Academic

I was SE for 15 years until I retired a year or so ago, and I have to say I miss the status and the perks, even though they aren't as good now as they were way back when. But it was also the sense that you were being recognized (most of the time) as a valued customer. I have my lifetime 50K, so I still get some of the benefits, but I just merge into the crowd these days.

skybluesea

delete

yyznomad

Heck, I even get recognized as a DM by many SDs. They actually come up to me to thank me for my business. Not even an SE.
Title should be renamed "Air Canada E75K Best Second-Highest-Tier Airline Elite Status"!!!!!! LOLLLZZZZ

But UA is still clearly better. Everyone should just take their business there.

yowcat

I just can't agree with that. I loved the older system where you called the station directly but it was a limited number of airports. Sure there are trade offs with the central desk but it means I am covered everywhere. Individual stations still get commonly involved in issues. Sure issues at an airport that used to be covered where there isn't an easy to find office isn't as easy but I was happy to trade that for network wide coverage.

lcohen999

The only problem is reaching the actual station is harder than it used to be.

Had to call YVR, you called YVR. Now you call the main desk, maybe wait on hold, then they have to call YVR and YVR calls you back (assuming the call centre can't take care of it)

Yes, there are alternative means but it isn't as direct as it used to be.

I have always suggested re-enabling the direct lines and if they are busy, rather than going to voicemail, fall back to the concierge desk. Seems to be a good compromise

D582

It’s because they can’t see you as a DMM. Had that extra M been visible to them, I’m sure service would have been downgraded appropriately.

EliteRiffraff

I get to sit in J often without really "paying". I redeem miles earned from churning and manufactured spending.

WaytoomuchEurope

Carol, one of the bright spots of the YYZ DOM told me last week that there are 17k of us dime-a-dozen's and that she would sooner deal with 16k of us than elites from other *A programs.

Mind you, she probably wouldn't tell me we suck right to my face.

More on topic, I have no other basis of comparison but I openly admit that I really enjoy being an SE and I have no real complaints.

cooleddie

Just on Emirates flight right now. I think there are areas Air Canada can improve on.

RangerNS

Are you involved in the Emirates FF program at the top tier?

InTheAirGuy

This.

Hold times to call the main Concierge line are pathetic often. I seriously have a screen shot of a 17 minute hold, waiting for them to simply ANSWER the phone.

Stranger

By a *former* AC "representative." Who has since moved to a (presumably) greener pasture.

RatherBeInYOW

The other week I called the concierge line to get me on to a different YYZ-YOW, right after I had cleared international connection customs in YYZ. I went down the escalator, on to the bus, over to the D gates, up the escalator and over to the transfer agent desk where I had agent helping me and I hung up on the concierge line without having had anyone answer. I've also had a couple of situations with delayed flights and missed connections in YYZ this year where a concierge was nowhere to be found, in one case requiring me to go back landside to the office after having a gate agent tell me to go away.

I love the concierge, when it works it is one of the best things about being SE. IKK, no YQ, and no co-pay on international eUps being the others IMO. But I've had the concierge save my bacon in 2019 about as many times as they've been nowhere to be found in YYZ. I get that there are dozens of SEs trying to board flights in YYZ at any given time, and hundreds travelling through YYZ any given day, but it feels like YYZ in general and the central call center in particular are not as well equipped as they could be. It certainly isn't the glowing picture that the linked article points to all of the time. Although when it does work I always make a point of thanking AC on Twitter, because I do appreciate it.

Nitehawk

The long hold times for the concierge make the service a lot less useful. Flight issues are more often than not time sensitive. 30 minutes on hold or to respond to an email doesn't cut it and is a major devaluation since when you could call the airport direct lines.

canadiancow

My experience with a couple years of airport numbers was that it was much more common they just didn't pick up.

There may be a hold with central, but I've never had it go to voicemail.

The real issue is people using the concierge for things that can be done by anyone. Concierge should not be your first or second or third contact when you're in a hub.

And they should actively reject requests for anything that isn't within 24 hours. I know they've been spending a lot of time on things like booking Aeroplan tickets for people.