Air Canada Consumer Reviews - Page 5

I would like to report some poor personal experiences with Air Canada ground crew at the Pearson (Toronto) Airport. I was traveling from Hong Kong to Toronto and returning on June 13, 2009 on AC015. The check-in process was rather slow that morning as the ground crews insisted everyone one to weight-in their luggage before check-in. The crews tried very hard to slap a fine for luggage with slightest excess in weight as they suggested it was according to the management strict instruction.

As they cannot find my luggage being over-weighted, the lady suggested one piece of my luggage being over-sized, a few inches above 62 inches according to the guidelines. I explained to her that it was the same luggage I bought in from Hong Kong as it was my returning flight. I have also used the same piece many times in the past with AC (over 5-6 times round-trip at least) and no one ever mentioned the same situation.

She bought in the ground manager, a young lady with hot temper. She was talking to her cell-phone all the time while she was with me and from what I overheard it sounded like some problems at home with kids. She claimed one time it was it was a new rule and later it was an old rule from the past but never enforced. She also suggested allowing the over-sized luggage came on board was the fault with the ground crews at Hong Kong and they are not doing their job.

She then threaten that either I pay the fine (Cad$100) or not getting on the flight before slipped away soon. I have to pay as I have my schedule to meet at home. Bring your personal problem to work, not admitting your own fault while threatening a client is definitely the worst experience I have with any airline. I hope I can get a view from your management soon before I bring it to other consumer agencies. Thanks for the attention.

Got nowhere with Air Canada customer relations department on this complaint: on 09 Jan 2009 I booked and received confirmed status (in writing) on Air Canada flight 15 – Toronto to Hong Kong. For a flight in April 2009. My booked & confirmed seat was 18k. (Note this confirmed booking was completed more than 100 days in advance of departure date.)

At check-in, I was given a boarding pass for seat 19k. I was told that 19k was my booked seat. Despite showing the actual print-out dated 09 Jan confirming seat 18k, I was told 19k was in the system, and that no changes had been made – that in fact if any change(s) had been made, the ‘system would reflect the change(s).

I was denied my confirmed 18k seat for the trip. On board the aircraft, after take off, I engaged the passenger is seat 18k in a conversation. I asked him how he got his seat in row 18, and when did he book? His reply: “oh, a friend of mine who is super elite status booked this flight for me about 09 Apr [10 days prior to departure]. My friend told me not to worry, if he could not get me a seat in business class, he would get me the next best thing”.

Anyone even slightly acquainted with the daily Toronto – hong kong – Toronto flights (ac15 – ac16) knows full well that seats in row 18 are gone - often months in advance of departure. There is no way a seat in row 18 was available 10 days in advance of departure. Particularly during the last two weeks in April when business travel to hkg spikes due to the several trade fairs occurring in that period.

it is abundantly clear that the super elite client friend of the passenger in seat 18k on this flight was able to have someone at Air Canada bump from me out of seat18k to seat 19k. Air Canada can tell me until they are blue in the face that this did not occur – but I am not buying that for one minute.

I am mad as hell that I was treated in this manner. I can't tell you how to run your airline, but I can tell many people about how I was treated on this occasion and I can tell them how you did, or did not, make it up to me. It is in your hands. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

PORTLAND-VANCOUVER-LONDON HEATHROW, OREGON -- First of all I am British, live in America and my natural disposition is not one who usually moans about anything, so I hope that will make this complaint ever more surprising to those reading this. Also I usually fly economy class domestically within the US but as I also have to fly between the West Coast (Portland, OR) to London, UK. I usually fly United Business Class on those occasions.

In fact I have always liked flying United Business Class and in fact recently made the wrong decision in deciding to fly Air Canada Business Class instead. My reason for this was simply because I thought flying from Portland (PDX) to Vancouver and then onto London would save me about 2 hrs from my normal route on United via San Francisco.

My flight from Vancouver to London Business Class was dreadful - firstly the in-flight entertainment did not work at all on the flight. For a journey of 9 hrs or so that is totally unacceptable for Business Class, when you are paying nearly $4,000 for a ticket... Also sitting in front of me was an Air Canada employee, while I did not speak to her I gathered she must have been involved in Air Canada training.

