Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Air Canada | Aeroplan
Reload this Page >

'You're gonna lose your money' 'There was no booking, no confirmation'

'You're gonna lose your money' 'There was no booking, no confirmation'

Old Nov 19, 2018, 3:58 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Canada
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum
Posts: 90
'You're gonna lose your money' 'There was no booking, no confirmation'

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/ret...oked-1.4906073

Wondering what your two cents are. Any online shop or airline should automatically refund on a failed booking and I don't believe this man is very tech savvy. However, with any article where a disadvantaged customer is complaining, I think there's fault at both sides but of course it's always the companies' fault.
Kaasschaaf is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 6:38 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
Are any of us surprised?

I have had bookings confirm with a PNR with UA/SA/ET without the credit card charge going thru, but an error message appeared on the website, so this is not unheard of. Additionally, I have had some AC agents be very dismissive of looking up a flight with a flight number and last name for privacy reasons.

So, I have sympathy for the guy.

Just today I tried to change seats on a confirmed and ticketed booking and received a 'Gateway Connection" error to the website, not once but twice. I finally gave up and called in. The agent was typing along and said "you know you can change seats on the website, sir".
PointWeasel is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 6:45 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SEMM; AA,DL, Hyatt and Starwood. Ex-status:SQ PPS,CSA,Hilton,AA,UA
Posts: 743
Interesting the credit card company didn't help.
I would have thought that this would be a pretty easy "goods/services not delivered" situation.
Assuming, of course, that we are being told the whole story, and indeed there was no ticket emailed to him. "You charged me for a ticket you didn't deliver to me, for a service you didn't provide to me."
But heck, I know especially in Canada the cc companies try to wiggle out of this stuff.
montrealer is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 6:53 am
  #4  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The lack of action by the card issuer, e.g. bank, suggests that there is more to this story than reporting.

That's the problem with sensationalist journalism. There is no story here if there are facts which suggest otherwise and as a writer or editor, pressure from third-rate operations to report just what is favorable.
Often1 is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 6:54 am
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,742
Originally Posted by montrealer
Interesting the credit card company didn't help.
I would have thought that this would be a pretty easy "goods/services not delivered" situation.
Assuming, of course, that we are being told the whole story, and indeed there was no ticket emailed to him. "You charged me for a ticket you didn't deliver to me, for a service you didn't provide to me."
But heck, I know especially in Canada the cc companies try to wiggle out of this stuff.
I don't see any mention that the guy even tried with the credit card. Which might well have worked. BTW I have no evidence of CCs "trying to wiggle out." At least not Amex.

What I find odd is no e-mail. But that does happen. Still obviously the guy had a case.
Stranger is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 7:10 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 492
Originally Posted by Stranger
I don't see any mention that the guy even tried with the credit card. Which might well have worked. BTW I have no evidence of CCs "trying to wiggle out." At least not Amex.

What I find odd is no e-mail. But that does happen. Still obviously the guy had a case.
This has happened to me before where I didnt get an email confirmation / eTicket (had to go online and forward to myself) Its also happened that something crashed during the final payment and it didnt go to the confirmation page (though there I got the email confirmation)

So I guess its possible that both things could happen in the same transaction although it seems somewhat coincidental this is also when travel plans changed.

Its not a lot of money and for the goodwill Im sure its worth it for AC to refund
lallied is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 7:33 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Programs: BA GGL, FPC Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Amb
Posts: 3,372
Disputing with the card issuer probably would go not much further than the supplier demonstrating, "here's the e-ticket that was issued at the time of purchase." If there's a ticket number, the service was "delivered."

The issue seems to have been resolved where it belongs--with AC. They can put all the fine print in they like, but when they charge extra fees for using portals other than the web/app, they are probably going to find little support when they try to rely on, "not our fault if our site doesn't work," language.
AC*SE is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 7:41 am
  #8  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,273
"A website malfunction"... with Air Canada.

Simpy impossible. I am sure we are all shocked.
rankourabu is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 8:21 am
  #9  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
Originally Posted by Stranger
I don't see any mention that the guy even tried with the credit card. Which might well have worked.
There is a brief mention further down in the story about his attempts with the credit card company.

Originally Posted by CBC
In Neblett's case, his credit card company said there was nothing it could do.
What is irritating about this story is AC's response after the fact. It is highly unlikely this is the first time something like this has happened. Air Canada should be able to confirm through its systems that there was a problem or at least be more understanding that it can happen.

