Small amount of advance R seats
Jun 27, 1999, 5:18 pm
#1
Company Representative - Air Canada
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Small amount of advance R seats
Just finish calling CP to upgrade my 3:00 flight YVR - YYZ and found out they have no R seats even though there are 11 empty seats! Paid a $100 to switch to 2:15 (747!), I figure it is worth it to have a peace of mind and also worth to get the 1043 miles.
Manage to get the agent to tell me how many R seats left on each flight.
12:00 0 R seats left 7 J seats left
13:00 2 R seats left 14 J seats left
14:15 1 R seats left 19 J seats left
15:00 0 R seats left 11 J seats left
16:00 0 R seats left 12 J seats left
There used to be R seats on the 3:00 flight even when there are only 5 J seats left. I have taken this flight at least 5 times this year. Are they holding back the seats now til last minute cause I notice AC is selling out a lot of their YVR - YYZ flights in both J class and Y class. But give me a break, what do they expect to do with 19 seats?? Or are they just giving the upgrade seats out slowy. Hope I don't have a tough time when I need 2 R seats on a YYZ - YVR - YYZ flight.
Regards,
Empress
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-27-1999).]
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-29-1999).]
Manage to get the agent to tell me how many R seats left on each flight.
12:00 0 R seats left 7 J seats left
13:00 2 R seats left 14 J seats left
14:15 1 R seats left 19 J seats left
15:00 0 R seats left 11 J seats left
16:00 0 R seats left 12 J seats left
There used to be R seats on the 3:00 flight even when there are only 5 J seats left. I have taken this flight at least 5 times this year. Are they holding back the seats now til last minute cause I notice AC is selling out a lot of their YVR - YYZ flights in both J class and Y class. But give me a break, what do they expect to do with 19 seats?? Or are they just giving the upgrade seats out slowy. Hope I don't have a tough time when I need 2 R seats on a YYZ - YVR - YYZ flight.
Regards,
Empress
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-27-1999).]
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-29-1999).]
Jun 29, 1999, 12:44 am
#2
Company Representative - Air Canada
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
UNBELIEVALE. Turns out there were R seats on all those flight. In fact, there were a lot. Don't know when they did became available, but definitely not at the 72 hour mark. They used to become available right at the 72 hour mark. I am extremely frustrated by this since I paid 100 change fee out of my own pocket thinking that there were only 1 R seat on the 215 flight and none on the others. Is this a new tactic CP is using or are they just holding back seats. So does the 72 hour mark become obselete then?
Regards,
Empress
BTW, where's everybody. I am the only posting to the forum for the last 3 or 4 days.
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-29-1999).]
Regards,
Empress
BTW, where's everybody. I am the only posting to the forum for the last 3 or 4 days.
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-29-1999).]
Jun 29, 1999, 11:48 pm
#3
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,222
Well, I'm still here, sorta. I've been putting in 12 hours days for most of the last 3 weeks, and travelling on top of that. Mostly, I'm just too bagged to respond, but I am reading.
I don't think it's a new CP "tactic", but I do think the R class situation right now is a bit unusual. There is the upcoming long weekends in both Canada and the US, school is just out, and there is a real possibility of an Air Canada strike. I think they are holding on to the seats a little longer than they used to.
I noticed that today on YVR-ORD. I did a lot of shuffling over the last few days (partly due to client requirements, partly due to upgrade hunting) to get my upgrade today, but even then, there was 1 empty J seat. I'm told that "have not released" upgrade flights for my return on Friday or Saturday. (It's nice when the client will pay for an unrestricted ticket.)
Regards,
Ken Hamer
P.S.Sorry I didn't realize you were in Vancouver earlier -- I would have hooked up with you. I'll be back Saturday at the latested.
I don't think it's a new CP "tactic", but I do think the R class situation right now is a bit unusual. There is the upcoming long weekends in both Canada and the US, school is just out, and there is a real possibility of an Air Canada strike. I think they are holding on to the seats a little longer than they used to.
I noticed that today on YVR-ORD. I did a lot of shuffling over the last few days (partly due to client requirements, partly due to upgrade hunting) to get my upgrade today, but even then, there was 1 empty J seat. I'm told that "have not released" upgrade flights for my return on Friday or Saturday. (It's nice when the client will pay for an unrestricted ticket.)
Regards,
Ken Hamer
P.S.Sorry I didn't realize you were in Vancouver earlier -- I would have hooked up with you. I'll be back Saturday at the latested.
Jun 30, 1999, 12:28 am
#4
Company Representative - Air Canada
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Really not a smart move by Canadian at all. Anyway, how do the agents know whether the R seats have been released yet, if I ask them, will they be able to tell?
Several factors CP should consider:
1. They should get realistic that even at times when they keep just 1 or 2 seats behind, they can't sell that at last minute, so what is the point of keeping 10 or more. In another way, by doing this, they are making their members like me extremly unhappy by having to do their homework such as paying change fee or shuffling schedule to get an upgrade in otder to get full mile for domestic travel. We earned the upgrades by travelling so much with them, if they decided to start releasing seats only when they wanted to, that'll make a lot of members unhappy.
