like_the_chips

I've be an lurker on here for a while and had an account for 11 months. I've learned a lot and an about to hit SE on Monday which is exciting. I've been flying sporadically for business for 12+ years as flights are customer-based and have fit 25, 25, 50 etc a few times over the years. Never expected to hit SE, as all flights are booked in Y flex or lower. I actually have >100k BIS and 94 AQM so far this year.

Not sure if this is worthy of complaint but this has been nagging at me. I've read through a bunch of the other threads and done some quick searches to no avail.

Last Monday, AC876 YYZ-FRA was seated in Y-flex and had applied for e-upgrade when the window opened - and was wait-listed. Checked in ~ T-23h on my phone and my name didn't appear on the upgrade list. Double checked in the morning, still name not on the list. Quintuple check at airport, name still not on list. Decide to check @ T-45m and I cleared the E-up to PE. Happy - better than Y. Get ticket printed at lounge before leaving.

Get to gate and line up in the Z2 line and get paged. GA: "There has been a mistake - this poor gentleman has the seat you were given, can you give it back?" He was obviously in Z1, as they had noted this issue when he tried to board, so assume SE. The GA mentioned about how he had been on standby, had waited at the airport a long time, and had 'paid for the PE cabin'. J and PE were full. I assume this is due to the reported issue of giving up your seat when you clear stand-by, and the SE not wanting the seat he was given on an earlier flight but not realizing he had given up his seat on 876.

I asked about e-up priority (I don't know where i was on the list, as my name hadn't appeared but i was at least 2nd, as only 2 of 3 cleared - alphabetically i was 2nd) but the GA didn't seem to understand my question. I mentioned that I had also 'paid' for the seat through my e-ups that are expiring Feb '20, but again GA didn't seem to care. The GA solution was that i needed to go back to Y. Now, my seat had also been given up so before relenting, I inquired where i was going to sit -not wanting a middle seat or to be at the back. After a few attempts to seat me in the back few rows of the 777 to give me a whole row, she was able to get me in 20C with 20B being vacant. Luckily it stayed vacant through boarding. By the time this was resolved Z2 was completed boarding and Z3 had started - i was luckily able to get o/h bin space above my seat but didn't have time to grab a bottle of water or snacks, so was relegated to waiting the FA delivery schedule and offerings.

To top things off, the e-ups are currently still held for that flight, which i've just disputed

In your esteemed opinions, does this seem worthy of an email complaint in to AC to hopefully get a discount or credit? or is this just wishful thinking?

Jebby_ca

You can always write to Air Canada Customer Relations and explain your situation - given a PE boarding pass, but asked to sit in Y upon boarding. They may give you a goodwill discount code.

Don't expect anything though - I don't have the terms and conditions of the eUpgrade program in front of me, but I'm sure there's verbiage in there to cover Air Canada for the situation you found yourself in and to indemnify AC from any claims.

Also, due to the current migration to Altea, your upgrade request doesn't get transferred automatically to DCS, as per notice that AC has sent out. Agents at the airport I've chatted with have also mentioned that they can no longer put you on the upgrade list once check-in opens. Surprised you were actually upgraded once check-in for the flight closed.

canadiancow

You have far too many assumptions in your post
If you write in, stick to the facts.

Nitehawk

I had it happen to me once YYZ to GRU. I cleared the eupgrade list, confirmed by app and concierge. Went to lounge agent to reprint BP and was already moved back to PY (different seat). Someone in paid J originally booked to EZE or SCL (which was cancelled) got my J seat instead. I did not bother asking for compensation and didn't really feel it was due, but it was certainly a emotional rollercoaster for me.

RatherBeInYOW

I've told my "confirmed" upgrade stories on FT on multiple occasions. I've even seen people (thankfully not myself) kicked out of a J pod when AC realized that they made a mistake.

While I know this situation sucks (yay! I'm not in Y ... oops yes I am) the reality is you paid for a Y seat and sat in Y. You might get a crappy code for writing in, but unfortunately this kind of mistake happens from time to time. A J or PE BP from an e-up or an op-up doesn't guarantee you anything sadly.

Sean Peever

I've seen this happen with last-minute equipment swaps more than anything. Ie: everyone already boarded and then swap from a 777 to a 767. Anyone who was eup at any point gets put back into the queue and the list is re-cleared by airport priority (whch is status instead of fare, fare is done like 5-6 days out). This is how it used to be back in the day, things might be a bit different these days. But I've seen many times a full cabin of eups get screwed.

Sopwith

When AC moves a passenger out of a previously-booked seat for whatever reason and the passenger tries to get it back the usual mantra is that "the seat is taken and we can't get it back". We have now debunked that story for good. ^

YYZHRE

OP frustrating experience, particularly overnight to FRA. From the gate explanation and timing of your confirmation, sounds like a combination of missed connection from 872 or other early TATL and events unrelated to the seat holder. Ie, the seat holder was gate listed/cleared for J and: paid J checked in after flight closed, a mistake on the manifest/at check in, concierge/agent error, etc. which resulted in a domino effect with you at the end. Unfortunately, I agree with YOW et al, until the wheels are up, you're not really guaranteed anything other than your original booking.

When I traveled YYZ/YYC regularly, I would often 'bump' into another passenger with identical name/birth year, travelling on the same flight, both of us SE and paid J. Depending on the order of check in and competence of the agent, one of us could often inadvertently free up the other's seat: a lazy or inexperienced rep would simply reprint the original boarding pass; another might cancel the first check in entirely and reissue a new boarding pass--leaving one of us "floating" until he hit the gate. Both would have the same result and open a seat. More than once I've stood in a 320/1 watching the GA explain to a seated passenger they were going to have to give up a cleared upgrade.

On another note (unrelated to this subject), I've noticed an arrogant and condescending spirit often appears in his particular forum. I feel the majority of us visit this site to gain information/clarification and share stories. While, I understand some have alternate goals., prolific posting, success at gaming or membership in related clique, doesn't give license mean-girl a poster seeking information or voicing frustration.