In fact the flight crew seem more interested in chatting with her than actually doing their job and serving customers. The return flight was also awful, the food service was curtailed apparently because of turbulence, which was a rather lame excuse considering that only lasted 5 mins. Again the entertainment system did not work for 90% of the flight. Also the food was not to the standard I had encountered on flying United - and I certainly won't ever fly Air Canada again.

To try to calm passengers, they then have the audacity offer you a small number of air miles or credits towards future travel. That tells you they don't value your custom - because they are not actually willing to give you a cash refund for whole or part, because they know you won't fly Air Canada again!!! Any compensation should be tangible, not something that links you in or makes you required to fly Air Canada...

I would say that in particular, if you happen to be a Business Class traveler and were considering Air Canada due to route change, or such like, don't do it.. Its not worth it, long trips are stressful in themselves, letting alone having to deal with the very very poor quality that Air Canada provides.

CANADA -- Wow, I am completely appalled right now. I flew air Canada from Fort McMurray to Edmonton Alberta, which is about a forty give minute flight. Well on my flight to Fort McMurray my plane was delayed two hours. Which led me to flying at 11:00 at night with a 18 month old. I bet all you moms know how that went. On my way back on my returning flight, they had lost a piece of my luggage. They said it was in Fort McMurray still. The man assured me that it would be at my house the next day. Then they said they didn't know where it was at all, when I had phoned the next day. I got two piece of luggage at my arrival of them but one was delayed/lost.

How do they lose a piece of luggage in forty five minutes. And how did I only get half of it? My winter coat was in there, which would've been nice for this -30 weather. All of my school books were in there, and because of them I wasn't able to write my diploma for social studies. I am a SINGLE TEENAGE MOM ( 17 years old ) trying to graduate from school and they just ruined that for me. Now it is going to take even more money and more time to accomplish something I tried SOO hard to do, so I can give me and my daughter a good life. They even told me they weren't going to pay for anything at all in the meantime. The new toothbrushes I had to buy, necessities etc.

They also told me that they were NOT going to pay for the next semester of school which I think is stupid because they are the ones who caused me to fail in the first place and if it weren't for them and their stupidity I wouldn't have to fork out more money to RE-DO that course. I've heard nothing but awful things about Air Canada.

Good thing I work in a bathing suit shop and all the people I assist in the winter time are going on vacations. I am going to tell them NOT to fly air Canada, because I and a majority of people I talk to have had nothing but problems. This wasn't the first time Air Canada delayed our luggage ;). And I was also probably the 30th person in like at the baggage service when my wasn't on the conveyor belt.

23320, VIRGINIA -- I purchased a 40-inch flat screen TV with warranty. 4 months after purchase the TV stopped working. I called Circuit City's warranty department, I got someone out to take a look at my TV to see what was wrong with it. OK, now I got a repair guy out. He's got to order a part, this is going to take 10 days. He said, took 3 weeks. So now I get a call. My TV part is in. I scheduled a day to have someone to come out and replace the part. So again I take a day off.

So now when the guy is supposed to come out and fix my TV I get a call from a guy who I can't understand what he's saying but something about do I have the part for my TV. I tell him, "No." So I called the warranty department at Circuit City and find out they sent the part to the wrong repair company, so I was told I needed to reschedule a day to get it fixed. I told them, "I'll take it to the store. He can fix it there cause I can't miss any more work."

Now I get my TV fixed, so I think. I get my TV home and go to turn it on but again it won't work. So now I try to turn my TV on manually and it works when you turn it on manually but won't work with the remote. Again I called the warranty department and tell them my TV is not fixed. I'm told they will call me back in 2 to 3 days to figure out what we're going to do next.

So now it's been a week and I get a call that Circuit City sent a defective part and is going to replace my TV with a new one. So now I'm told I can get a 37 inch TV, but wait I bout a 40 inch TV. So again I called Circuit City and spoke to a manager in repairs and was told he will submit an email to see why I was offered a 37 in TV when I purchased a 40 inch. After my ordeal with Circuit City I will never buy anything from them again. I've dealt with nothing but misinformed incompetence.