2. Although AC could go on strike, they are not officially on strike yet, so thinking AC people will pop over to CP is very big thinking, especially after losing 160 million so far, up 65% from last year, they can afford to make their own customer unhappy.
3. If they are holding back R seats longer than usual, then the 100 hour and 72 hour mark just become useless. Just take Ken for example, today is Tuesday, he is returning Friday or Saturday, they still haven't release R seats, by the time they do, both Gold and Platinum member will be able to upgrade, which takes away the advantage of being a Platinum.
4. Let's hope that CP is not learning UA. I think UA's procedure of upgrading and ordering meals on board is exrtemly bad. You call in and upgrade, they put you on a list and you won't know until you get to the airport and find out whether you are clear for it? Ordering meals based on status?? Isn't it ridiculous? They should learn CP, which they ALWAYS have the choice that you want in business class. You've either pay to be in J or F or earned the upgrade to F or J by being loyal to the airline, this is sort of dicrimination from my viewpoint.
5. If CP do think kids are out of school as being a reason of holding R seats longer, they are nuts!! How often do you see a family with kids travel in J class together, and talk about them buying the seats last minute!
what this makes us do is we have to call in every couple hours just to see whether they have released the seats. Although we will do "almost" whatever it takes to get an upgrade, but it wastes a lot of time.
I think there is something CP is doing regarding the R seats the last week or so. It's only a long weekend for US this week since Canada day falls on thursday. Their payload for this weekend's flights between YYZ and YVR aren't even high, they even have web specials for YYZ - YVR for 249 this weekend. So what is the point for holding back 15 J seats on the 747 between YYZ and YVR on tomorrow's flight (BTW, those 15 seats are not being release for upgrade). i am getting frustrated on this situation because out family are travelling in two week to YVR then LAX, I have high hopes of getting all of us upgraded (at least 2 of us) and I have been saving some stickers aside for that trip so that at least my wife can be up there with me. Right now, the flight that I am going on still have 18/25 seats left which usually is quite good for upgrade, however, the way they are playing with the R seats, I am quite terrified. Since I am not travelling by myself, I am not going to pay 100 change fee for each of us just to get upgraded on other flights(there are 3 of us).
Whatever they are doing, it better be back to normal soon, because I am not very pleased with it and I am sure lot of other people too. The system was working perfectly fine before. As more and more people find out about this, there will be a lot of unhappy people. And all of us here flying CP, let's hope that AC does not go on strike, cause they will all spill over to CP, taking away our R seats for sure.
P.S. Wonder whether there are anyone out there who knows the success rate of getting upgrade on YVR - LAX - YVR.
Ken: If I have time, we can hook up when I am in YVR in two weeks with my family.
Regards,
Empress
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-30-1999).]
Several factors CP should consider:
1. They should get realistic that even at times when they keep just 1 or 2 seats behind, they can't sell that at last minute, so what is the point of keeping 10 or more. In another way, by doing this, they are making their members like me extremly unhappy by having to do their homework such as paying change fee or shuffling schedule to get an upgrade in otder to get full mile for domestic travel. We earned the upgrades by travelling so much with them, if they decided to start releasing seats only when they wanted to, that'll make a lot of members unhappy.
2. Although AC could go on strike, they are not officially on strike yet, so thinking AC people will pop over to CP is very big thinking, especially after losing 160 million so far, up 65% from last year, they can afford to make their own customer unhappy.
3. If they are holding back R seats longer than usual, then the 100 hour and 72 hour mark just become useless. Just take Ken for example, today is Tuesday, he is returning Friday or Saturday, they still haven't release R seats, by the time they do, both Gold and Platinum member will be able to upgrade, which takes away the advantage of being a Platinum.
4. Let's hope that CP is not learning UA. I think UA's procedure of upgrading and ordering meals on board is exrtemly bad. You call in and upgrade, they put you on a list and you won't know until you get to the airport and find out whether you are clear for it? Ordering meals based on status?? Isn't it ridiculous? They should learn CP, which they ALWAYS have the choice that you want in business class. You've either pay to be in J or F or earned the upgrade to F or J by being loyal to the airline, this is sort of dicrimination from my viewpoint.
5. If CP do think kids are out of school as being a reason of holding R seats longer, they are nuts!! How often do you see a family with kids travel in J class together, and talk about them buying the seats last minute!
what this makes us do is we have to call in every couple hours just to see whether they have released the seats. Although we will do "almost" whatever it takes to get an upgrade, but it wastes a lot of time.
