Clipper801

You are not entitled to it but it appears that the Concierge Agent has used his/her discretion to offer you complimentary hotel accomodation because you're SE. In any case, almost all travel insurance and most premium credit cards offer such protection. The priority ranking to the next available seat is more important IMO.

Consumers are entitled to know what they are buying.

neuron

MY OMW experience, so far....

So, when I started this thread, I was toying with the idea of OMW and when I finally booked, I figured that I would try it out (at least one way).

As I was checking today, my flight looked ok. Of course, I get to the airport and was told that my flight was cancelled! So what to do, what to do. Agent protected me on the next available flight (tomorrow). For anyone who goes thru LGA regularly, the agents become quite familiar, and my agent is probably one of the better of the bunch in that he has always been able to get me on a flight, even avoiding giving me the middle seat (even the occasional op-up). I digress.

Agent tells me that I am on the next flight, but nothing I can do tonight. I tell him I bought OMW and he responds "first time I have met someone who admitted that they bought it"

I call the # i was given -- note to AC, it would be nice to put it on the BP, as well as the Itin as I had to dig to find my e-receipt. Agent is very friendly and apologetic for my circumstances. She initially tries to see if I can get on any other flight. Only one option available but I have missed the cutoff window to check my bags. She asks me to give her a few minutes and she will call me back as she will proceed with trying to find me a hotel for the night. Within 10 minutes, she has found me a place to stay for the night and has also given me a credit as a food allowance (dinner and breakfast).

So, all in all, scoff as you will, but I am pleased with OMW. Will I do it again, probably as my usual airports are LGA and YYZ, which do get delayed in the winter.

As for whether OMW trumps SE. Not sure, but I do not think SE get hotels for weather Cx. There were a few others on my flight, incl one SE, and no hotel accomodation, though protected on early flight. Luckily they got hotel rooms. While visions/nightmares of Planes Trains and Automobiles danced in my head, I prob would have helped out a fellow ACer in need, I would prefer no "pillow" incidences.

Stranger

That may be true. But who cares?

If, like 99.99% of us, bought your ticket using Amex or a premium CC, their insurance will cover.

Without having to spend time on the phone with AC or the Out Of My Way 1-800 number.

LRESFG

Was the agent handling OMW with AC or are they an independent service? It was always my impression that OMW was outsourced.

Clipper801

The fact that neuron was able to get through to an agent so quickly is already worth it.

I was wondering if neuron rang the OMW line immediately to arrange the flight protection rather than waiting for the AC agent, would s/he been able to get on the earlier flight? Was the wait to see the AC agent long?

Sunday night, I waited >2h to speak with an AC agent, calling in on the Elite no.

neuron

No, agent told me my flight was cancelled when I got to the airport and tried to checkmy bags. I called OMW immediately and the phone was picked up within three rings.


OMW did all the leg work for me, no reimbursements, no hunting and pecking for a hotel. One phone call is all it took. Maybe I'm not "like 99.99% of us" !

Anyway, I was only reporting my experience FWIW. If you are happy with your cc coverage, you have no need for it.

Clipper801

The wait to access an AC agent may be over 2 hours such as my case on Sunday evening, fortunately at the comfort of my home! OMW callers are obviously jumped to the top of the queue base on neuron's post. I rang in on the Elite no. ending with 7X64.

The comment that you quoted was actually made by Stranger, not me (Post #18). In any case, I concur that On My Way is worth the money based on your experience. When you're able to access an agent within 3 rings and everything - flight protection, hotel, etc. is arranged spoke for it. Excellent decision to buy OMW especially during winter travel. Many folks now stuck at the airport with the next flight until 2 or 3 days later probably regretting being penny wise and pound foolish not to have bought OMW!

