AC J Class Complaints
 

All,

New to the site but have heard good things so please bear with my first post.

I am AC SE and have saved my miles for the past ~4 yrs to go on a "dream" trip to asia first class with my fiancee. Just got back last night. Asia was a dream the trip there and back NOT so much. To the point im thinking of dropping AC/Star alliance and going to One World. Suggestion on how to best voice my issue LOG (yes an entire log of TERRIBLE inflight and airport service)? I dont want just some joker on the phone at AP...VP Marketing at AC or VP Customer Service anyone?

GD

Would you be willing to share what the problem/s was here?

Specifics
 

Lets see.

1. YYZ-HKG on a 777. We were seated cross aisle so talking was hard. Fiancee came over and was sitting in my pod for 15-20 minutes when one of the serivce directors called us to the back and informed us that this is "inappropriate" conduct and that the pods are for one person and one person only. We said we were trying to be respectful of the rest of the cabin who were sleeping. Asked if anyone had complained that we were in one pod talking and were informed "No, but I dont wait for that, I act ahead of things, I have been doing this for 20 years." When we asked if they would rather us yell across the aisle to each other (white noise was turned WAY up) she said "Not to threaten her!!!" I asked for her card to compain and rate the service on flyer talk. She gave it to me but then asked what flyer talk was and when i told her she snappped it out of my hands and said i couldnt have it.

2. 30 minutes later she prances back with that capitan saying we were threatening her and that we "HAD to applogize to the flight attendent"...which we begrugingly did and promptly went to sleep

3. 6 hours later we are awoken with a bright flashlight in the eyes by the in charge im guessing saying he "has had enough of us" that that this is our final warning with some sort of card given to us indicating we have been served with final warning. AND he says the authorities will meet us at the door in HKG.

4. After a VERY stressful 6 hours we land and no authorities.

5. We flew on HKG-TPE on Thai later that day but missed our return TPE-HKG a few days later. I called AC to rebook us and was assured that we were on the next day's Thai flight. We get to airport and Thai has no record of this AND says that J is full. After much arguing they "find" us two J seats and when the plane takes off there is 20% of J empty!!! No on AC but no communication to Thai on the rebooking!!!!

6. On boarding in HKG to return to YYZ the gate attendent took my fiancee's americian passport and said they had to review it then proceeded to help other people in the exec boarding line and tried to tell us to get on the plane WITHOUT passport.

7. On the HKG-YYZ segment there was a family of 4 traveling and they tried to force us into another cross aisle vs. two middles after check in to "accomodate the family". I flatly refused.

7. The family proceeded to make a ton of noise and play father and two kids 3 to a pod for 50% of the flight. One passenger moved his seat but there were no other open seats. When we asked the inflight to quiet things down were told "there is nothing we can do"....seems to be in dramatic contrast to the inappropriate conduct of 2 people sitting quietly talking only 9 days earlier..must have been a policy change.

Overall AC has managed to turn a dream that drove most of my purchasing and travel decisions to become a nightmare that was sooooooo unpleasant I doubt i will fly AC ever again.

There is no way they threaten to kick off someone for just nothing. It takes 2 to esculate -- there must be more to the story.

I would disagree with that... I had an AC flight from YYZ to YSJ where I asked for a blanket. The FA gave me one and then the guy beside me (other side of the isle) asked for one. She said they were all out. He said something like fine but didn't seem angry. 5 minutes later the co-pilot came back and asked why he was trying to make the FA cry!??! I was standing there and this guy did nothing to her. So maybe she heard something else.

As for this story - who knows. Maybe she was just a nut case or had a bad day or was upset at the state of AC and decided to take it out on the OP. But it does not surprise me in the least. Lately just about every AC flight I have got on the in-charge seems to just be so nasty. Twice I told the other FA in the cabin that they should report their supervisor. But with the layoff's, etc I only expect it to get worse. It's a shame - there are a lot of really great FA's/Crew/GA's... but it seems that the ones that have been there for 20 years are just so bitter. I can't really blame them - but it sure makes you think about flying a newer airline. That's the main difference I see what I fly Virgin America. They are all new and 99% are just really nice people. Not yet jaded :)

How do two people sit in a pod? The seat is only wide enough for one, so one must be sitting on top of the other I guess?

The service directors on your flight sound like a right pair of jackasses...

you lie the seat flat or one can sit on the foot rest. and honestly this is the whole story. This lady went completely POSTAL and my guess is 6 hours later realized what she did so got her boss to cover her behind with that stupid card. Again just looking for best route into AC to tell them why they are losing a SE...doubt they will care but working in customer facing business I would want to know why im losing some of my best customers.

I fully agree on the layoff front and to the point re: 20 year people vs. fresh faces. the old timers are just bitter.

Presumably one pax sits in the seat and the other facing him/her, perched on the footrest. This works well on BA in First, but it's more awkward with the AC pods and if I recall correctly, the AC pods may contain an inconspicuous written notice to the effect that the footrest should not be used as a seat. This may be what got the OP in trouble in the first place.

The AIRNZ pods have the seat at the end where one can sit.

I assumed the AC ones where the same until I was told "Can you not read"?

Hmm I looked and then seen the label. No sitting.

This is one reason when travelling together to say SYD at least you can sit and have a chat together.

Unfortunatly Transport Canada didn't agree with the ottoman being a proper seat - hence not allowed to sit on the ottoman.

Apparently because it has no seat belt. And obviously AC does not want to pay extra for one. Nor having to carry the extra weight.

If I remember correctly the AIRNZ seat is quite larger?

There must have been some hanky panky going on in that POD:D
Sounds like a real ridiculous story.

I dont believe that fair to say that everyone who has been with AC for 20-years are bitter. Flew back from CDG-YUL yesterday and was opped-up. Sure there were the usual issues with the seat and IFE but the crew was outstanding (incl the in-charge). Overall, the crew was very senior with one of the FA's being in his 31st year and another I think around 20 years. My comments on how good this crew were have already been sent to customer relations.