vernonc

True.
But a lot of this is created by AC. Some of their agents incl on the SE line are not able to process requests because they do not understand it. And if the website and call center could handle more stuff then there would be less need to call the concierge. In fact I have been told to call the concierge when I have called the SE number for simple stuff - they said that since its less than 24hrs I should call the concierge. I hardly speak to the concierge unless I really need their help.
It is also AC marketing the concierge as a huge perk - so cannot blame their customers for maximizing it.

RatherBeInYOW

I find this amusing. If I land from US / INTL in YYZ and I've misconnected or am trying to get on an earlier flight I can:

1. Try going to whatever gate for the flight I am on or trying to get on to (earlier, missed connection, or whatever), if possible. Unfortunately there is frequently only a single GA working up until about 2 mins before boarding, and I've been told multiple times by gate agents to go away.
2. Go to the lounge. Where I have been told multiple times by lounge agents to go away.
3. Go to the transfer desk by the escalator up from the bus arrival, where I can get in to what is sometimes a very lengthy lineup, even with the "priority" shortcut. If you see more than 2 agents working at that desk it is unusual, and all it takes is one cancelled or badly delayed flight somewhere in YYZ DOM and there can be 20+ people in line. Although sometimes there is nobody in line.
4. Call the concierge. I am day of travel and what I need from them (putting me on a flight to YOW) will take maybe 3 minutes.

I'm SE mid travel. Am I really not supposed to be reaching for option #4 ? Isn't this the benefit we're supposed to get, and what the referenced article is singing the praises of?

Although actually now with the AC cafe, it has an agent working at the little desk inside, usually. Maybe that is option #5 now and the one I should go for first? Should I just start running around YYZ DOM looking for an agent who isn't busy and is willing to help me out?

The IVR on the concierge line asks you if you are currently travelling before it rings though. I assume they use this to prioritize the calls?

skybluesea

delete

canadiancow

If you say no, it transfers you to reservations. But you're assuming people always answer that honestly.

And no, I don't mean don't ever call the concierge.

If you land early and want to get on an earlier connection, sure, call the concierge while taxiing.

But I've seen people call for things basically the equivalent of "can you put me on standby for xyz" when they're at the gate and the GA isn't busy.

Call the concierge if it's the only option, but for a huge subset of their requests, they often aren't even the fastest option.

So many people have the attitude "I'm SE therefore I should never deal with anyone other than the concierge".

And this clogs the lines.

skybluesea

So if I understand correctly what you are saying the problem is NOT Air Canada providing sufficient resources based on the SE AQD spend, the problem is that customers actually expect AC to deliver the service from Air Canada that they paid for?

So come clean canadiancow the rest of us should be shamed NOT to use the SE concierge service because how dare we clog the lines that we paid for?

Good luck, but I’m NOT ashamed of using what I pay for.

ps...and if I’m in the airport, I routinely will first ask for in-person service from whoever at AC that I encounter - but because they work at the airport. I must be wrong (sound familiar), so the moment I get any resistance, I say thank you, and I deal with my travel needs through the Concierge. Here we agree as you and I both know that shouldn’t be the way, but the reality is AC has a serious motivation problem at the front line, so why do you think the Concierge program was set up in the first place… To deal with the very problem you raise here... but now if the Concierge program is failing because AC hasn’t put sufficient resources to it, we are the fools for accepting this, and they get away with more false advertising.

In sum, don’t blame me for pointing out where the source of the problem really is 👎

BlondeBomber

Note what Mr. Nasr said--now is that improving or "enhancing"?:

"Mark Nasr, Head of Aeroplan says:
November 9, 2019 at 3:16 pm

yyznomad

For someone dropping down to peon status (read: anything lower than S100K ) this past year after having been SE for what seemed like a century, I can say that even with the changes to the concierge program (e.g. centralized, new poorly-trained hires, etc.), I still highly valued the service. This is more glaring now that I am taking care of my travel-related, fan-hitting issues, which has been much more stressful even for someone like me who knows the ins and outs... if I could engage the concierge for these matters, they would be taken care of a lot more efficiently and quickly than my DIY.

But yeah, UA is far, far better. Everyone should take their business there. Honkity honk wonka donk donk.

yyznomad

Lol
And when I reach DMMM, they'll just spit in my face and tell me to fly UA.

canada_dude

I know the feeling. It really feels weird not to have SE status anymore. I still drop in the concierge folks just to say hi and they call me the 'fallen angel'. lol

keitherson

What a puff piece. Did Air Canada pay them to write this article?

canadiancow

While I also disagree with a lot of the article, I can assure you it was not paid for.

yyznomad

Right now dealing with IRROPS as an E75K 2MM.
When I was SE, everything was taken care of/resolved rather quickly, and I would barely have to lift a finger in a majority of cases.

I just spent 25 minutes on the phone to get "confirmed" on a later flight, with a nice J GTE BP now in hand.

When this happened to me as SE, I would get immediate repro and actual seat assignment. Oh and no phone call or wait required.

So take it from me, having been an SE for 14 years... I can tell you that there d@mn well is a difference.

If someone who has never been SE tells you that being SE is useless or worthless, and you believe them, then yeah go ahead and believe them while enjoy the perks once I'm back to SE. Because I've been there and know there is a marked difference to the lower tiers.

But what do I know. I'm just a FOTSG.

Bohemian1

yyznomad I hope you are either gunning for SE again this year or flying more United instead, as you sometimes suggest.

skybluesea

delete

FlyerGoldII

There are numerous posts and threads on this forum comparing AC SE with UA Premier Elite !K benefits.

Many of the posts by those having both statuses have suggested that the UA !K status is superior.

But UA is (per many posts on the UA forum) decreasing some benefits for all status levels in its programs.

So for next year - how would you compare the 2 statuses? I guess that it still is a big thing potentially getting free automatic upgrades on domestic (?also transborder) flights. I understand that UA MIleage Plus K members have some reciprocal benefits with LH than AC SEs do not enjoy?

The first thing I noticed when quickly reading the changes - foreign based UA Mileage Plus customers must now spend the equivalent of what AC calls AQDs to attain/retain such status -it is not clear to me what such requirements compare with US based Mileage Plus customers.

PS-does AC Altitude members living outside of Canada get an AQD discount to attain/retain each Altitude status compared to Altitude members residing in Canada?

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