Air Canada
Reviews and Complaints

I have the same complaint about Air canada. they just dont care

I will never travel with Air Canada again either.

I am incredibly shocked at the treatment and deaf ears that I have encountered when reporting the incident that happened to me on flight AC 848 on Oct 2nd, 2009 from Toronto - YYZ to Heathrow, London. I am currently writing up my full statement of this appalling incident and response by your staff both in-flight crew and on the ground in London.
I have been traveling with Air Canada since I was a child and to be treated with such treatment which is borderline if not directly prejudice, disgusting, unprofessional and permanently damaging and emotionally hurtful. I was totally uncared for during the unbelievable shocking incident. The flight attendant who poured the coffee did absolutely nothing!
The woman sitting in front of me turned around to grab her pillow that came through the seat onto my feet and knocked my tray right up spilling my coffee all over my lap and crotch to be exact. The flight attendant gave me a little square napkin as I sat there in pain biting my tongue from the burning coffee. She was way more attentive to the woman (white middle aged) than I who was sitting wet with hot coffee all over me. She never returned to ask if I was okay the rest of the flight as I sat next to a VP from RIM whom was embarrassed and felt sorry for me and asked if I was ok.
There was clearly a colour issue here which I never have experienced so blatantly in my life. I am a young black male that works abroad as a government communications advisor in the GCC – Gulf region. I truly believe my lack of attention to my incident and burn was based on negative biased face value by your staff in-flight and on the ground. I did not matter to them even though I was extremely polite and did my best to calmly and clearly bring this incident forward to be attended to.
When I brought it to flight director’s attention after sitting in the wet coffee drenched seat the entire rest of the flight, nothing was done and also ground personal in customer service in Heathrow (Russell) nothing was done. No note or no report. I did however receive to strips of paper of customer service contact info by Russell (Heathrow AC Customer Service) who honestly was bewildered and shocked no one on flight had made any report or given me any attentive service or instructions of who to contact.
In my return flight (Oct 17th 869 – Heathrow to YYZ) the check in agent – was extremely snappy and was not helpful but gave me a customer service card and asked I speak to a supervisor at the gate. The ground gate supervisor whom I approached and tried to explain snapped at me in front of other passengers when I was explaining the incident and refused to give me her name and turned badge around and told me to sit down aggressively and boldly like I was a second class citizen or child. I did ask for an upgrade on the return due to the incident and discomfort I was feeling from the rash like developments from the burn.
I was on an intensive schedule of meetings, interviews and film festival conference (MEIFF) and I could not have altered this schedule based on what occurred during my flight to London. I tried my best to take care of the burn while in my travels that took me to London, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai and then return on the 17th. The Supervisor in London Heathrow was the last straw who balked at me because there was nothing in her system on the incident and pretty much blamed me for being a bother. It was so humiliating telling her about the burn and irritation on my crotch in front of other passengers in line to have her to have her react so rough and terribly aggressive.
I sat and took notes and watched her demeanor with other passengers of different colour and creed. I might say that I honestly never wished I was a middle aged white woman or a white male in a suit or even slacks and shirt until then. This was the last straw for me with this really clear and needed to be brought to your attention matter! Your staff needs to be trained on racial issues and biases and I am not going to stop until this matter gets addressed clearly and timely. You’re an airline of this country, which has remarkably people of multiple beautiful origins and races and your teams need to be sensitive and not approach people based on their colour, age, class or even sexuality. This was a gross misconduct of service and obvious bias in treatment
To make it worse I have had to see a doctor on my burn and currently having to apply cream to my crotch area. I am going to see another doctor for a second opinion on the discomfort I am feeling by my scrotum.
During my 16 day trip it was uncomfortable to walk at times, to cross my legs and to even participate in any sociable opportunity such as dancing. I am very disgusted by this and I am now seeking your immediate attention, further discussion and handling of this matter.

just did a random search for Bus Class Ottawa to Saskatoon. This is one of the results posted ... via Halifax. I think they do it on purpose.

