Stranger

canadiancow

There is a downgrade list they're supposed to follow, but it's generally a manual process.

I thought status would play a role, but it's possible there are other more important factors.

Stranger

MaxFlying

Just wondering what thoughts are on this. My wife coming back from YYC on award J ticket. No status. 1.45pm 763 goes mech and is cancelled. They switch the 12.30am flight to a 40J 77W. She has been put in PY. I would have thought she should be treated as paid J. I can see if every other pax switched to the flight was paid J why it might happen but I suspect status UGs have been given J ahead.
10 hour delay, downgraded, and I am sure she won't get any comp or points back.

Stranger

MaxFlying

Two 763 flights combined onto 77W, so 48 J to 40. I guess if J was already full on the 12.30 then that only leaves 16 seats. Agent keeps talking about status but wont answer about whether any upgrades got a J seat.
Will start with Customer Solutions. Thanks

canadiancow

Was there no other way to get to YYZ without a 10 hour delay? Even if both flights were full in J, leaving it over by 8, I can't imagine 24 people were sitting around waiting all day, rather than rerouting through any number of other options.

Also, it's not clear to me that a $3000 Y fare purchased and upgraded 6 months out should be prioritized lower than I-class, from either AC's perspective as a business (treat your high-rev customers well), or a passenger's perspective (I have booked trips that I would not have taken if there was a chance I wouldn't be sitting in J - I confirmed the upgrade when I booked).

Anyway, don't talk to customer relations yet. There has been no downgrade until 158 departs.

The first thing you need to do is find an airport agent and have them add your wife to the onload list since she was ticketed in J on the original flight. At least that way, if there are any no-shows, she can receive a seat at the gate.

Then you need to watch the flight very carefully, and if anyone rebooks, causing a seat to become available, find an agent at the airport to confirm her in J.

MaxFlying

Flights are crazy out of YYC, first thing I started looking at was other routes, everything zeroed out today and even tomorrow (I think). It was also a rolling delay following a taxi, return to gate, maintenance, deplaning, three new departure times etc. Re who should be prioritized, I can see both sides, I was curious as to what is the policy.
Already had her working on the onboard piece and will keep an eye on flight. Thanks

canadiancow

Priority only comes into play in automated systems.

If the flight everyone wants is J1 and you get through to an agent first, it's yours.

This is where I wish they'd just zero out every flight and throw everyone on standby, disallowing any confirmed changes. That ensures everyone actually gets prioritized the way they "should" (per AC's implementation of the system), rather than first come first served (until it's full).

PointWeasel

Were you on AC 146 by chance?

What a mess that one was and eventually cancelled outright.

The GA apparently yelled out to everyone 'stop asking for another flight option as there is nothing until Sunday!".

My SE colleague did get on a later flight but only after tracking down the Concierge on Duty.

MaxFlying

My wife, not me. And yes, 146. She got the yelling gate agent.

canadiancow

That's absolute cow dung.

152 has space tonight in both cabins.
There's dozens of Y and PY seats available tomorrow, and ~20 in J.

Shall we look at Saturday too?

MaxFlying

Im confused. Where did you see seats in 152 (which left earlier?). Are you looking at connections tomorrow as I dont see anything on the direct flights (except 142 which I am pretty sure switched aircraft).

PointWeasel

Not sure this is correct thread, but had a situation with a colleague last weekend that still boggles my mind.

Paid Business Class P fare on AC 844 in this case, confirmed seat unchanged since August 2018.

The day before departure everything looked perfect but no advance check-in completed.

The morning of departure, completed online check-in but the seat has changed to GTE.

A call to AC got nowhere as the agents kept saying 'the original seat is confirmed, why are you calling', although it was most definitely not....grrrr. The agent advised to contact AC Concierge for same-day travel query and since this is prohibited by phone or email, advised colleague to show up 3.5 hours early instead.

Upon arrival at Priority check-in, the agent advised "oh, it does not look good, and you might not fly at all today as one J seat is broken and the flight is oversold in Y and PY".

I advised my colleague to request to speak with a lead agent or duty concierge on duty to find out what happened to the original seat and was the correct order being followed for a downgrade. No one was in the office, so colleague heads back and forth to new terminal area searching for someone with some answers. Thirty minutes later, colleague appears at the office and colleague checks in with her to see what happened and is advised "we have no idea, as your seat is not the broken one". When asked about retaining Business Class, the response was "hopefully we have some misconnections". Colleague heads off to the MLL and upon check-in the agent says "you are number 1 on the waitlist, but it does not look good for your upgrade". Seriously.

Colleague heads to the gate an hour before departure and there are 2 agents telling pax to 'remain seated, no one will be boarding for awhile." Fair enough, as there are many gate lice on that flight from experience, but colleague doesn't see the lead agent nor the Concierge appear until 25 minutes before departure. The concierge approaches colleague 12 mins before departure and advises "we are still working on the issue, and we do not know where your seat will be on this flight. I should also advise you that this flight will be delayed and you will miss your connection if we do get you on but the FRA Concierge will rebook you if you get on this flight." OK...

So, six minutes before departure, one of the gate agents pages my colleague and advises "i think we can get you on now, but we may have to change seats on board".

Colleague ends up in J and asked to switch seats, for which the SD apologizes.

Upon arrival in FRA, no Concierge with new boarding pass for new connection, but...an email from the Concierge advising to pick up the new boarding pass in the LH Senator Lounge. Colleague lets desk staff know in the LH Senator Lounge and the agent, in true German friendliness states "we have no record of you on the next flight, and the ticket was not exchanged properly and the flight is sold out." Colleague tries her charm and requests that someone kindly look into the issue after she shows the email to the LH lounge agent. This spurs a heated discussion in German with three lounge agents and one disappears in the back office for 30 mins.

Lo and behold a Business Class seat is now confirmed on the next flight and the LH agent complains that "AC did not do it correctly".

Colleague is just E50K, but is this standard procedure?

PointWeasel

Not sure where you are looking, but aircraft is in-flight and packed. AC 152 did not have an J seats left nor Y seats for that matter.

The original 767 that was cancelled is still sitting there may be departing at midnight as another flight number.

Only one flight AC 142 has open seats tomorrow so...not sure where you are looking.