Rant about non allaince ticketing
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,554
Rant about non allaince ticketing
What a frustrating afternoon.
I booked myself home via MEL (from SYD) on 38. With the new AC/VA partnership I was able to book a SYD-MEL with ease and then connect the next day.
I arrived at SYD 5 hours earlier than planned. Thought I would try and get on an earlier flight
Problem A). VA won't touch 016 ticket stock, even same day with their flight number and won't let me standby
Problem B). I called AC and asked to be changed. That process took more than an hour at which point the earlier flight I wanted was closing and decided running and the stress wasn't work it.
So, just a quick warning, if you book on 016 on a foreign non *A airline, don't make any changes...it isn't worth it
I booked myself home via MEL (from SYD) on 38. With the new AC/VA partnership I was able to book a SYD-MEL with ease and then connect the next day.
I arrived at SYD 5 hours earlier than planned. Thought I would try and get on an earlier flight
Problem A). VA won't touch 016 ticket stock, even same day with their flight number and won't let me standby
Problem B). I called AC and asked to be changed. That process took more than an hour at which point the earlier flight I wanted was closing and decided running and the stress wasn't work it.
So, just a quick warning, if you book on 016 on a foreign non *A airline, don't make any changes...it isn't worth it
#4
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: TK *G
Posts: 3,055
Who said AC is consistently inconsistent? This is where AC and *A in general being consistently consistent.
Codesharing is a nice concept. However due to the incompetence of the agents and the buck passing between airlines, very rarely code sharing or multi-airline ticketing works smoothly for customers.
I heard things are generally better for OW carriers.
Codesharing is a nice concept. However due to the incompetence of the agents and the buck passing between airlines, very rarely code sharing or multi-airline ticketing works smoothly for customers.
I heard things are generally better for OW carriers.
#5
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what made you think AC would be good at this? I assume you are well aware this is not something AC has been capable of for 10+ years. Anything that is unusual or abnormal is impossible.
I do connection cities with UA, both Virgin and Qantas and i have on many occasions changed my Virgin tickets to an earlier or later flight with no issues. I have not however had to change a connection Qantas ticket.
I do connection cities with UA, both Virgin and Qantas and i have on many occasions changed my Virgin tickets to an earlier or later flight with no issues. I have not however had to change a connection Qantas ticket.
#6
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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what made you think AC would be good at this? I assume you are well aware this is not something AC has been capable of for 10+ years. Anything that is unusual or abnormal is impossible.
I do connection cities with UA, both Virgin and Qantas and i have on many occasions changed my Virgin tickets to an earlier or later flight with no issues. I have not however had to change a connection Qantas ticket.
I do connection cities with UA, both Virgin and Qantas and i have on many occasions changed my Virgin tickets to an earlier or later flight with no issues. I have not however had to change a connection Qantas ticket.
#7
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yah not sure how they do it with UA tickets. But they just switch the flights in a few seconds no issues, they dont seem to care. Once there were 5 of us all changing flights again no issue.
#8
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,527
It well seems possible that *A friends have access and understanding of the tickets booking rules, and that codeshare arrangements are for an exact named body in an exact seat (or at least cabin) for an exact flight.
#9
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SEMM / HH Diamond
Posts: 3,140
I'm not going to try and defend AC (or VA), and I do have sympathy for the OP's situation.
I actually raised a similar issue (broadly speaking, their management of partner & codeshare flights - from seat selection through airport checkin) with AC, when I was talking to them at the SSL pre-opening event, a couple of weeks ago.
They acknowledged that there are all sorts of problems today, and (they claimed) that was one of the primary reasons why they recently announced they are moving their reservation system to Amadeus. Only time will tell how well it works out, and of course I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for new problems to creep into the mix ... but they did at least acknowledge there were problems today, and they do at least have a plan to address it.
Which is better than nothing, one hopes.
I actually raised a similar issue (broadly speaking, their management of partner & codeshare flights - from seat selection through airport checkin) with AC, when I was talking to them at the SSL pre-opening event, a couple of weeks ago.
They acknowledged that there are all sorts of problems today, and (they claimed) that was one of the primary reasons why they recently announced they are moving their reservation system to Amadeus. Only time will tell how well it works out, and of course I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for new problems to creep into the mix ... but they did at least acknowledge there were problems today, and they do at least have a plan to address it.
Which is better than nothing, one hopes.
#10
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
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So, an interairline Amadeus rebooking might take the same amount of time for an agent as rebooking internally, say, 5 minutes. Rebooking someone whose records are in Sabre might take 15 minutes.... If you had an agent trained with Sabre. Or, for that matter, 5 minutes and 30 seconds. Spending the 10 minutes (or 30 seconds) of a more highly trained agents time might be unreasonable from the perspective of the 21st century airline using Amadeus. Especially when it is to only make a PAX who isn't really their customer happier.
#11
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: YOW
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#12
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Vancouver
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Posts: 2,026
That is at least a consistent rumor/justification. Amadeus (apparently) is a single system for all its customers. With proper configuration, a given airlines representative could see all the other airlines ... well, whatever is in the CRS. With Sabre(??) , not just is Sabre different, but every specific airlines Sabre is different.
So, an interairline Amadeus rebooking might take the same amount of time for an agent as rebooking internally, say, 5 minutes. Rebooking someone whose records are in Sabre might take 15 minutes.... If you had an agent trained with Sabre. Or, for that matter, 5 minutes and 30 seconds. Spending the 10 minutes (or 30 seconds) of a more highly trained agents time might be unreasonable from the perspective of the 21st century airline using Amadeus. Especially when it is to only make a PAX who isn't really their customer happier.
So, an interairline Amadeus rebooking might take the same amount of time for an agent as rebooking internally, say, 5 minutes. Rebooking someone whose records are in Sabre might take 15 minutes.... If you had an agent trained with Sabre. Or, for that matter, 5 minutes and 30 seconds. Spending the 10 minutes (or 30 seconds) of a more highly trained agents time might be unreasonable from the perspective of the 21st century airline using Amadeus. Especially when it is to only make a PAX who isn't really their customer happier.
YXE use to be my home base. A decade ago, you would show up at check in and need to do something odd. The agent would know how to do it. The AC agent might have to pull out their paper notebooks and look in their notes for what to type in connected to Lufthansa or some other airline, perhaps call over the agent at the next stand.
Today you ask for anything out of the ordinary and the agents don't know or even if it is possible. Especially at contracted outstations.
#13
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,332
I think the problem is that you were not in North America..... Airlines Down Under really don't offer same day flight changes the way (apparently) US based airlines do... QF is famous for being inflexible on any
thing but the most $$$ tickets.... I can't imagine VA is any different????
thing but the most $$$ tickets.... I can't imagine VA is any different????
#14
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: YOW
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Posts: 2,954
I think the problem is that you were not in North America..... Airlines Down Under really don't offer same day flight changes the way (apparently) US based airlines do... QF is famous for being inflexible on any
thing but the most $$$ tickets.... I can't imagine VA is any different????
thing but the most $$$ tickets.... I can't imagine VA is any different????
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,554
I think the problem is that you were not in North America..... Airlines Down Under really don't offer same day flight changes the way (apparently) US based airlines do... QF is famous for being inflexible on any
thing but the most $$$ tickets.... I can't imagine VA is any different????
thing but the most $$$ tickets.... I can't imagine VA is any different????
What I find odd though is (I assumed) the day of , they have control of the flight. They should be able to (given rules are met) change that without affecting anything else.
Either way, I lesson learned. I was happy to connect on a VA flight from SYD to PER as the times were fine and the extra AQMs are good. I will just leave it to that.