Air Canada is a very dishonest company and will soon be sued for FRAUD. Double Billing me and lying to the bank about the transaction and me...I HAVE PROOF...BEWARE OF AIR CANADA, AGAIN VERY DISHONEST COMPANY

On Sep13, 2008, I booked two round-trip Air Canada filght tickets which are Vancouver--Toronto Oct 10--Oct18, 2008 . On Sept. 18, 2008, Air Canada announced that in response to decreasing fuel prices the airline is incorporating fuel surcharges into its advertised base fares on North American flights. However, Air Canada refused to return fuel surcharges $189 to me.

Below is the letter that we sent to Air Canada...they have not replied and I don't think they will...by the way, we've called but they wouldn't put us through to anyone of importance to discuss the issue:

2 tickets for London are $2401.76 from April 12-May 6. We have a credit of $2300.00 and we are aware that we have to pay $80.00 per person for changing reservation as a penalty and $100.00 for both of us as a difference in price, which is a total of $260.00. Your agents are saying that we have to pay additional $600.00 per person, which is half of the price for airfare, to compensate for fuel surcharges and some other charges. My way of thinking is, if you have $2300.00 of our money as a credit, why would you keep $470.00 of our money per person (where did that money disappear?) and charge us additional $600.00 per person, calling it fuel surcharges nowadays and you didn't have it before, when we canceled trip to Mexico in July. If it would help, I can send you screen shots of our canceled ticket with the price break down and the screen shot of the fair that we wish to book.

What next? Good luck to us all.

December 1 2008 - Fuel prices at a multiyear low. However, Air Canada still have a $320.00 fuel surcharge to London England!

I am in the exact same situation. I booked my return flight for 3 of us from Victoria BC to Nagoya Japan for July back in January to secure good connection. I paid $475.00 each for fuel surcharge. Now it is only $85.00 per passenger. difference is $390.00 x 3. I called them and ask for adjustment but hteir answer was "No, it is non-refundable fee." I am not asking to adjust ticket base fare which is cheaper as they put seat sale on now. I think it is not reasonable on my side but taz and fees that made difference between now and then especially I ahven't taken the flight yet should be refunded. I am very frustlated with this situation. The same thing happened with Westjet last year and they refunded the fuel surcharge with no question. Air Canada really have to start thinking about how to retain customers keeps coming back to them. I too feel that this is so unreasonable that they don't refund us this portion that they don't have to charge now.

In my previous post I ment they are scamming us and taking our money with our eyes open,
Share on you Air Canada, we like your service and we understood when the gas prices went up but now it should at least be slightly adjusted, Steven Harper, where are you in this or are you taking our tax money yourself too, what a mess, People speack up please! every voice matters, , ,

I dont understand this at all myself, these big Coorporations are stealing money from us with our eyes closed, where are you steven Harper, How are you helping, this Air Canada fuel surcharge issue should be adressed to Steven Harper directly, its a huge scaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam.
Brahim Kilani, Ontario Canada.

When will Air Canada get it that what people really dislike not knowing what the real price is going to be before clicking any further buttons. Advertising a flight for $524 that ends up totalling $916 is just plain stupid. Fuel surcharge? Does that mean that the aircraft was going to fly without any fuel before donating my surcharge?

Yeah they're not in the business of getting rid of it though they will start to incorporate it into the price because their "smart" marketing department feels that consumers don't mind paying for it as long as they don't see it on the bill.

I had the same thing happen to me, electronics stolen from luggage, they even cut the seals on the zipper, then had the gall to say that they need to open the suitcase

I will comment on two things regarding the initial story and the comment after:

A) Checking in electronics is for the majority of times safe with Air Canada, you should do this with your suitcase and brief case. The airline does really do enough to take care of passenger's property as being an airport employee for YVR I've driven past suitcases just sitting on the buggy in the rain. As for your electronics, if they're important then you should launch a complaint with your local police, and even to that fact if they're worth then go through a lawyer. Air Canada hates bad publicity and theft for them isn't a rare thing, it has been in the news as many of their employees are selfish, greedy, and lazy people that feel entitled.

