Having been found in some unusual circumstances, perhaps due to weather, but perhaps due to other circumstances, I almost never get any "irregular operations bonuses" anymore from Air Canada.

What constitues irregular operation bonuses? This is a topic that I believe varies from year to year as the industry keeps adjusting.

Still I do not understand what skin it is off AC's back to offer a bonus in points to its truly loyal customers, or all others for that matter, when flights are cancelled or delayed regardless of the reason.

A penny for your thoughts and that is pretty much the value of an Aeroplan point.

I would think that irregular ops would constitute things that AC should have under it's control. So technical problems with the aircraft would be irregular ops, but weather delays would not be. Can you imagine how many AE points they would have had to give out due to the Aug. 19 YYZ storms?

It wouldn't make prudent business sense to me (or to AC shareholders) for AC to give compensation for things that are not under its control (eg weather).

I must admit to getting PO'd about the number of posts here about getting comped by AC for just baout everything under the sun. Most non transportation Companies will not do anywhere near what AC or some other carriers do for minor inconveniences. Major problems that occur do require specific actions on an individual basis.
When I see people demanding points for spilled coffee and other similar minor stuff it really irks me and I think its time the airline industry grows up and tells poeple sh!t happens and to get lost.

Spoken as a shareholder, long time AC pax and long time SE who has had nothing but mostly great service from this airline and feels we as FF'ers should work to help them deliver better service at good prices rather than continuously b!tching at them to send out points for so many useless complaints.

I have to agree that FF's should not be comp'ed for anything that is out of AC's control. That being said, anything within there control, should clearly have some sort of comp: technical problems, etc. It is a clear business rule, that you are responsible to deliver what you promise. Example, you schedule a 9am delivery with Purolator. The parcel does arrive until 10am. You don't pay. Now I'm not saying AC should follow to a T, but if they don't deliver as promised due to their own fault, they should be liable in some sense.

My question was about cancelled flights, not spilled coffee.

I am sure from first hand experience that purolator does not honor that promise any more.

Very few cancelled flts are a result of AC ops....I would almost bet that over 95% of cancelled flts are due to "other" phemomena like weather or crashes etc.

I've definately noticed fewer awards for irregular ops. Over the past two or three years I've gotten them several times a year. I don't think I've gotten any this year, although I've definately had a few irregular experiences. Some may have been weather related, but some most definately were not.

I always thought it was a nice touch. It wasn't the points as much as the recognition by AC that I had had a bad experience and that they wanted to do something to make it up to me. And they did it without me having to point it out to them first.

I'm not saying that I think they should or shouldn't do it. But I think they used to do it more than they do now, and I think that is was a very effective piece of customer relations. I know it was one of the few things AC did that always made me feel like they genuinely cared whether I had a good experience or not.

Oh yes they do! They had a bad run with us earlier this year, and we had several reversed charges in a single week, as well as a personal visit from the VP of Canadian Operations to apologize.
It is not to say that AC has to be perfect, but they need to improve (and have been improving) the identification of the need for, and providing timely and appropriate compensation when they mess up. That is good customer service and thus good business practice, and the FTers here who point this out are doing AC a favour instead of just walking away! It is not whining, well sometimes it is, but the OP in this thread was not.

[QUOTE=HereNow...]Well your experience was better than mine...I got weasel letters but no refunds,

Who said anything about just walking away;but why is it that some only complain when they think there are points in it for them. Make the suggestion for better service and move on


Look if one is stuck overnight due to flt cancellation because of weather it becomes the pax problem which is fair but if the airline causes it due to a mechanical for example thye pay for the night in a hotel usually and/or they give out miles for that inconvenience. But, if its a complaint over a smaller service issue that is whining to expect miles.

Oh, I completely agree with you about unreasonable expectations when it is not the airline's fault -- we see it all the time. However, a screw up by them must be compensated.
Example: A while back I was flying EWR-YYZ and connecting on to YGK. Weather delays put us 90 minutes late. OK, not AC's fault. Repeat -- NOT AC's FAULT! However, we pull up to the gate, jetway out, door opens, but can't get off. No AC GA to 'escort us to Customs'. Twenty f***ing minutes later, we get off. Despite mad sprint, I miss my flight by 10 minutes. (actually it was still there and was not full, but it was "closed"). Last flight of the night, have to stay in hotel. No compensation at the airport nor after written request.

AC 882 last Friday night. The flight left the gate and returned to the gate with a mechanical problem. According to my wife, AC asked the passengers to stay in the IFT, handed out snacks and blankets, and loaded everyone back on a new aircraft the next morning, 10.5 hours late. On arrival at CDG, they each got a credit for $100 on a future AC ticket.

Originally sent to 100,000 miler whom I met in the RCC in LGA:

"All the flights to Canada were eventually canceled and they finally told me around 2000 hours. I ended up staying at the Marriott Courtyard and they charged me $279USD!!!! And the concierge said I shouldn't expect compensation (other than the food coupon I got) since it was due to weather.

The 0715 was also canceled, but I made it out on the 0830...thank goodness for SE!"

Totally agree! ^

Wow, $100 credit , and asked to stay overnight on blankets in the terminal? Sh*t happens? I'd be screaming for alot more. On the other hand, even the new EU rules only require the carrier to provide transportation and hotel accomodation, as well as meals and phone calls. So, the $100 compensation is in lieu of being asked to stay on blankets. I'd be asking for and expecting alot more.