Air Canada: The WORST airline in existence?

[brian1]

9 hours ago, Bramcruiser said:

Air Canada can be crappy one flight and beyond wonderful the next. Generally, overall I think its a fine airline. We used up our Aeroplan points this past August for a quick getaway to France and I must say it was the best service we had in a long time going in both directions. The customer service director came by and was really interested if we were all happy and things were going well. Despite the Covid uncertainties, Air Canada excelled on that vacation.

 

To the OP, I am sorry you had such a bad experience but its far from the worst airline out there. I agree that its too easy an excuse nowadays for people in the airline industry to throw up their hands and say "abusive passenger". Clearly the people you were dealing with were ignorant but did you deal with them with finess or yell and scream? 

 

As for reserving seats. I always reserve the seat at the time I make a booking whether in Business or economy class. 

I agree, sometimes they are too sensitive when someone displays slight frustration without aggression.We flew LHR-SEA-FAI a few years back with Delta on the same booking.Delta changed our connection to gone midnight the next day so when we arrived they tried to charge us around 50 bucks for luggage because the connections were over 24 hrs.It took a lot of persuasion to make them realise it was Delta that changed this and it would have been under 24 hrs.They waved the fee in the end but I was threatened in the same way just for being tired and showing slight frustration.Cheers,Brian.

[CaptFantastic]

This reminds me of an old joke…..

 

A man is in an airport bar filled with flight attendants so he decides to figure out what airline everyone works for. He walks up to the first group:

”Guten tag “.   Ahh, Lufthansa 

Next group:  “G’day!”   Ok, Qantas

Next group:   “Bonjour”. Ohh Air France

Final group:  “What  the f@#& do you want?”     Air Canada

[bennybear]

Or their motto “We’re not happy until you’re not happy”😉

 

But seriously, there’s lots to like onboard. We had just excellent long haul service to Asia.  

 

Much like other airlines (BA ) they could do a better job with their customer service.  

 

[scottbee]

On 8/22/2021 at 3:39 PM, Fairgarth said:

 

Air Canada's was a Boeing 767, Air Transat's was an Airbus A330.  If you wanted to investigate further, there is a book all about the Gimli Glider:  "Freefall"  by William Hoffer

 

Air Canada C-GAUN B767-200ER - retired about 15 yrs ago
Received X lbs of fuel instead of X kgs of fuel (aircraft was metric).  Diverted to YGM/Gimli MB, and landed on the decommissioned runway (not realizing the left was decomm'd and the right was the active).  glided to safety, everyone walked (or limped away). Fun part of story, the maint crew sent from Winterpeg to investigate /start repairs of the aircraft, their van ran out of fuel on the way to Gimli.

 

Air Transat C-GITS A330-200 - still in active service for Transat

Incorrect fuel line was fitted which started leaking half way across the Atlantic.  Fuel imbalance checklilst put yet more fuel on the side that was leaking.  Glided to safety at TER/Tercia in the Azores, everyone walked away.

 

[iancal]

Over the years we have had many, many flights on Air Canada.  Economy and business class.  We have had great service, ground and inflight, on AC and we have had mediocre service.  Both domestic and international to Europe and to Asia.  

 

We find that there is a lot less consistency these days.  It is difficult to judge on domestic routes.  Price is king on these routes.  You cannot expect a low cost ticket and a filet mignon meal.   On many routes an airline seat is akin to what would have been a Greyhound seat.  Often at the same price

 

 

[Fairgarth]

On 10/19/2021 at 11:50 AM, scottbee said:

 

Fun part of story, the maint crew sent from Winterpeg to investigate /start repairs of the aircraft, their van ran out of fuel on the way to Gimli.

 

 

The old runway was being used for motor racing and there was an armco barrier down the middle.  As a result, the nose gear folded (the maingear straddled) and the aircraft slid along on its nose.  Hence the crew from Winterpeg couldn't just gas up and fly out, they had work to do.  If you see photos, the tail was way in the air and the exit chute is flapping in the breeze with its end several feet off the ground.  OTOH at the for'ard door you could just step out onto the tarmac.  I believe the aircraft was only about one third full so that must have been a huge bonus for the evacuation.  Last time I was in Gimli I saw they have a Gimli Glider Museum.  We didn't have time and the family was not interested so I didn't get to see it.  Next time, maybe?

[TeaBag]

Bruin Steve, I think your experience was horrible and not amply compensated.  You should have had your money returned for a service not provided and the $250 voucher added as an apology.  I would have been frothing at the mouth.  Good service has disappeared everywhere.

