Stranger

Collierkr

pitz

Does AC have a list, on their website, where individuals can verify whether or not an organization, individual, or entity acts in agency for AC?

I mean, we have literally hundreds, actually thousands of entities that claim the ability to enter into and bind AC to contracts. But just how am I, Joe Consumer, supposed to verify that XYZ is actually truly acting as an agent of AC?

I don't see an "Agent Lookup" on AC's website. AC's case that these tickets were purchased from an entity that had no authority to bind AC to a contract would be bolstered if AC actually made it public just who is authorized, aside from AC employees, to act in agency for AC.

Collierkr

yul36

I bought a domestic SHA to PEK ticket from a travel agent in China when I was there. He was on We-Chat turned out it was legit, guy was a consoldator.
He was not named capt. cool. Friends had used him before.

pitz

If you ask half the Canadian travelling public whether or not a $600 round-trip YVR-YYZ is "full fare economy", they'd probably answer yes. Lots of people legitimately have no clue about pricing. If they travel on business, a common belief is that the numbers on the tickets are heavily discounted/rebated/etc., in a way that makes the travel "really" a lot less than what's printed on the ticket. Until the big public sector crack-downs a few years ago, lots of those people just gleefully booked at the last minute, submitted their $2700 expense claims for domestic transcons, and then 'thought' AC was being really nice by always upgrading them.

So I totally buy the story. Especially since we're probably talking about a reasonably well-to-do Chinese national who's attending, not engineering school, but cooking school of all things.

Collierkr

yul36

I know a little about the person involved, she does not come from money. If she did do you think AC would be acting this way if Daddy was connected.

Taipei

It's not common, but still done/asked and travel agents to lower prices (In Taiwan I think it's cultural thing to haggle prices if possible, and guess in China too). In Taiwan people do this more, in our Japan offices less so but still done sometimes. We send students out from Taiwan/ Japan and travel agents we use have high mark up , so students will ask for discounts and sometimes travel agent does lower the price (in our Kaoshiung office tower there are 10+ travel agents, and in our Fukuoka office there are many in a few min. walk so if someone wanted price shop they could).

pitz

Sure, I've seen much, much worse. And I implied no 'connection' by my comment that was subsequently edited by the mod, only that it does take some significant family wealth for a foreign national, of any nationality or ethnicity to come to Canada to study at a private culinary school, and to have the expectation of routine business class travel, even if heavily discounted.

Having said that, its basically my position that AC should eat this for having such a crappy fraud department, and consider upgrading their systems and processes in such a way to avoid future incidents. AC's spreadsheet finance monkeys perhaps can derive an IRR or NPV based on investing in better systems or leaving the status quo. I suspect if it goes to the CTA, they will scold AC accordingly for not intervening after the first incident, and then rule that their ability to deny travel is not contingent on the resolution of prior commercial disputes which can and should be properly adjudicated in the courts by way of a civil legal action brought against her and/or the so-called "agent" non-agent who offered her a confirmed reservation.

tcook052

Folks, I've made a few post deletions and edits as the flyer and her personal vocation or immigration status are all irrelevant to the discussion so let's please stick to matters as they relate to AC.

tcook052
AC forum mod.

moondog

Based on the image in the OP, it appears to be an official account, definitely not a group chat.

DrunkCargo

Have you ever clicked on a flight centre or other such ad on Facebook purporting to offer a "great deal" on travel, bought a fare, flown it... And thought, "wow... That was a good deal! Let me be buy another..." Estoppel is recognized in Canada. No chance of criminal charges, not because of technicality, but just pure lack of mens rea.

But, something was happening that obviously AC had to stop. What action would have been more appropriate? "Excuse me, we happened to notice that a number of tickets you've booked were on random cards, and many of them have been returned by issuer. Carry on and, in future, can you TRY to pay..."

If I own a restaurant and have a frequent diner's charges clawed back from me, am I not right to refuse further service unless this person makes good on prior debts? Trick is, if I'm the only source of food in a given market...competition laws, TS bid, etc...

Btw nothing in the article says she's being sued, just that AC wants their money for past services rendered. And they're even willing to resume flying her if she does!

Now, what is stupid, is apparently some AC legal rep said something about trusting wechat like one trusts a drunk Canuck in a bar? Bad move. Basically could be interpreted as a social media platform used by "those people" is less trustworthy that the ones "we people" pay to advertise on...

You'd think "legal" would know not to say stupid stuff like that. There was no need to defend the action with additional comment. Add to that the current Canada v China climate... Why fan the flames?

sunzi

I love how many are saying she knew that she was purchasing tickets that were fraudulent without any evidence backing it out.

Furthermore, I am sure most commenting on this thread has never used WeChat before. In fact, it is very common to buy stuff on WeChat and lots of the time it is legit. Thus, I can see why this girl, an international student from China could feel this is legit way of buying airline tickets. Therefore, you can call her naive, gullible, dumb or whatever other synonym you can think of but to call her complicit in this fraud is a stretch without further information.

Exec_Plat

could be a crooked travel agency in the middle of this too.

They book tickets, handle airline communications, delay, obscure...they roll it all up and leave AC holding the bag.

Just because most people here are DIYers doing business on <airline>.com, people seem to be thinking about this in terms of how THEY buy tickets and interact with an airline..... For example- A ticket that was purchased on ANY airline VIA A TRAVEL AGENT will not trigger the airline asking to see the CC used. Other aspects that complicated pieces we cannot see can be at play here as well.....


Having said this...what if she bought a PROPERLY PRICED ticket from a crooked agency- agency booked the ticket, pocketed the money and never paid AC for the ticket. She flies, but AC never gets paid. Would AC come after her for this fraudulent ticket price?