Sunny Day

Neuron, good to hear that they took care of you with minimal hassle. I would buy this insurance when I travel to NY as you said it is prone to problems. Would you care to share with us how much OMW costs and which hotel they put you into (near LGA or back in Manhattan), and how much allowance they gave you for meals? Do they pay for the taxi to/from hotel too? Trying to weigh the benefits vs. costs.

wirez666

While enjoying my winter fun at YYZ yesterday I ran into a young lady who was stuck trying to get to YYT. I asked her if she had to spent the night in the airport, and she mentioned that she had purchased OMY and was well taken care of and generally satisfied with the product. It was my first time meeting a customer that had purchased such a product.

Happy flying everyone,

neuron

I suggested to the agent that if AC ever offered an OMW booklet of 10 for a discount, I would seriously buy it, only as I have to fly from LGA so often!

The hotel was within a mile of the airport and the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle (arrived within 5 min), so I did not need a taxi. While it was only a Holiday Inn, I only wanted a bed. The rate on the bill was $109. I did get a dinner and breakfast allowance, that was about the rate I get for when I travel for work. The credit was sent back to my cc that I billed my ticket to. The agent who took care of my call wanted to know if this was everything I required (she even told me where the phone was to call for the shuttle).

I may have said this before, but LGA in winter is bad, when you compound it with the recent snowstorms, it was fortuitous that I did purchase it, but I think it will be something I seriously consider for my LGA-YYZ flights from now on in the winter months.

sing-along

I have a question I would like to ask and perhaps my fellow FTers can provide their input.

OMW vs Rule 240 (which can be reviewed at this link). Rule 240 is part of the General Conditions of Carriage which is listed on AC website at (Rule 240 starts on page 65).

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...r%20Canada.pdf

I wanted to ask are we not all entitled to be rerouted onto other carriers in case of IROPS at AC? I did not type out the entire rule but the following are some of the wording:

Rule 240: Failure to Operate on Schedule
- Applicable if you have a confirmed ticket

It goes on to say in item #9, if the carrier is a codeshare carrier and the operating carrier fails to operate that it would:

The rule goes on to say:

This is where it gets interesting.

Is item #B not part of what OMW is about?

I dug this up because I remember someone at AC telling me about this when I was delayed and was rerouted (this was back in 2003).

I went looking for this as I'm flying to SEA on AC (YVR-SEA-ORD-ATL) and AC is my frist leg. Since I am I am indeed on AC, I am building contingencies since they tend to cancel the Jazz flights. The flight to SEA is a UA flight operated by AC and as first operating carrier, they are responsible to get me to SEA....and seeing how they did this past week -- I am concerned.

But the question is, does Rule 240 provide the same service OMW offers re: being rerouted onto another carrier? IMO, it does.

Cheers

threepoint

I'm under the opinion that the OMW service merely gives you the same service to which everybody is normally entitled, but the fee gives you access to a telephone number that is answered within a fortnight. When every passenger is suddenly forced to scramble for alternate travel arrangements, the management at AC surmises that passengers will consider 'front of the queue' treatment is worth the extra money. And if the OMW treatment doesn't really cost AC much, if anything, to administer, it's yet another (ahem) innovative revenue generator.

So the short answer to your question is 'yes', in my opinion.

Stranger

Probably right. It's yet another of these negative "benefits" in the "a la carte" menu. They have to make you suffer if you don't pay extra from the crap.

In other words, they have to make sure it takes hours to talk to someone on the 1-800 line for people who didn't pay for OMW in order to make the thing worthwhile.

yyzgigi

In addition to the improved phone support, it does give you more than other passengers are entitled to as they will take care of you if the problem is weather related. If it is a weather related delay without this coverage (or that provided by many travel credit cards) you are on your own for out of pocket expenses.

zkzkz

Ok, so for $25 you can get a $109 hotel room if your flight is canceled and the next flight isn't until the next day.

I know some airports are bad, but they're not *that* bad. Seriously, do you really end up having to stay overnight unexpectedly 1 in 4 flights? In all the flying I've done that's happened to me once in my life (and it was my own damn fault, I just plain missed the flight)