I'm off to the US today -- a full fare J ticket that is about $1,600 all in. Got here early -- there was a UA flight going an hour early, codeshared with AC.

Lounge personnel advised they couldn't get me on, despite space, because it was UA.

What is the purpose of code-sharing? What is the purpose of this alliance? It's about as seamless as a flooded-BC road right now!

Marketing. Making it look like you serve more destinations, with greater frequency, than you do. Avoiding anti-trust actions while effectively merging portions of your operations.

Oh, you didn't think the alliance was there to benefit _us_ did you?

Think of it like CMHC mortgage insurance, "why do I have to buy this insurance, what does it get me?". Well nothing, you have to buy the insurance for the bank's benefit.

andrew


[This message has been edited by Andrew Webber (edited 10-21-2003).]

I too have another problem with the seamless feature of the Star Alliance.

I am transiting through FRA on AC and connecting to a LH flight. AC can't give me a boarding pass with seat selection for the LH flight. They can check the luggage to final destination but they say I have to get the boarding pass in FRA.

Full fare tickets should be accepted by any carrier, regardless of codeshares. Next time, just go to UA personnel and ask. They should accept you.

AC personnel probably just didn't want to send you on UA because it would have meant that UA would have got the ticket value for your flight.

And the airlines don't even need an alliance to do that. AC can interline bags with most other full-service airlines.

Are you in the back airbus320? We were told that they do not assign seats on LH in economy for "security reasons" I know this because at first LH couldn't confirm us in J for the inter Europe flight yet they would not give us a seat assignment in Y. We eventually got a flight in J and they would confirm us there. I guess "those type people" aren't really a threat

Wait till you try to board a LH flight. Even an F seat going transatlantic doesn't get you priority boarding.

That's interesting, I went YVR-FRA on LH in J, then connected to a FRA-IST LH flight in Y, I had to get a bording pass and seat assignment when I landed in FRA. But this past summer I went YVR-LHR and then connected to a LHR-DUB all in J, they gave me a bording pass and everything in YVR. This is a stupid rule if it's just because you're flying in J. I mean what difference is it going to make, just give them the seat at the original destination if it's a star alliance flight.

Cattle: Yes, I am in economy...and I have previously experienced LH boarding by zone. Not my favorite airline!

[This message has been edited by airbus320 (edited 10-21-2003).]

By Zone - Luxury!

Ours was a free for all from the minute they called for pre-boarding with children and the elderly. Giant push to the gate and no one from LH to monitor it

Once we got on board all was forgiven

Hope your flight(s) go well airbus320. Safe travels

Now that you mention it, I remember that's how they boarded my flight from FRA to IST, it was nuts, everybody was pushing and shoving, I'm not sure why though, everyone had an assigned seat so I don't see what the big deal was.

If the flight is vieable in a GDS with an AC or AC/UA designator, the change is viewable. If it's UA only, the airline's own systems would see it as a separate flight, thus requiring a new ticket.

Try taking the midnight flight from YVR to HKG on AC.

not true they should be able to issue your LH boarding pass when you check in. Unless you are taking the traing then they may not be able to do it.

You should go to the airline directly to see if they have space.Even if the ticket said valid ac only, 99.9% of the times United will take the ticket. I never turn a AC ticket away, cheeks in the seats is the way I look at it, your happy, were happy.Once again always go to the gate, or before you checkin with Air Canada, go over to the United checkin which is close by and see if they can pop you on.Even if I can't view your AC reservation in our computer system, who cares? I just make a new reservation for the United flight, it only takes about 30 seconds to make a reservation, pop in your aeroplan number and check you in. Some AC agents want you to think they are actually cracking a genetic code behind the computer when they are making a reservation or changing something. Its all just pop up windows,believe me its not difficult.
[This message has been edited by Agent (edited 10-22-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Agent (edited 10-22-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Agent (edited 10-22-2003).]

ACE CDN Your post prompted me to double check with reservations as I had originally been given the opposite info.

You are right!!!! I will be issued an LH boarding pass on check-in in YWG. Thanks for the info. It this case it is indeed seamless.