Introducing Air Canada Basic Economy
Feb 20, 2018, 11:04 am
#31
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,691
Feb 20, 2018, 11:19 am
#34
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E75K *G
Posts: 62
Feb 20, 2018, 11:39 am
#36
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: 44,347
Branded fares have already been a disaster for my corp travel portal. My corp portal is restricted to showing FLEX and LATITUDE fares only. However, if low FLEX fares are available, my portal only shows LATITUDE and I have to call in.
I don't see why this would make it impossible to share fare codes with other fare types. With the same fare code, AC is already able to determine how many AQMs and AQDs you receive. And only the fare basis (TANGO / FLEX) shows up in your Altitude dashboard. It'd be very easy for AC to say WxxxBasic earns 0 AQM, 0 AQD, 0 AQS.
I don't see why this would make it impossible to share fare codes with other fare types. With the same fare code, AC is already able to determine how many AQMs and AQDs you receive. And only the fare basis (TANGO / FLEX) shows up in your Altitude dashboard. It'd be very easy for AC to say WxxxBasic earns 0 AQM, 0 AQD, 0 AQS.
UA had branded fares long before AC
Feb 20, 2018, 11:44 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
It matters if you are short of AQD but have enough miles. AC introduced AQD to cut our the bottom feeders, it's possible to fly 95 segments (or 100k AQM) without hitting $20k otherwise AC wouldn't have done it, say you normally fly 155 segments and your AQD is $20,000 and now 55 of those segments are BE. You'll still have your SE segments but some chunk of your travel is now AQD less. Maybe your AQD is now $16k, or $19k, or whatever, this is a rough example. Fact is AC aren't going to award you SE status if your AQD is way below. AC wins, you lose.
Correct. This new class is called Economy Basic. Not to be confused with UA's Basic Economy which one can very easily and by default filter out of.
Correct. This new class is called Economy Basic. Not to be confused with UA's Basic Economy which one can very easily and by default filter out of.
Feb 20, 2018, 11:45 am
#38
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: *G^2, Bonvoyed, NEXUS
Posts: 3,516
This cannot be real, https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...in-canada.html I don't like it one bit.
For now. I wouldn't count on this long term. And if these basic economy fares are not meant to be mileage earning, then they won't earn mileage in any programme. No different than other non-mileage earning fares that book into regular booking codes.
While I understand some challenges with certain booking portals and their (poor) implementations, there should not be a problem for bookings made directly in a GDS. Branded Fares/Fare Families/Fare Tiers have existed in each GDS based on what is defined by ATPCO. If an agent does not know how to actually book and price these, that's on the agent/agency for poor training, not the technology.
Also RBD has no impact on whether fare is mileage is accrued or not and at what rate.
Feb 20, 2018, 11:50 am
#39
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
It matters if you are short of AQD but have enough miles. AC introduced AQD to cut our the bottom feeders, it's possible to fly 95 segments (or 100k AQM) without hitting $20k otherwise AC wouldn't have done it, say you normally fly 155 segments and your AQD is $20,000 and now 55 of those segments are BE. You'll still have your SE segments but some chunk of your travel is now AQD less. Maybe your AQD is now $16k, or $19k, or whatever, this is a rough example. Fact is AC aren't going to award you SE status if your AQD is way below. AC wins, you lose.
However, up until now, AFAIK, AQD and AQM/AQS were hand-in-hand. If you didn't get one, you don't get the other.
Feb 20, 2018, 12:00 pm
#40
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ZRH
Programs: AC SE 100K
Posts: 926
Wow - the thread is moving fast.
Being in Switzerland and having the Branded fares in Swiss/LH for a few years - I have a few comments and a question.
1.) Will AC also disallow the free bags for *G and Altitude? On LX/LH that is the case for sure. They need to clarify this.
2.) At my work, now that they know what branded fares are - they never require the "Light" fares on LX/LH (which is really basic). It's so restrictive, risky, no seat selection, perhaps may not even get a seat due to overbooking or other issues. So - when you look at the price difference - we are always allowed to book "Classic". Here the "Classic" also gets seat selection so for your $25 you get points, seat selection, and bags.
3.) You really have to be cheap and budget tight to book this fare - I would expect most companies will figure out what it means and won't require it.
AC is taking yield-management to the next level and doing a good job at it. For some of us that will be unfortunate!!
Being in Switzerland and having the Branded fares in Swiss/LH for a few years - I have a few comments and a question.
1.) Will AC also disallow the free bags for *G and Altitude? On LX/LH that is the case for sure. They need to clarify this.
2.) At my work, now that they know what branded fares are - they never require the "Light" fares on LX/LH (which is really basic). It's so restrictive, risky, no seat selection, perhaps may not even get a seat due to overbooking or other issues. So - when you look at the price difference - we are always allowed to book "Classic". Here the "Classic" also gets seat selection so for your $25 you get points, seat selection, and bags.
3.) You really have to be cheap and budget tight to book this fare - I would expect most companies will figure out what it means and won't require it.
AC is taking yield-management to the next level and doing a good job at it. For some of us that will be unfortunate!!
Feb 20, 2018, 12:35 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E50/MM, HH gold, Nat Exec Elite, Kimpton Karma
Posts: 2,354
Feb 20, 2018, 1:16 pm
#43
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Mississauga Ontario
Posts: 4,105
The fun part is this:
OMG >>>>>>>BUY ME THESE TICKETS! I'VE GOT A SINGLE PIN AUDIO JACK!!!! FOR MY HEADSET!!!!!!
---
I can only imagine the meeting at AC, and the thousand hours they put in to identify this as a selling feature. Really. It should go down in the annals of marketing brilliance.
- Complimentary carry-on baggage
- A personal 22.6 cm (8.9”) touch-screen TV
- Hundreds of hours of top-rated entertainment
- In-seat power for your laptop and a single-pin audio jack for your headset
OMG >>>>>>>BUY ME THESE TICKETS! I'VE GOT A SINGLE PIN AUDIO JACK!!!! FOR MY HEADSET!!!!!!
---
I can only imagine the meeting at AC, and the thousand hours they put in to identify this as a selling feature. Really. It should go down in the annals of marketing brilliance.
Feb 20, 2018, 1:34 pm
#44
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,569
The fun part is this:
OMG >>>>>>>BUY ME THESE TICKETS! I'VE GOT A SINGLE PIN AUDIO JACK!!!! FOR MY HEADSET!!!!!!
---
I can only imagine the meeting at AC, and the thousand hours they put in to identify this as a selling feature. Really. It should go down in the annals of marketing brilliance.
- Complimentary carry-on baggage
- A personal 22.6 cm (8.9”) touch-screen TV
- Hundreds of hours of top-rated entertainment
- In-seat power for your laptop and a single-pin audio jack for your headset
OMG >>>>>>>BUY ME THESE TICKETS! I'VE GOT A SINGLE PIN AUDIO JACK!!!! FOR MY HEADSET!!!!!!
---
I can only imagine the meeting at AC, and the thousand hours they put in to identify this as a selling feature. Really. It should go down in the annals of marketing brilliance.
Feb 20, 2018, 1:41 pm
#45
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: YOW
Programs: AC-SE100K, AC-3MM, Marriott- LT Titanium, SPG RIP
Posts: 2,959
