Canadian: Air Passenger bill of rights [Merged]

[tabernac]

I've flown AC, Sky Service, West Jet and North West Airlines. By far the best service was with NWA (damn well should have been too, flying first class as a silver elite member), but Sky Service is actually pretty good. They're the only airline that has complimentary meals on their flights. West Jet? Meh. But still better then AC.
Edit:SP

 

[Gunner]

I can not say that Air Canada is the "evil empire" it once was and after traveling a fair bit over the last year I have noticed an improvement (they smiled when they told me my bags didn't arrive in Calgary and were even good enough to give me an overnight kit..). 

All bitching aside, I will say that after arriving back in Canada after over nine months in Afghanistan, we finally arrived in Toronto (through Trenton...).  We were traveling in CADPAT and when I arrived at the counter I asked if we could be bumped up to business class.  The Air Canada agent told me to ask at the gate as it appeared seats were available.  At the gate, the Air Canada attendant was very helpful and bumped approximately 8 of us up to business class.  It was a great way to end the tour and the food was very nice as well. 

For best airline, I vote for Emirates.  It has never disappointed me.

 

[MedTechStudent]

I've flown AC, Sky Service, West Jet and North West Airlines. By far the best service was with NWA (damn well should have been too, flying first class as a silver elite member), but Sky Service is acutually pretty good. They're the only airline that has complimentary meals on their flights. West Jet? Meh. But still better then AC.

Ya flew sky service to Cuba the one time.  That time was great.  Free wine?  Why yes ma'am.

I can not say that Air Canada is the "evil empire" it once was and after traveling a fair bit over the last year I have noticed an improvement (they smiled when they told me my bags didn't arrive in Calgary and were even good enough to give me an overnight kit..). 

All bitching aside, I will say that after arriving back in Canada after over nine months in Afghanistan, we finally arrived in Toronto (through Trenton...).  We were traveling in CADPAT and when I arrived at the counter I asked if we could be bumped up to business class.  The Air Canada agent told me to ask at the gate as it appeared seats were available.  At the gate, the Air Canada attendant was very helpful and bumped approximately 8 of us up to business class.  It was a great way to end the tour and the food was very nice as well. 

For best airline, I vote for Emirates.  It has never disappointed me.

Lol its all about Qantas for me.  Wes Down Under must be so proud that his country has the safest flight records, ever.

Edit http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/qantas-defends-safety-record-as-it-probes-jets-power-loss/2008/01/11/1199988578012.html

see they fight for that safety record  ;D

 

[jzaidi1]

I agree Air Canada is not great but I have been on worse flights.  Back in the early 90's I had the pleasure of taking a CF Service Flight from Halifax to Toronto - OMG, the plane was so old, seats were worn & torn, rivets were literally starting to pop out of the wings and flight attendants?  Noooooooo...no flight attendants, Safety NCMs I gather - who are not going to serve a flight full of drunken soldiers.  The bumpiest ride I have ever been on.  This plane made Air Canada economy seem like Trump Air.  I believe the aircraft was a CF-owned plane and not charter.

The best airline - believe it or not was Jet Airways flying within India - everything there is BRAND NEW, the flight attendants were great, meals were fantastic (with real cutlery), entertainment top notch and the onboarding/offboarding procedures a breeze.  Jet Airways now flies to Toronto - awesome stuff.  Air Canada seriously needs some service lessons from these guys. 

We have to remember that AC is a Union environment with Union flight attendants (stressed out, middle-aged, waiting for retirement, unhappy with management) - the image of perky, young and energetic flight attendants belong to non-union airlines in most other countries like Cathay, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, etc.  God I miss those airlines!!

J

 

[RangerRay]

Our small airport is serviced by two small airlines, one of which is affiliated with Air Canada (Central Mountain Air).  CMA is consistently better priced, and both companies use culverts with wings, as opposed to real aircraft!

The few times I've flown West Jet, I was impressed.  It doesn't hurt that I expect no frills with them, whereas with Air Canada, I expect better service.

 

[JesseWZ]

I have had consistently poor experiences with Air Canada. When I flew to Hawaii with my family they lost 2 pieces of luggage and destroyed a third. (It was one of those large jobbies, and without wheels was completely unusable for anything over 10 meters) When we finally got the two pieces of luggage back (3 days later) it was also wrecked, with about half of the items in it missing and the rest in a garbage bag surrounding the luggage. On my return flight, they overbooked the flight by an immense amount of people, (a Sunday night, they should know better) and tried to offer to rebook for the next evenings flight, the problem was everyone needed to return to work the Monday morning and instead of upping the offer for an extra nights stay in Hawaii plus food to entice people, they just randomly removed people from the flight.
I have to fly to Halifax from Winnipeg with my kit for course this week... I hope my stuff makes it there...

 

[Fishbone Jones]

They lost my bag on the way to Spain. Ten days later, the day before I was leaving, they delivered it to the hotel. Lost it again for two days on the way home. No apology. Friggin' wankers.

 

[foresterab]

I've flown Westjet, Air Canada, United, Alaskan, Cathay Pacific and a few others...