B) As for your camera, you can also do them same as Air Canada has a sheet of crew peolple that cleaned that plane, and if enough pressure is exerted they will find out who it was through the crew leader who to save their job will turn in who it was that took the camera. Trust me I've seen people board these plans that shouldn't be on there just scanning for things that they can take home.

All of that being said the majority of employees are Air Canada are honest hardworking people, but there are always a few bad apples, and this is common in all work places and it's unfortunate that you two had to be the victims of this. Air Canada has some of the worst customer service, that's what you get when you have the CAW running your phone lines, rude employees who don't care because they're unionized.

Nothing seems to have changed at Air Canada. Returning from Europe a couple of years ago. We left our digital camera on the aircraft seat with over 400 digital holiday pictures after landing in Calgary. We were last ones off the aircraft and the cleanup crew were waiting to board the aircraft. We went directly to the Air canada counter to report our loss feeling they could send someone to the plane and get it. That never happened. The camera was never found. You can guess who had the best chance of stealing that camera.

If you want to sign up for this class action suite you can do so online at:
http://www.merchantlaw.com/classactions/aeroplan.php
These thieves must be stopped. I lost 40, 000 points today, and only noticed when expecting to book a trip to Mexico for a family wedding, after years of saving points through business travel. Down with Areoplan! I will actively post everyone so you can all get involved also.

You are wasting your time. Air Canada like so many airlines has become a bus company. Unfortunately their employees harbour disillusions that they are somehow professionals who deserve to be obeyed and respected. All the while not showing the same courtesy to the travelers who pay their salary.

Unfortunately they have no standards to live up to as the entire industry is just as arrogant and inefficient.

I think she thinks this is the complaint board to place legal complaints.

Did they respond to your letter? What was the outcome?

If you want to sign up for this class action suite you can do so online at:
http://www.merchantlaw.com/classactions/aeroplan.php
These thieves must be stopped. I lost 40, 000 points today, and only noticed when expecting to book a trip to Mexico for a family wedding, after years of saving points through business travel. Down with Areoplan! I will actively post everyone so you can all get involved also.

I too had over 100.000 air miles that were stolen from me by Air Canada. Thank goodness I had redeemed about 250, 000 points about a year before that or it would have been grand larceny.

As you can imagine with 350, 000 points I had done a bit of flying and was prettly loyal to trying to fly Air Canada so I could keep racking up my miles. I fly off and on depending on my job responsibilities and had a lull in my flying which resulted in my lost points. Now I have been flying quite a bit again and try and avoid flying with Air Canada but once in a while cannot avoid it.

From time to time I search online for a class action lawsuit to join which I was today which led me to this post. If anyone hears of one please let me know (kglennox@shaw.ca).

Air Canada if you read this. I want my points back. It was pure thievery on your part and I cannot believe your executive team actually believes you will win in the long run when you use these tactics on loyal customers

My mother has just flown Air Canada to resolve matters in Canada after her uncle's death, and despite the fact that she for some reason paid half as much again as her sister despite them both booking on the AC website within minutes of each other, Air Canada have sent a letter in response to her query, the gist of which is "We don't give a damn, you've already paid us."

I personally will never fly AC again. They are sharks.

Barry,
Air Canada announced a while back that they would no longer have bereavement fares. It was a scam anyway. You had to pay for a full fare ticket and would receive a 50% reimbursement upon supplying a death certificate. The fare they quote as "full fare" is not one you ever actually saw. When my father died a few years ago three of his children had to return home from, Tel Aviv, Vancouver, and Toronto. We were all quoted this "bereavement fare". As it turned out 50% of the fare we were each quoted was more than any of us paid just by calling Air Canada and buying a ticket. In the case of Vancouver and Toronto for travel the very same day.

I can't recall the fare for the others but the full fare I was quoted from Tel Aviv at that time was $5000. (Yes this was Coach.) After being reimbursed it would have cost me $2500. By calling Air Canada in Tel Aviv directly, the fare on the flight the next day (same flight as the bereavement fare) was $1800.

So in an effort to help me in my sorrow Air Canada was graciously going to permit me to pay $700 more.

