternatives are extremely limited in offering, require you to transit in foreign countries,

The point myself, 24left and others have repeatedly tried to make on this thread time and time again is that there may not be a legitimate alternative given the itinerary we have. At which point our options are fly AC in Y or PY which may be fine for a 4 or 5 hour flight, but simply won't cut it for a 12+ hour TPAC segment or even a 6 hour red-eye from the left coast when we have a business meeting that morning!

Safe Travels,

James
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 12:18 pm
  #1238  
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Last edited by skybluesea; Dec 23, 2020 at 11:29 pm
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 12:29 pm
  #1239  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 492
Originally Posted by CZAMFlyer
If there are no unoccupied functional seats to move to, is the consensus that AC will deny compensation? Am I understanding that the crew may potentially force one passenger to cede comfort to another, thus creating discomfort to both?.
I don’t know whether it’s a consensus but I can promise you that on at least one occasion I was forced to move to a seat occupied by a sleeping non-rev passenger. I don’t mean I was dragged kicking and screaming down the aisle - but when I got up to identify my seat had deflated yet again ( with the intent to ask for some extra blankets ) the service director Immediately woke the passenger up and asked them to move into my seat even though I had indicated very clearly I was uncomfortable about that and was prepared to make do with additional blankets. I even went and apologized. At the end of the flight I questioned whether I was to get a compensation form as the whole shindig had taken 3 to 4 hours as had been told to try resetting - and was told explicitly that as I have been moved no compensation was due and that furthermore they felt that I had been trying not to move in order to gain compensation.
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 12:29 pm
  #1240  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Originally Posted by skybluesea
Really, so no alternative but to accept park bench for cost of J? then just sit in Y, and save your money but of course keep digging if you prefer
Again, that might make sense for a short haul flight but if you're doing a long haul or red-eye sitting in Y or PY may not simply be appropriate and as far as I know AC is the only carrier flying to Asia ,Oceania and Hawaii in Canada.

Originally Posted by skybluesea
Instead, making fine use of this Sunday morning to do some research - here is an excerpt.

feedback welcome, and preferably the constructive kind...

I further allege Air Canada knowingly dispatched the aircraft for my flight with a well-known service failing, and that licenced flight crews operated said aircraft potentially contrary to Canadian Aviation Regulations, Sec. 605.22 (1), whereas the integrity / functionality of the "Seat and Safety Belt Requirements" may be comprised due to the deflated mattress, unless Air Canada has demonstrated through current testing the efficacy for travelers, and for flight crews during rest periods, to occupy deflated seats during a range of pre-tested crash conditions. I would add the Competition Act prohibits any public statements for "Performance representations not based on adequate and proper tests". Also, the CARS includes mandatory crew fatigue management techniques, which include in-flight crew rest that may also be compromised by a deflated mattress, for which a flight crew member utilized my original deflated seat for a crew rest period. Plus, Air Canada may be in contravention with regards to CARS, Sec. 705.42 (1) and the associated provisions that requires restraint so “not to obstruct access to safety equipment, exits or the aisles of the aircraft”. For example, nominal consumer reports indicate widespread use of an inflated air mattress to overcome seat failures, which if utilized without effective and continuous restraint may be contrary to the adequate storage requirements as prescribed in Airworthiness Manual, Sec. 551.500, "Restraint of Carry-On Baggage".
However, I do agree with that we as a team need to start thinking outside the box on how to get AC's attention to address this sometime this decade and not something in say 2025. Those are interesting points you raise. Perhaps this is something where the expertise of Gábor Lukács or a consumer rights attorney will help us escalate this beyond the SDs we interact with day to day.

Safe Travels,

James

Last edited by tcook052; Mar 3, 2019 at 5:46 pm Reason: off topic
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 12:55 pm
  #1241  
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Originally Posted by lallied


I don’t know whether it’s a consensus but I can promise you that on at least one occasion I was forced to move to a seat occupied by a sleeping non-rev passenger. I don’t mean I was dragged kicking and screaming down the aisle - but when I got up to identify my seat had deflated yet again ( with the intent to ask for some extra blankets ) the service director Immediately woke the passenger up and asked them to move into my seat even though I had indicated very clearly I was uncomfortable about that and was prepared to make do with additional blankets. I even went and apologized. At the end of the flight I questioned whether I was to get a compensation form as the whole shindig had taken 3 to 4 hours as had been told to try resetting - and was told explicitly that as I have been moved no compensation was due and that furthermore they felt that I had been trying not to move in order to gain compensation.
I got compensation without a form after swapping with a non-rev.

Though in that case, the new seat also deflated.
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 12:58 pm
  #1242  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Originally Posted by j2simpso
Perhaps this is something where the expertise of Gábor Lukács or a consumer rights attorney will help us escalate this beyond the SDs we interact with day to day.
To further elaborate on this point, could someone from this thread clearly and concisely explain the problem in a compelling manner sans the technical mumbo jumbo. If we have a nice clear way of explaining the situation it may make it easier to pitch this Gabor, an attorney or worst case the media in the hopes AC gets CBC'd and is forced to take concrete action on this issue beside handing out BOGO coupons to impacted customers.

If need be I can be the one to pull the trigger here since I rarely fly AC and although I'd like for AC to fix the situation in the long run my rear will more often than not be on UA seats.

-James
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 1:28 pm
  #1243  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 492
Originally Posted by canadiancow
I got compensation without a form after swapping with a non-rev.

Though in that case, the new seat also deflated.
It’s SD dependent. This one refused point blank until I made a big fuss and even then said had been specifically told never to do. When I wrote in - you can imagine I was not impressed - I was told the SD was wrong.

Its clear that internal communication is poor because you get different stories from different people all the time. Some are quite nasty with it.

And on my last flight, I had to go and re inflate somebody’s seat with the rondell mechanism because it didn’t work the other way and they told him he’d have to put up with it. I waited until they all left and then sidled up. I find it quaint that many don’t seem to know that.

Last edited by lallied; Mar 3, 2019 at 7:02 pm
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 1:39 pm
  #1244  
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Originally Posted by lallied


It’s SD dependent. This one refused point blank until I made a big fuss and even then said had been specifically told never to do. When I wrote in - you can imagine I was not impressed - I was told the SD was wrong.

Its clear that internal communication is poor because you get different stories from different people all the time. Some are quite nasty with it.

And on my last flight, I had to go and re inflate somebody’s seat with the rondell mechanism because it didn’t work the other way and they told him he’d have to put up with it. I waited until they all left and then sidled up. If find it quaint that many don’t seems to know that.
Originally Posted by 24left
.....On a related matter, I will also suggest that anyone here who gets the idiotic answer I did recently on a long-haul TPAC - where the "experienced" SD insisted that not only had she never had a deflated seat on any of her flights, she also never handed out a form - not accept this nonsense. Either she is a FA FOTSG or she was intentionally withholding the truth. I also decided to educate her a bit with just some of the things made public here on FT, and she repeatedly said "I was not aware of that". I have no idea what she really knew versus what she claimed, but there is not a single SD who I've flown with in the past year at least, who wasn't aware of this.....
.
Maybe not knowing or pretending not to know is contagious.
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Old Mar 3, 2019, 2:57 pm
  #1245  
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Out of curiosity, if a non-rev gets booted due to a deflated seat from a revenue passenger, do they get a compensation form and the same comp?
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