45 minutes?!?!? I just counted.... It takes 67 keystrokes to set up a file, plus your name and aeroplan number. So call it 100 keystrokes to build a file with seats. With ticketing and depending on the length of your credit card number lets call it 200 key strokes. At 45minutes times 60 seconds that works out to one key stroke for every 13.5 seconds. If I worked like that I would be homeless by now.

Interesting.

I was charged the fee although my itinerary, which included two legs on Thai, could *NOT* be booked online.

Like I said in previous post, I think collectively we need to stand up to the call centre BS when there is no way to book the flight online. Yes, the $20 or $30 is not a huge amount of money, but it adds up over time and think about how many others they are screwing over. Give us the tools to book it online and I have no issue with the service fee, but they can't have it both ways.

Much of the 45 minutes I was on hold because the res agent "couldn't book the flights even though they were showing up for her". Not really a keystroke issue but rather an IT problem, although I get your point. The res agent herself had trouble booking the flights, nevermind it being impossible online, yet I still get stung with call centre fees. :td:

Service Charge for Booking AE Rewards ONLINE
 

I wanted to share a response I received from AE regarding my request for reimbursement of call centre fees when a reward flight was unavailable to be booked online.

"In case of persistent problems, our technical assistance desk must first be reached. According to internal guidelines, these agents have the authority to transfer calling members to the Aeroplan Centre and authorize ticket issuance without charge. However, any direct inquiry such as yours will result in the collection of the service fee"

So in other words you must call India, spend 15 minutes hearing about clearing your cookies and then hopefully they will find the same issue you have and transfer you back to an Aeroplan agent.

"We regret to learn you were unable to complete a reward booking online. Kindly note, when online reward bookings were first offered through the aeroplan.com website there was a plan to introduce a universal booking fee whether a booking was made online or through the call centre. Realizing the website’s booking functionalities were not yet at par with what could be achieved through the call centre Aeroplan management decided to delay the introduction of this fee for online reward bookings until such time both services would be comparable."[I]

Can you believe that they are actually going to charge a service fee to book online as well??? :mad: :mad: :mad:

You can do as is required (15+mins) or you can try to do as you wish (45+mins).

:td: :td: :td: :td:

When booking a reward flight, the aeroplan.com web site often does not display the available flights, thus forcing you to book through the call centre.

Aeroplan is well aware of this, yet they have not modified any of the following policys:
1. require their agents to collect the fees
2. require their agents to refuse to permit customer to speak with a team leader or supervisor
3. reply to e-mails with boilerplate responses telling you how lucky you are because they may start charging a fee to use their web site too.

Despite this "add insult to injury" customer service policy, you can get this money refunded, but be prepared to spend a lot of time calling and e-mailing.

As an F.Y.I. - I usually can not book (on the AC Website) an M class fair to Asia (required for instant upgrade) so I call the SE Desk. When I explain that I was unable to get an M fair on the website they waive the fee...

Can you believe that they wouldn't try? If they could charge for air by the breath I'm sure they would/will.

'Course then there won't be any incentive to book online, will there?

Indeed that is a very good point. The increased pressure on call centers would clog up the reservation system.

Until their website is 100% functional, they should not be charging any fees whatsoever. And we should not have to jump through hoops to avoid the fee. Next they will ask for your credit card number before they will even talk to you. The website often shows multiple stops with overnights for a 4 hour domestic transcon and when you phone they can find a nonstop but they want their fee.

Which is itself an incentive to book online.

Like I said, they are well aware of this problem and although it may take some it may take some persistence, you can get this back.