I think there is something CP is doing regarding the R seats the last week or so. It's only a long weekend for US this week since Canada day falls on thursday. Their payload for this weekend's flights between YYZ and YVR aren't even high, they even have web specials for YYZ - YVR for 249 this weekend. So what is the point for holding back 15 J seats on the 747 between YYZ and YVR on tomorrow's flight (BTW, those 15 seats are not being release for upgrade). i am getting frustrated on this situation because out family are travelling in two week to YVR then LAX, I have high hopes of getting all of us upgraded (at least 2 of us) and I have been saving some stickers aside for that trip so that at least my wife can be up there with me. Right now, the flight that I am going on still have 18/25 seats left which usually is quite good for upgrade, however, the way they are playing with the R seats, I am quite terrified. Since I am not travelling by myself, I am not going to pay 100 change fee for each of us just to get upgraded on other flights(there are 3 of us).
Whatever they are doing, it better be back to normal soon, because I am not very pleased with it and I am sure lot of other people too. The system was working perfectly fine before. As more and more people find out about this, there will be a lot of unhappy people. And all of us here flying CP, let's hope that AC does not go on strike, cause they will all spill over to CP, taking away our R seats for sure.
P.S. Wonder whether there are anyone out there who knows the success rate of getting upgrade on YVR - LAX - YVR.
Ken: If I have time, we can hook up when I am in YVR in two weeks with my family.
Regards,
Empress
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 06-30-1999).]
Jul 5, 1999, 11:38 am
#5
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 8,564
::Wonder whether there are anyone out there who knows the success rate of getting upgrade on YVR - LAX - YVR.::
100% for me! http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
I'll try to post a trip report when I can, but it's already Monday afternoon and if I don't get it done today it will be a while.
(This is not the trip report so I'll try to address empress's question!) I flew YOW-YVR-LAX outbound 27/6 and return 3/7.
Southbound, after I finally got through the connection (many complaints about YVR in the trip report!), I marched up to the gate about 20 minutes before the flight. The agent said she was about to page me and gave me a choice of aisle or window. Took aisle but the window seat ended up empty (perhaps everyone else was travelling in couples!). 11/12 seats occupied. I don't know how many were upgrades as I was so late to the gate.
On the northbound segment, they took my boarding pass and said they'd let me know. When I came back from the lounge, they hadn't done them yet. But went ahead and did mine. I went for 3F. Of interest to empress, while I was getting my upgrade, a couple came up, looking for four (2 Gold + 2 kids). Yeah right, I thought. They got 1A/C/D/F. In the end, 12/12 seats occupied.
On a less optimistic note for empress, the first words out of the agent's mouth were, "it's only one extra per Gold member" (but it turned out both parents were Gold).
Hope this helps.
andrew
100% for me! http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
I'll try to post a trip report when I can, but it's already Monday afternoon and if I don't get it done today it will be a while.
(This is not the trip report so I'll try to address empress's question!) I flew YOW-YVR-LAX outbound 27/6 and return 3/7.
Southbound, after I finally got through the connection (many complaints about YVR in the trip report!), I marched up to the gate about 20 minutes before the flight. The agent said she was about to page me and gave me a choice of aisle or window. Took aisle but the window seat ended up empty (perhaps everyone else was travelling in couples!). 11/12 seats occupied. I don't know how many were upgrades as I was so late to the gate.
On the northbound segment, they took my boarding pass and said they'd let me know. When I came back from the lounge, they hadn't done them yet. But went ahead and did mine. I went for 3F. Of interest to empress, while I was getting my upgrade, a couple came up, looking for four (2 Gold + 2 kids). Yeah right, I thought. They got 1A/C/D/F. In the end, 12/12 seats occupied.
On a less optimistic note for empress, the first words out of the agent's mouth were, "it's only one extra per Gold member" (but it turned out both parents were Gold).
Hope this helps.
andrew
Jul 5, 1999, 11:44 am
#6
Company Representative - Air Canada
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Thanks Andrew...sounds really optimistic for me. But just for some reason, I always hope to get my upgrade before my flight time, I guess don't have to worry about it later. If you said that Gold can bring two other with them in total (1 companion + 1 extra) then it will work out really nice for me, since our family has 3 people including me. However, I am still thinking some stories to the agent so that they can do all 3 upgrades for me ( I am the only Gold member, the other two are Club).
Regards,
Empress
Regards,
Empress
Jul 5, 1999, 3:01 pm
#7
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 8,564
Sorry to bring you down, but no I didn't say a Gold member could bring two extra.
I said there were two Gold parents and two kids.
andrew
I said there were two Gold parents and two kids.
andrew
Jul 7, 1999, 7:36 am
#8
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Canada
Programs: AC SE 2MM, HH Dd, SPG; IC Pl/A; AA; DL
Posts: 14,321
Upgrades are a perk not a right.
Jul 7, 1999, 8:23 am
#9
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,222
That's what you think!
He he...
Ken
[This message has been edited by KenHamer (edited 07-07-1999).]
He he...
Ken
[This message has been edited by KenHamer (edited 07-07-1999).]
Jul 7, 1999, 8:43 am
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Half the World & More and then some.
Programs: BA, SQ, AA, QF, CX, VS
Posts: 1,202
I guess I can't really put my two cents worth on this board since I always travel on full J class tickets (yes, stupid me).