After months of trying directly the fellow only got his money back after he went to the CBC. The takeaway is to get a fair hearing from Air Canada one must first inflict a little public pain on them.
Badenoch is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 8:39 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime PE, AC Altitude SE100K-1MM
Posts: 308
I feel for the guy.
I have had family calling me up asking me to walk them through the purchase process because they've encountered error messages / malfunctions as they even just search for a ticket.
For me, booking a ticket is something I do all the time, but for them, it's perhaps only once or twice a year.
SteadyAT is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 9:58 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Canada
Programs: Marriott LT Gold, IHG Club, Hertz Gold, Aeroplan, Avios, SkyMiles, Thrifty, AMEX
Posts: 985
I think the greatest indication of the validity of the man's complaint was AC's reaction when they were contacted by the CBC: a full refund, plus a $200 credit to boot. Had they really thought they had a leg to stand on, there would have been at least some resistance.

Look, that AC's website (and IT in general) is garbage is one of this board's most established clichs. It should not be the consumer's responsibility to double-check, work around and generally pay (either in time, effort or cold, hard cash) for AC's IT failings. The only way AC will improve anything is if it costs them money.
Twickenham is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 10:17 am
  #12  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,186
Originally Posted by PointWeasel
Just today I tried to change seats on a confirmed and ticketed booking and received a 'Gateway Connection" error to the website, not once but twice. I finally gave up and called in. The agent was typing along and said "you know you can change seats on the website, sir".
I always start those calls with "I'm having issues with the website, can I select some seats please?" I did in hopes that agents would escalate passengers being unable to change online, but I guess if it prevents any attitude from them, that's another benefit.

Originally Posted by AC*SE
Disputing with the card issuer probably would go not much further than the supplier demonstrating, "here's the e-ticket that was issued at the time of purchase." If there's a ticket number, the service was "delivered."
That was my thought too. From AC's perspective, he no-showed a flight. That's not "failure to deliver".

Originally Posted by Twickenham
I think the greatest indication of the validity of the man's complaint was AC's reaction when they were contacted by the CBC: a full refund, plus a $200 credit to boot. Had they really thought they had a leg to stand on, there would have been at least some resistance.
I'm pretty sure @expert7700 had this same issue before, but the agent on the phone was able to see that no email had ever been sent (check the PNR logs for a booking - there's a LOT of data there), and he was able to get a refund. Though it may be someone else.

Here's an excerpt from a PNR of mine (email redacted).


Code:
5-CREDIT CARD RECEIPT EMAIL SENT FAILED AT 0729 YTOSJSU14MAY
5-TO S*****//GMAIL.COM YTOSJSU14MAY
5-EMAIL RESENT FAILED AT 0730 YTOSJSU14MAY
5-TO ALL PAX S*****//GMAIL.COM YTOSJSU14MAY
5-EMAIL RESENT FAILED AT 0752 YTOSJSU14MAY
5-TO ALL PAX S*****//GMAIL.COM YTOSJSU14MAY

In this case, I knew it had been booked, and I flew it, so all was good. But the email never came. The system tried to send it at 0729, 0730, and 0752. So there's even some redundancy. But it failed three times, and the records prove it.

I suspect AC finally pulled up the PNR, saw something like this, and issued the refund.
canadiancow is online now  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 11:29 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: YYG
Programs: airlines and hotels and rental cars - oh my!
Posts: 2,987
I really have to believe there is much more to this story than what has been reported.
Symmetre is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 1:28 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,527
Who do you have to know to get that kind of dump @canadiancow?
RangerNS is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2018, 1:46 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 255
Hi everyone

Can totally believe this. Made a change to a flight pass booking at the weekend, when I pressed confirm I got the dreaded error message in red font. However, my Seat Selection Fee was refunded instantaneously, my CC was charged the change fee, but I was not sent any email confirming the change. The flight pass website won't let me look at the booking (I just get the same error message) and the flight pass app still lists the old flights. So I call my priority line and wait on hold for 25 minutes, and the agent confirms that the change went through. I check again today, the website still gives me an error message when I try to look at the details of the booking, the flight app still has the old booking, but I called in (only 8 mins wait this time) and got the agent to email me the itinerary and sure enough it has the new booking listed.

You shouldn't have to phone in and ask to be sent an e-mail confirmation of a change to a booking, but that is what I had to do. The flight pass app should reflect the current state of a booking, yet it doesn't, and I cannot access the booking on the AC website. I will likely have to call in to do my e-upgrade next week as I cannot access the booking details on the AC website.

So I absolutely believe this story.

Issues with AC IT shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who visits FT.

YXEG
YXEGeordie is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.