I used to be loyal to Air Canada (one year I flew 103 flights) but now I fly whichever airline has the best fare and schedule for when and where I need to be. It is a lot less of a problem to just purchase access to airline lounges when I choose to. That seemed to be the only benefit. In all my flights with Air Canada I have been bumped up to Business class a grand total of twice! And unlike other airlines that I frequent, one is not able on Air Canada to use air miles to upgrade to Business class.

They have a virtual monopoly in Canada. Their motto should "We Don't Care, We Don't Have Too!".

I too have experienced Air Canada's LAME excuses for canceling flights. The solution is...NEVER fly with them again.

Not meaning to be rude, just giving you the way they think, and Xmas 2008 wasn't any better and fully shows exactly what I just posted above.

That's actually a tactical money saving technique deployed by Air Canada, the reason being that the flight might have been over sold and there fore by delaying or cancelling they might annoy enough people who will use another airline and of course most of their tickets domestically aren't refundable. So they way they see it is that they can create circumstances that allow them to shed people at the same time keeping their fares, so either put and shut up or use someone else.

The EXACT same thing happened to me with Air Canada! They STILL won't give me my money back! I missed my whole honeymoon in Cuba! Can you BELIEVE THAT!?!?!

Lsat week i booked a flight to London, England, which i had seen a few days earlier for 980.00. At the time of booking the price had gone to 1040.00. A day later i checked the fare, and it had gone back to 980.00. This turned out to be a difference in the fuel surcharge. How can this be, when the price of oil had been dropping all week? Should they refund the difference?

I recently purchased a laptop from DELL.ca using aeroplan website, but i did not get any points for that. I tried calling them again and again and every time they put me on hold and cut the line. I am really frustrated that i made a purchase of $1300 and did not receive what they promised me!

PLEASE, DON'T PROMOTE AEROPLAN IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE THE CUSTOMERS!

I have just lost 83000 points from these thieving Bassterds. No prior warnings before my points disappeared.
After speaking to two agents my in box suddenly had two notifications of points cancellation because of a year of
inactivity.
Has anyone started a class action of some kind against these "THIEVES".

Does anyone have a copy of the original Air Canada Aeroplan contract/sign-up?
If so please email me at mike.maryn@shaw.ca

Google "Aeroplan class action lawsuit" and add your name to the list. The happiest day in the history of humanity will be when this den of good-for-nothing, cheating, scheming, lying, shameless parasites will be closed down for ever. My family lost points because this two-bit outfit was too cheap to use snail mail to let us know but send emails which (rightfully) went into my spam folder. I hope a judge crushes this outfit like a bug. Some of us have no way of buying long haul tickets because many foreign airlines partner with Air Canada exclusively.

Go to this website to sign up for a class action lawsuit by Tony Merchant of Regina who has been successful with many class action lawsuits in the past. http://www.merchantlaw.com/classactions/aeroplan.php

Aeroplan just stole 714, 000 points from me! After 13 years of making an effort to use their VISA and their partners, this is how they reward their customers. shame on this company. Shame on the executives that have absolutely no spines. Shame on our me for placing my trust, and the future of my family's vacations in this company.

i agree this sounds to be a reasonable assumption. has anyone had success with small claims? i would think this would set a precedent which they would eagerly avoid should it be used as grounds for larger litigation.

for any hard earning aeroplan miles to collect back, easiest way to complaint to small claim court. this way they must give back their point because it is less expensive to return the miles then search for attorneys.

If you want to sign up for this class action suite you can do so online at:
http://www.merchantlaw.com/classactions/aeroplan.php
These thieves must be stopped. I lost 40, 000 points today, and only noticed when expecting to book a trip to Mexico for a family wedding, after years of saving points through business travel. Down with Areoplan! I will actively post everyone so you can all get involved also.

same thing happened to me 70, 000 for retirement. Does anybody know how to contact the group for the class action suit and what is the status of this. I would gladly add my name to it and I have taken it on myself to boycott all supporters and sponsors of aeroplan. Maybe we should all do this