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ernie · 02-11-2013, 02:56 PM

I go Westjet if I'm traveling in Canada. I avoid Air Canada as much as I can which given I'm in the states is pretty easy. Why?

First major inconvenience:
-coming back from Europe we land in Toronto and have a tight 2.5 hr connection. Tight because you need to claim baggage, go through customs, put the baggage back through screening etc.

-the ground crew took 1.5 h to get the baggage off the plane, so there is no hope of actually catching the next flight

-It's late at night with 2 kids and Air Canada first refuses to confirm us for another flight at all the next day and then refuses to help us out with a room. In fact the flight they can confirm us on is 3 days out. The reason being it was our fault because we had plenty of time to make the connection as the plan landed on time so they would only do standby for the already overbooked flights.

-imagine if you will, 150 people on the same plane who have missed a connection explaining over and over that because the baggage was so late coming off the plane they had no chance to make the connection and the Air Canada people staring blankly each and every time. A family of 4 hasn't a hope of getting standby tickets when there are so many single seat looking for the same

-the solution? I called up a friend who works for WestJet and they got us on a flight first thing in the morning for minimal cost

Major issue #2:
-different trip to Europe (only one kid at this time)

-on the return flight which was being operated by Lufthansa we get to the Koln airport and find out that Air Canada has CANCELLED the ticket for my wife for the Munich-Toronto stretch

-in addition they have ILLEGALLY moved the lap child from my wifes ticket to my ticket.

-the solution? The Lufthansa flight attendant (and gate attendant) in Munich happened to recognize that we were coming off of one flight and only one of us was boarding the second flight. She also noticed the infant switcheroo. She saved a seat and prevented it from being taken by someone on standby. She makes several comments on how horrible Air Canada is to deal with and they pull this kind of crap all the time.

Major issue #3:
-Boston flight to Montreal

-I check in several hours early as my work in Boston was done early

-they somehow lose my luggage.

-solution? There is none. That was 7 years ago and I still haven't seen it.

Major issue #4...this would be comical if it didn't cause me to miss my presentation i was giving

-going to a conference in Toronto and the last stretch is a Chicago-TO flight (I know avoid O'Hare at all costs but I couldn't)

-weather was moving in

-The gate literally changes 5 times and they have a representative walking us back and forth between the gates as they change

-at the last and final gate the entire plane load of people shows up at this gate led by our gate agent (who I will admit was great) to find out the gate agents at this new and final gate have closed the gate and the EMPTY plane was backing away from the gate.

-solution? There was none. I didn't get out until the afternoon next day and missed my conference presentation.

It was the last time I flew Air Canada. Now i've had troubles with other airlines with cancellations, luggage taking an extra day to get to me etc. but the top 4 annoyances I listed above all happened with Air Canada so they get to be on the receiving end of my hate in threads like this.

02-11-2013, 02:56 PM	#89
ernie Franchise Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Exp:	I go Westjet if I'm traveling in Canada. I avoid Air Canada as much as I can which given I'm in the states is pretty easy. Why? First major inconvenience: -coming back from Europe we land in Toronto and have a tight 2.5 hr connection. Tight because you need to claim baggage, go through customs, put the baggage back through screening etc. -the ground crew took 1.5 h to get the baggage off the plane, so there is no hope of actually catching the next flight -It's late at night with 2 kids and Air Canada first refuses to confirm us for another flight at all the next day and then refuses to help us out with a room. In fact the flight they can confirm us on is 3 days out. The reason being it was our fault because we had plenty of time to make the connection as the plan landed on time so they would only do standby for the already overbooked flights. -imagine if you will, 150 people on the same plane who have missed a connection explaining over and over that because the baggage was so late coming off the plane they had no chance to make the connection and the Air Canada people staring blankly each and every time. A family of 4 hasn't a hope of getting standby tickets when there are so many single seat looking for the same -the solution? I called up a friend who works for WestJet and they got us on a flight first thing in the morning for minimal cost Major issue #2: -different trip to Europe (only one kid at this time) -on the return flight which was being operated by Lufthansa we get to the Koln airport and find out that Air Canada has CANCELLED the ticket for my wife for the Munich-Toronto stretch -in addition they have ILLEGALLY moved the lap child from my wifes ticket to my ticket. -the solution? The Lufthansa flight attendant (and gate attendant) in Munich happened to recognize that we were coming off of one flight and only one of us was boarding the second flight. She also noticed the infant switcheroo. She saved a seat and prevented it from being taken by someone on standby. She makes several comments on how horrible Air Canada is to deal with and they pull this kind of crap all the time. Major issue #3: -Boston flight to Montreal -I check in several hours early as my work in Boston was done early -they somehow lose my luggage. -solution? There is none. That was 7 years ago and I still haven't seen it. Major issue #4...this would be comical if it didn't cause me to miss my presentation i was giving -going to a conference in Toronto and the last stretch is a Chicago-TO flight (I know avoid O'Hare at all costs but I couldn't) -weather was moving in -The gate literally changes 5 times and they have a representative walking us back and forth between the gates as they change -at the last and final gate the entire plane load of people shows up at this gate led by our gate agent (who I will admit was great) to find out the gate agents at this new and final gate have closed the gate and the EMPTY plane was backing away from the gate. -solution? There was none. I didn't get out until the afternoon next day and missed my conference presentation. It was the last time I flew Air Canada. Now i've had troubles with other airlines with cancellations, luggage taking an extra day to get to me etc. but the top 4 annoyances I listed above all happened with Air Canada so they get to be on the receiving end of my hate in threads like this.