A fuel surcharge - I can be forced to swallow, but a booking fee? No way. It's not even 'express' redemption.

There are so many things that aeroplan.com can't book, it's ridiculous:
- stopovers (unless you like to have Aeroplan.com automatically pick stopovers for you like a couple of days in YXE)
- open-jaws
- one-way awards
- Star Alliance travel
- Flights on Tango

I think I'll have to consider using another Star Alliance program and deal with the no changes to Star awards.

This booking fee has now officially moved
Aeroplan in to the ridiculous category.

Well my last 25,000 miles are now going to get redeemed...and fast and then its truly adios AC and Aeroplan. These people have truly gone insane. Do they really think people will stand for such continued abuse? Obviously they do - well they are freaking WRONG. Good bye. I really feel sorry for those at AP that will now bear the brunt of some EXTREMELY angry "valued" ex-customers. Most if not all airlines including Alaska don't charge a booking fee and Alaska's web site is WAY better than Aeroplan.

Love this comment too: "Air Canada will assess the situation on a regular basis, and adjust the surcharge according to the price of fuel" - yeah right?!


[This message has been edited by Altaflyer (edited 04-12-2003).]

Contrast this with TD/CT EasyLine (to continue the banking analogy), where there's no charge to have an agent do things you cannot do online.

And I haven't followed the links to see the breakdown, but if this $140 is being added on all routes, I'll point out that's practically the entire cost of an economy R/T on Via between Montreal and Toronto! (booking in advance, or using the BizPak prepaid vouchers).

andrew

Also, "running your own FF program", by flying on cheaper alternate carriers, and by using a cash-rebate credit card, then using the savings to buy a ticket when you're ready for "award travel", looks even better now!

andrew

Exactly - I plan to do this for Canadian trips where Westjet is almost always a bit cheaper than AC and will use AS and partners for other travel.

Questions immediately spring to mind: will they charge the $25 every time you _change_ that ticket? will they charge $25 to change a ticket by phone if it was originally booked online? And what's happening 1/1/04, are they serious about charging $25 for self-service redemptions online?

andrew

[email protected]

I suspect many of us won't be so worried about that one!

Boooo! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif

Or maybe a $25 "booking fee" for regularly purchased tickets! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

[This message has been edited by pdjcrawford (edited 04-12-2003).]

This is shameful.

That airline should not get a penny from this government until senior management is either read the riot act or tossed right out.

They are an embarassment to the entire country and dis-respectful of both their passengers and the many good employees whose hands are tied far too tight far too often...

I bet they will win the OAG award for next year as well! Really, Rupert, Robert and company just have no credibility and CANNOT be trusted. If anyone expects this to be the last step then I think by now we would all agree that such a person is a fool. Tier benefits? They'll come back to these soon - mark my word.

Perhaps someone would like to send a link to this thread to our friend at the Globe - it may make a nice transition from Rupert's gibberish mentioned on the other thread (I would but don't have his email address).

Bad
Bad
Bad
Bad Business!!!

AC/Aeroplan just don't get it. Client loyalty and satisfaction are NEVER won by dishonest nickel and diming fees. They are won by WAIVING fees clearly stated at the outset of a new business relationship.

This airline deserves to go bankrupt.
(I am sorry for the honest employees who may be doing their best in difficult circumstances, but someone is asleep at the switch at the managerial level! Rupert Duchesne, how could you not weigh the costs against the 'benefits' of these new fees?

There are other less visible and offensive ways to raise revenues/reduce costs. Did you actually even think of listening to your customers before doing this?