EL PASO, TEXAS -- Just as many other unemployed people here in the US and searching for employment on the web, I came across Circuit City'€™s big deal about declaring bankruptcy. And I was wondering what could possible go wrong with such big company, being the second largest electronic retailer in the US and not making it through this tough economic times. I would think that being the second largest electronic retailer is probably not what Circuit City wants but being the first. But why can'€™t they become the first one?

As a loyal Circuit City customer I must say that I find it very annoying going to the store most of the time. Here in my hometown as I am sure in many other towns there is a Circuit City and Best Buy right next to each other, and there'€™s been many times that I just walk out of Circuit City and go to the competitor not only cause is right next door but because it is somewhat more "€œconvenient"€. Remember, this is a store that has equipped my home/auto with the best technology.

As simple and stupid as this might sound for some, would it be possible that the way Circuit City is arranged inside, showrooms, lighting, etc and most of the time terrible customer service (showing company'€™s care for the customer) this store provides be the obstacle for such success? The long product isles to choose a product you'€™re desperately looking for, are very frustrating, unlike the competitor'€™s short isles with lots of different products to choose from giving the consumer a wide variety of products to choose from not just that one item they were looking for but allowing consumers NOT to walk out empty handed.

This might be just one single opinion and might not go anywhere or influence anybody's mindset. But I wonder how many millions of customers feel the same way about Circuit City and business is just going away and no one in hire power is doing absolutely nothing to rescue the company. Good luck and wish the best to Circuit City'€™s top managers. Sincerely, Loyal Circuit City customer.

CALGARY -- Christmas this year has been plagued by weather problems that have been affecting flight however Air Canada not only has the most cancellations but also the worst customer service I have ever seen. Our original flight on December 22 was cancelled minutes before we were to leave for the airport. Understandable as many flights were cancelled that day. However, after waiting on hold for 2 hours to try to get another flight, the earliest we could get out was boxing day. But, I could keep calling back and waiting for hours on hold as other flights could come available and they would not phone customers when flights became available.

I guess if I had paid the extra $35 bucks for their "customer service plan called On My Way Assistance" I would have gotten some service? I phoned again on December 23 and waited on hold for an hour and was able to book space on a flight leaving that night. We arrived at the airport and found out that the flight was late. 15 minutes to boarding we find out (only by looking at the departures board) that our flight was cancelled. There was not an Air Canada employee to be found.

In fact, we noticed that a few minutes before the flight cancellation came up they closed the customer service desk and left. After a while one very rude employee came out and basically told everyone to go home, that nothing was going to happen anytime soon and to phone again tomorrow. This man was very rude and refused to even answer simple questions as to why the flight was cancelled.

Trying to re-claim our luggage was also a disaster as they had just dumped that bags from the 2 cancelled flights in a pile for everyone to try to sort through. Again, not an employee to be found anywhere to help out or answer questions.

I have currently been on hold for 1/2 hour trying to get through again, but Christmas has been ruined. What I would like to know is why all of these Air Canada flights on the 23rd have been cancelled while WestJet flights are taking off and landing just fine. I have never been a fan of Air Canada service, but after this I will never, ever fly with them again.

UPPER MARLBORO, MARYLAND -- I can sum it up as HELL!!! I went to their site to find the availability for Sony 4GB Walkman. They gave me a store in Rockville MD. Went there, the salesperson in the section could not locate the color I wanted but gave me black. When I got to the register the price was not what was online, it was double ($100 instead of $49.99). Of course I choose not to take it especially because it was not my color of choice. I then went back online and located it in another store about 20 miles away.

We bought it online and the website claims the order will be ready in 24 min. but because today is black Friday I gave them few hrs then went to the store to pick up. The first customer service found the Sony walkman and asked another salesperson to help. The second salesperson though I should not get the Sony Walkman. She want to give my walkman to another person and refunded my money to my card. Well I was with my 8yr old daughter did not want to cause any negative attention, as I was very offended by her actions.

