FlyerGoldII

I saw a news program last night - I can not remember whether it was CTV or CBC, it is also corroborated in the Globe and Mail article:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

1. Westjet giving out refreshments (pizza and beverages to waiting passengers).

2. Someone has to confirm this - but the news story last night suggested that Westjet was giving out hotel and/or restaurant vouchers to such passengers! - while an AC official was quoted as saying that it is following the industry norm in that compensation is not offered to passengers on flights undergoing delays due to weather.

3. A special Westjet incentive - cancel the flight booking now, and get a credit for 2x the amount - to be used within 1 year!

http://c3dsp.westjet.com/guest/webAl...sories_guesten



So if AC were to match - yes, it would need to spend some money, but it would gain in the long run through increased good will which would eventually lead to increased business.

Altaflyer

It is exactly stories like this and the impressions that people who were directly impacted retain into the future that will multiply the value of a few slices of pizza over and over and over. Office staff on front lines? Well done. Where was Montie and Co. again?

pilotboy1985YYC

My friend just flew from YHZ-YYZ-YEG.
Flight was delayed three hours out of yhz and left at 1130pm and got into YYZ at 1am ish. Then was stuck till 1030am because the YEG flight was delayed.
Now Air Canada has lost his luggage. And he has no xmas gifts for family. He isn't a freq. Flyer and does not collect aeroplan miles.

He said he could see how WestJet treated their guests much better than AC and he said he'll never fly air canada again. Not because of the delays but because how they were treated.

Shame air canada!

YOWkid

1) You think free stuff is great. In fact, everyone thinks free stuff is great. I do too. (Nothing wrong with this. But...)

2) Everyone believes that the airline industry should give free stuff to their passengers when sh!t happens regardless if it's God's fault or Montie's fault (though God and Montie really shouldn't be going in the same sentence).

3) You are stuck in traffic for four hours on the 417. Do you go to MTO, the City of Ottawa, and the local gas station asking for free gas/compensation/whatever because you were inconvenienced?

4) Loyalty in the Canadian (and more or less worldwide) airline industry goes as far as the next seat sale. Just look at those who vow never to fly a certain airline again. Oh, and then a seat sale comes and they are the first ones to jump online or call the call centre to book. So goodwill? Whatever. Not for most people. Money is king.

5) If you think WS is so much better, just go fly them. See if they will comp your Super Ego status.

Tangoer

Last night it was suprising how the national CBC and CTV news reports ripped into AC in great detail. They covered the horrors imposed on AC flyers (being held hostage on planes, and 2 staffers for a lineup of hundreds with no communication; and the cancellation all YVR flights).
The AC corporate brand and logo was dragged through the mud (again) on national TV.


A parade of weeping and hysterical AC customers was shown to us along with an stiff and rigid AC spokesman who explained in terse, wooden corporate-speak how these horrors were a necessary evil.

And then, the WS "utopia" was unveiled (cue rays of light and angelic music): a friendy casually-dressed WS spokeman and the handing out of food and drink to waylaid passengers.

It is clear the AC has the worst customer service in Canada and is certainly among the top 3 worst in N. America. The blame rests squarely upon management who has neutered, understaffed, and dis-empowered employees.


There WILL be a strike in 2009. That is why AC has recently raised financing, it's their own strike war chest.
After thi s recent fiasco I am sure employees are tired of abuse from both flyers and management.

To all of you who re-qualified for E or SE I'm certain your 2009 certs will become worthless wallpaper.

Toule911

I confirm that Westjet are giving out hotel vouchers to passenger with cancelled flight due to bad weather. AC would never do that.

YOWkid

Do you mean worst airlines in Canada? There are only two big ones after all so I guess it's not hard to make the top three.

But if you're talking about the three worst companies in North America (in general or airlines), then you need to get out a little more. I can already think of about five U.S. airlines that are worst than AC. For three, U.S. Scareways, Untied, and American.

What does this have to do with anything?

Altaflyer

Well, I was thinking about this when getting off my WS flight in YQB where there were a number of pax who were supposed to be in YYZ (overflew YYZ). Why is it not an airline's responsibility to handle stranded passengers? This stuff happens and its part of their business - DEAL WITH IT. When my cargo shipment is delayed on that closed hwy 417 I am not asked by the freight company to pay for the extra time it was stuck on the highway, the freight company "deals with it" as part of their business. Why not airlines? It's just good service. Does it cost? Yup. Does the bad press AC cost? Yup. Wonder how the two balance out against each other?

roll-x

Perhaps you need look no further then how many passengers are carried daily by each carrier.

tcook052

More will after hearing & reading these stories.

Sebring

Does you freight company put it up your package in a hotel and feed it? Really now.

Maybe the airlines should put people up in hotels if ATC is slow, if weather is poor, if the local airport authority is making runway repairs. But then it's going to be built into fares and we will never hear the end of how the airlines are ripping off the public.

Tangoer

"For three, U.S. Scareways, Untied, and American."

Correct! That means for N. American *A travel you must deal with the apparent "Axis of Evil": AC, UA, and UsAir.

RCyyz

Just because AC is in the dominant position, it doesn't have the right to ignore the pax.

The trouble is though, AC management has successfully created a "them vs us" attitude with their own employees. We see that in many threads here. It's not surprising then that the pax end up suffering.

Fixing AC's issues aren't necessarily difficult, but they do involve an element of being truthful to employees as well as pax. Until AC management starts to lead by example, then these issues which are well-discussed in various threads will persist.

In the meantime, WS pax will continue to enjoy their free pizza during exceptional IROPS.

arf04

It is not all beauty and light over in Westjet-land: http://www.leaderpost.com/WestJet+pa...164/story.html

I wonder if one would hear more of these kinds of stories if WS carried the same number of passengers as AC?

The one thing that AC coule learn here, I think, is to give employees at the airport level the authority to do things to alleviate people's stress when things really do go t*ts up (eg bring in snacks, and the like).

Has anyone ever heard of a bus company putting passengers up in a hotel because the highway was snowed in? I think we have this expectation that the airlines are responsible for us because we bought a $99 one way ticket from YVR-YYC and thus should pay for anything we need while we wait for the weather to improve.

LeSabre74

You're wrong there. When people have a very specific reference point: "Air Canada made me miss Christmas with my family" it becomes burned into their mind to avoid them again. Similarly when Joe Blow goes to book flights next Xmas, the memory of seeing AC blasted by holiday travellers will return.

As usual, AC ineptly blundered into finding a way to make a bad situation seem worse.