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Air Canada to charge for customer service
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| dEsidEL |
you gotta love the Canadian telecom and transportation industries .. absolutely world class
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Air Canada to charge for customer service
Airline adds fee to aid customers when flights delayed or disrupted due to weather, traffic
April 03, 2008
Chris Sorensen
Business Reporter
It was bound to happen eventually: Air Canada now wants you to pay extra for better customer service.
In an era of continued cost-cutting, the country's largest airline yesterday rolled out a new service called "On My Way" that, for a fee, promises to help passengers cope with delays and cancellations beyond the airline's control, including bad weather or airport traffic.
"This is something that many airlines used to do in-house," said Rick Erickson, a Calgary-based airline consultant. "But since the advent of the low-cost carrier, everybody wants cheap fares."
Air Canada said passengers who opt to pay an additional $25 one-way on short-haul flights and an extra $35 one-way on long-haul routes within North America will receive "speedy" access to "specially-trained" customer service agents who will help rebook flights on Air Canada or other airlines, as well as pay for hotel stays and meals, if necessary.
Air Canada said the program, which applies to any flight cancelled within 48 hours of the scheduled departure, goes beyond the industry practice of assisting customers affected by schedule changes deemed to be the airline's fault, such as mechanical problems with aircraft, scheduling glitches or crew members failing to show up for flights.
But while Air Canada is touting the program as an industry-first, at least one observer said it was once common for big North American carriers to go out of their way to help inconvenienced or stranded customers – free.
Erickson said Air Canada's latest effort could prove popular given Canada's unpredictable winter weather, particularly at the country's largest airport in Toronto, where thousands of flights can be disrupted by a snowstorm.
However, Erickson cautioned that Air Canada will need to ensure customers who pay extra get their money's worth.
"When there's a disruption, everyone's going to be calling at the same time," he said. "And if you can't deliver on this, there will be real hell to pay as far as public relations go.
"People are going to have heightened expectations."
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source:
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/409330
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| Knox |
soon we'll be paying people to say hi to us.
"25 dollars to check in please....otherwise wait in this line over there.....":rolleyes: |
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| dEsidEL |
gotta wonder if we'll be asked to pay extra for landing gear..
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| Knox |
"Hello Passangers. This is your captain. I want to thank you for flying with Air Canada today. In a few short minutes we'll be starting our descent. Our cabin crew will be coming up the aisles collecting $5 from each passanger, should you want to land safely. Please note that this fee is not mandatory, as you have the option to jump from the plane before landing.
We hope you enjoyed your flight with Air Canada and hope you enjoy your stay or stop over in........" |
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| Irishaddict |
I read that article twice and I still don't know what the extra money would get me - free meals and stayovers at hotels? Isn't that now insurance? Which you have the option of getting anyways when you book the flight?
I laughed at the fact flights get cancelled because crew members don't show up. They should be paying out of their pockets for related expenses for the travelers of that flight staying grounded. I imagine no one would be skipping work then! |
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| Jayx1 |
i havnt flown air canada for years. They are acting more and more like a low cost airline yet are always at least 30-50% more than the competition.
Plus now you have to pay a crapload extra just to be able to collect aeroplan points.
Meh!! |
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| Moral Hazard |
| quote: | Originally posted by Irishaddict
I read that article twice and I still don't know what the extra money would get me - free meals and stayovers at hotels? |
No, the extra fee gets you access to some asswhipe intern student from a college travel agent program working a call centre somewhere who will add you to the list for the next available flight and then forward your call to a local hotel. So what you're really getting is not having to wait in a line to re-book your flight and/or looking in a phone book for the number to a hotel.
BTW, this has been something nearly all airlines did for free about as long as I can remember. |
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| Knox |
| quote: | Originally posted by Irishaddict
I read that article twice and I still don't know what the extra money would get me - free meals and stayovers at hotels? Isn't that now insurance? Which you have the option of getting anyways when you book the flight?
I laughed at the fact flights get cancelled because crew members don't show up. They should be paying out of their pockets for related expenses for the travelers of that flight staying grounded. I imagine no one would be skipping work then! |
True speak.
I worked in hotels for the longest time, right on the front line. Unforeseen circumstances happen... The guest gets upset... The hotel sucks it up. Discount from the room rental, hotel pays. Comp stay... Hotel Pays.
Hotel is Overbooked - - Guest gets free hotel stay, transportation to new hotel, one phone call, and return Comp back to their original hotel.
Customer Service.
Suck it up Air Canada.
Deal with it. |
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| magikb |
Wow, that is totally unbelievable. I don't fly Air Canada, nor will I.
I now also look at flights out of Buffalo or Detroit when thinking about traveling, only to avoid the additional $150 in taxes from Pearson. |
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| INTRANCE |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
i havnt flown air canada for years. They are acting more and more like a low cost airline yet are always at least 30-50% more than the competition.
Plus now you have to pay a crapload extra just to be able to collect aeroplan points.
Meh!! |
Totally! Aircanada flights are ridiculously over priced, I have never flown with them and probably never will. |
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| oldschool420 |
| I never understand comments about Air Canada being ridiculously over priced. I always get great deals on flights with Air Canada. I have always noticed they are cheaper or at least the same price compared to west jet to be honest. I've never had a problem with Air Canada, which is why it is pretty much the only airline I fly with. |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by oldschool420
I never understand comments about Air Canada being ridiculously over priced. I always get great deals on flights with Air Canada. I have always noticed they are cheaper or at least the same price compared to west jet to be honest. I've never had a problem with Air Canada, which is why it is pretty much the only airline I fly with. |
"same price" until they add in the hidden $150-$300 fuel surcharge that is |
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