I might be the only one, but lately I have been finding that the web checkin on the longer routes is almost useless as AC keeps changing the equipment evern after the 24 hour period. Flying short routes such as YVR to YYC I have not seen much equipment changes. However, since I have been doing more YVR to YYZ and overseas lately, the equipment changes are becoming a pet peeve of mine. With equipment changes come seat changes and they usually are only caught at boarding.

Particularly bad if you are traveling with someone else on a different record locator. Just this past weekend I was traveling with the missus over to LHR. Checkin on the web 24 hours ahead of time and print our boarding passes. Get to the baggage drop and decide to try the new pilot project of printing my own luggage tags. Three AC agents there watching me to see if I can figure out all the screens. Works great, except it also spits out new boarding passes for us as well. I told them that I didn't need them, but the agents said that I should keep them in case I need new wallpaper at home. Off to the lounge and then to the gate where my boarding pass is accepted, but the missus has hers rejected. Our 762 has been changed out to a 763. That is good news for comfort, but not so good as it is back to the podium to get the missus a new boarding pass and hopefully me a seat beside her.

In YYZ we hit the lounge where upon checking our boarding passes give us the news that our 777 is now a 330. So, down to the gate to find we have new seat assignments and we are on opposite sides of the plane again. Gate agent is nice enough to find us two seats together.

Do the web checkin at my London hotel for the return and so far so good. At LHR baggage drop though I am told that the machines at the gate don't read web printed boarding passes real well and that they will print me a couple of new ones. Upon checking though, the agent then finds that our 777 has changed to a 330 and guess what - the missus and I both have new seats nowhere near each other. That is rectified by the agent, but by now I am really wondering why I ever bother to use the web checkin.

Making a connection at YYZ I am confident that we will finally be able to use that web printed boarding pass. The missus by now has lost all confidence in AC and demands that I got to the podium before boarding. I protest, but lose and so off to the podium. Guess what, another equipment change and we both have new seats and are on opposite sides of the plane again from each other. Leave the web boarding passes with the gate agent who says she will try and do something. Boarding begins and I get called back to the podium. Gate agent says that she can't move me, but ask when I get on the plane. Before I can step away, the service director comes up to the podium and asks the gate agent to stop boarding as people have board passes for seats that don't exist. Bottom line is that the equipment has changed twice since I had web checked in at the 24 hour mark, but the computer has not been uploaded with the latest seat plan and so seats like row 6 are being assigned in J when this 762 only has 4 J class rows. End result is that J class passengers are advised as they board to take any seat that they want. (Southwest Airlines is pleased to welcome you aboard).

well if you had checked in at the airport you would still not have seats together. At least by checking in online you can check back later and change your seats accordingly.

Why don't you call AC and have your itineraries linked in advance?

That would solve everything and they'd know you were travelling together. I do this all the time with the Misses and everything works seamlessly on equipment changes with new seat assignments.

Contrary to what Montie "The Profit Python" Brewer says in this months edition of Enroute, equipment changes are very common on int'l routes and you should take steps to minimize your disruption.

If the PNRs are linked, you would be moving together as one unit.

'Course this all does fly in the face of Montie Brewer claiming in this month's enRoute that you can know what type of plane you'll be on when you use aircanada.com to purchase your ticket.

That is for sure. Even the gate agent didn't know what aircraft was parked at the gate, so how can the customer know.

How many different Misses are you flying with at one time? And does Mrs. Gekko know?