So I later called their customer service for complaint. I had a 20 min conversation with someone I could not understand then requested a supervisor who basically said there is northing she could do for me but document the case and report to the upper management. Then called the store Manager who said his name is Jeffery and basically said the same thing that there is nothing he can do to help.

I truly think this is a racist act. There is no other reason I could come up as of why they felt it was OK for them to bully me. And it seem to be acceptable behavior by Circuit city'€™s Management and that's why none of the supervisor as well as management felt I deserve some help!!! Of course I will complain with MD office of consumer relations as well as BBC but this is not acceptable and should not be acceptable!!!

I have just returned from a trip to Cuba. I arrived at the airport and was told my luggage was overweight and I would have to pay $100.00. OK I was over not that much but over. I reluctantly paid and went to wait for my flight. I was told I would NOT connect in Edmonton, they would send me straight through.

My luggage went to Edmonton and did not connect so I filed a claim in Toronto and was told they would send it to Havana if they found it. I told them I was staying in Varadero and they could send it to the resort as it was quite far from the airport.

In Varadero, I was told, "No problem." As soon as they got it, I would get it to me. I waited all the first day then all the second. The third day, the silver wings representative tried to help and was told there "We have some bags floating around somewhere." I did get my bag back on the way home at the Pearson airport going around on a carousel.

I must say they stole enough out of it that it was no longer overweight. When I got home and looked, there was 5 designer never worn T-shirts missing, a huge box of Costco size chocolate bars, 2 very expensive bras, a pair of shoes, some other underwear, shampoo, conditioner both very good quality because of the sun and salt sea, body wash and some perfume Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline.

I had no clothes. There is not much to buy in Cuba and it was a $20 taxi trip to get to the stores. I bought a few things there. Now you messed up a beautiful holiday and I had to wait around for luggage that never arrived. I spent money on clothes I didn't even like. In other words, you ruined a trip of a lifetime for me. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Not once did I get contacted to see if I got my luggage. Not once did I get an apology or even anyone from your company that seemed concerned in the slightest way.

Then to arrive in Canada and see MY lost luggage going around on the carousel with no one to tell me it was even there. The concern over no clothes was not supposed to be a part of a holiday I had worked years for. AS I SAID WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT.

PS. While on the subject of the airlines, their food is terrible. Not only do you pay well for it, when you bite into one of their sandwiches you are covered with dust, not crumbs. Perhaps they are dried and need reconstituting.

I arrived well over two hours early for return flight from Toronto to LAX and checked in. Despite having chosen a seat during my internet ticket purchase, no seat assignment was printed on my boarding pass. Ticketing and luggage matters were handled smoothly initially.

Well before boarding commenced I lined up to receive seat assignment, but the single agent handling all pre-boarding matters was so busy with phone calls, etc., he required 40 minutes to service only the 8-10 passengers ahead of me. Consequently I was only assigned a seat at the very last minute-after standing unnecessarily in line-and boarded. I received a window seat but needed an aisle seat since I must use the toilet frequently. During the flight an attendant handed me a message stating that my luggage was not aboard the flight.

1. The boarding agent did not call for assistance, thus not only delaying the flight's departure, but the flight attendant then lied about the reason for delay in his PA announcement upon takeoff.

2. The boarding agent had every reason to know that the luggage of last minute boarders would not be loaded, since security requires that flier must be boarded-or at least have a seat assignment- before his luggage will be loaded.

3. Since the boarding agent was so far behind, many other passengers had their luggage withheld, yet no steps were taken to augment the sole clerk at the lost baggage office at LAX, thus increasing delays for passengers since registering a lost bag is a fairly lengthy process.

4. The in flight video was screwed up from the beginning but it took the crew 30+ minutes to realize it and initiate a lengthy re-boot. When AC's video is not functioning it is maddening to deal with, since there is not indication that it is mis-booted. It simply acts as if it should work, but doesn't.

5. Only 5 minutes before boarding the agent announced that the purser was not given change for on board purchases. At this point it would have been impossible for passengers to race 100 meters to attempt to get change. It was simply idiotic.

6. Please send me proof that these obvious, structural deficiencies have been corrected....i.e., that I am not wasting my time writing to you. Thank you.