Air Canada is the one I dread. I've had either luggage lost or damaged at: Fort St. John, Vancouver, Grande Prairie, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Toronto...

Last 15 flights...11 flights with lost luggage.  I'm so numb now from late flights, missed connections, poor service I'm just happy the plane flys now.

Worst part is I don't live near the airport and fed-ex doesn't deliver to the door...so I get a phone call to drive to the bus station to pick it up when it does come in.

Best in flight service?  Cathy Pacific. 

Best staff attitude?  Westjet...I've had some pretty amusing flights with them that made travel fun.

I check westjet first now...then US carriers...then Air Canada just to avoid the screw-ups.

 

[Greymatters]

Worst part is I don't live near the airport and fed-ex doesn't deliver to the door...so I get a phone call to drive to the bus station to pick it up when it does come in.

You should be a bit more assertive with your demands.  It is normal for airlines to deliver to your door when they lose your luggage.  It is, after all, the least they can do to make up for their mistake... 

 

[Kirkhill]

If you don't like Air Canada don't try West Jet....

Their seats are more tightly packed.  Their baggage security is as lax.  Their schedules are loose.  Their prices are no better.  Their food is as non-existent.  And worst of all you have to put up with wannabe comedians and those that have been told to be comedic.....

I will take Air Canada any day.

 

[foresterab]

Air canada doesnt' have to deliver your luggage if you're more than 150? 125km from the airport and is allowed to use FedEx or alternatives...hence Greyhound calling me to get my gear.

While Westjet hasn't been perfect I've had a much better success rate with flights leaving on time, connections, an honest effort to look out for us when things go wrong.  The jokes can get cheasy...don't get my wrong...but at least there is an attempt. 

Sure beats 9 hour international flights with Air Canada with one drink served...glass of water and done.

 

[Greymatters]

That is a long ways away, although I think your case would be an exception rather than the rule...

 

[foresterab]

unfortunately it's over 300km to travel just to make the airport.  Doesnt' matter if I go west or south.

I'm used to paying a price/premium based upon where I'm at...but Air Canada definately takes it to a new level.

 

[MedTechStudent]

Sure beats 9 hour international flights with Air Canada with one drink served...glass of water and done.

You got a glass of water?! 

 

[kincanucks]

I have flown AC and many other airlines and I have not had any major problems.  One overbooked flight which resulted in a bump into business class for a later flight.  Recently I flew to the UK on AC in business class. Excellent service on the outbound flight and not so great on the inbound to Canada leg.  I was a little put off by the duct tape used to hold some of the trim in place in business class but the seat turning into a bed made up for it.  Overall, all good experiences and I have probably jinxed myself for future flights.

 

[foresterab]

yeppers...water as I'd been traveling for two days already and was dried out from all the recycled air...

At least the flight heading overseas went better than the one back.

Asked for a beer...sorry sir..service is not available right now.  Huge comparision from Cathy Pacific.

 

[MedTechStudent]

 Overall, all good experiences and I have probably jinxed myself for future flights.

Lol, mhmm your next post in this thread will most likely go "Overall service was sub-par.  However I certainly did not appreciate the pilots leaving the tail section of the plane on the tarmac during takeoff."

 

[kincanucks]

I forgot to mention my experience on Croatian Air when the plane descended 5000 feet in about five microseconds for no apparent reason.  After the dust settled I had to pry the fingernails of the beautiful woman sitting next to me out of my arm.  However, I did not spill my drink.

 

[Old Sweat]

This is ancient history (1969) from back when Air Canada was known as Mapleflot. I arrived at Winnipeg airport for a flight to Toronto or Ottawa on the first leg of a trip to Fort Hood. The lineup at the lone check-in counter operating was long and slow. Just as I was within a couple of places of the window, the person at the wicket stated "it's time for my break," placed a closed sign on the counter and departed.

 

[TCBF]

- The OLD OLD Air Canada: Flying in DEUs into Sault Ste Marie:  cabin crew is popping me a last beer (and sticking two more 'complimentary' into my carry-on) after the a/c has turned onto final.

- The  OLD Air Canada: Dec 2001, two identical a/c on the tarmac, one for Buffalo, one for Thunder Bay.  One breaks down.  More pax are going to Buffalo, so it is obvious which set of pax is told that their a/c is broken. Air Canada does, however, offer a free night in T.O.  My issue is why you have to fly from Edmonton to T.O to get to Thunder Bay in the first place.  Perhaps they are in cahoots with Via Rail, who won't send passenger trains through Thunder Bay , a city of 110,000 people (you will, however, receive courteous, professional Via Rail service to Thunder Bay - if you are a pallet).

- Fav flights:
1. Air France: Frankfurt - Paris.
2. Lufthansa: Paris Mirabel/Frankfurt - Toronto/etc (but not the one where the portside blonde sky-waitresses were not talking to the starboard brunette sky-waitresses, so if you sat in a middle-middle seat, service was nonexistent).
3. Singapore Airlines - the 747 flights Diego Garcia - Kuala Lumpur - Guam - Hawaii - Edmonton were great!
4. Westjet: They try.

For the most part, nowadays, Pax are just self-loading cargo.  Air Kanuckistan is not the only airline being slammed for this.