We used to fly Canadian Airlines a lot and I had accumulated 92,000 miles with them when they were bought by AC.  I wasn't told that with AC, airline miles expire and that is exactly what happened and I lost my miles.  When I phoned up to complain, I was told "sorry they're gone, but you can always fly with us and accumulate more!"  What a cheeky uncaring response!  Even though I have a close relative who is a pilot for AC, I will walk before I fly with them.  There are lots of other airlines that fly out of Vancouver.

[Fairgarth]

10 hours ago, TeaBag said:

 

 

Even though I have a close relative who is a pilot for AC, I will walk before I fly with them.  There are lots of other airlines that fly out of Vancouver.

 

 

Oh my!  How Canadian!  I have flown on more than 40 airlines all around the world.  In my experience, Air Canada is not the worst, not even close.  On a cruise some years ago, we got friendly with a lovely couple from New Zealand.  We enquired how they flew in.  "Air New Zealand.  Well, you have to, don't you?  It's ours."  I remember thinking at the time that's a sentiment I have never heard in Canada, nor expect to ever hear.  I'm still waiting.

[Fairgarth]

I saw a separate news item that Skytrax had announced its World Airline Awards for 2021 so I looked up their website.  Best airline in the world this year is QATAR.  Skytrax only list the top 100 airlines so I can't tell you which is the absolute worst (Air Koryo, maybe?) but here is what I found.

 

33   Air Canada

53   WestJet

59   Air Transat

83   Air Canada Rouge

94   Porter

 

So the OP is way off base.  I don't blame him for getting mad at his rotten treatment but one swallow does not a summer make.

[FlyerTalker]

Just about every serious flyer takes the Skytrax ratings with a ton of salt, not just a grain or two.

 

Yes, Qatar is definitely one of the top carriers, especially for its Q-Suites product.  But any ranking that gives 5 stars to both Hainan and Garuda is suspect.  And that's putting it charitably. They are among the 12 best airlines in the world?  Better than Etihad or Emirates?

[bennybear]

I’d agree on the bottom three Canadian airlines.

[Bruin Steve]

On 10/23/2021 at 3:38 PM, Fairgarth said:

So the OP is way off base. 

My friends...

Have so many of you never heard of the use of "hyperbole" as a literary device?

 

My saying "Air Canada is the worst airline in the world" is like someone saying "My friend Bob makes the BEST spaghetti sauce in the world" or "My boss is the absolute worst manager in the word".  I doubt the person saying those things have eaten every version of spaghetti ever made or know what it's like to work for every possible employer...I also doubt the people who say those sorts of things even really think the absolute or or extreme position is necessarily 100% correct...nor do they have the specific expertise to know for certain what are obviously subjective opinions.

 

BUT people make such statements all the time in order to emphasize a point:  That they think their friend's recipe is pretty good or their boss is pretty horrible.  You can't say "Oh, they are way off base because some magazine food critic rated spaghetti sauces and came out with a top ten list and Bob isn't on it!"

 

My point was, that in MY PARTICULAR, obviously anecdotal case, Air Canada handled things particularly badly..  I am certain others may have, anecdotally, had great trips on Air Canada.  Or that someone may have had an even worse experience on Air Eritrea or Western Guatemala No Frills Airline and Animal Transport or even Qatar Airways.  Even I have, personally, flown enough in my lifetime to have some particularly horrible flight experiences on severl other airlines.  I have had my luggage lost on Swiss Air, then not delivered until several days later with zero compensation for the inconvenience.  I have had Air Berlin reschedule my flights without notice to flights where the connecting flight was to depart three hours before my first leg was to arrive.  I have had British Airways delay flights causing me to need 36 hours and four flight segments to get home from Europe.  Everyone who has flown enough has had horror stories.  Heck, I've even had some good flights on Air Canada.  And worse, I recently booked another set of flights on Air Canada to get to Barcelona for my cruise next August...largely because it just worked out that way...and i don't really believe what I encountered this last time is standard...even for them.

 

I just find the situation that we faced here and the treatment that had ensued to be particularly unreasonable and horrendous

 

So, when I say that Air Canada is the "worst airline in the world", please know that I am NOT ranking ALL world airlines...nor have I flown all world airlines...nor is my experience anything other than anecdotal.  It is merely a LITERARY DEVICE called "HYPERBOLE".  Here is the definition of hyperbole from Britannica:  "Hyperbole, a figure of speech that is an intentional exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect. Hyperbole is common in love poetry, in which it is used to convey the lover's intense admiration for his beloved."

 

[FlyerTalker]

"Why does ANYONE fly with this airline?"

 

From your initial post.

 

Sure sounds like more than hyperbole.  Especially combined with the all caps in the thread title.

[iancal]

On balance we have had excellent service and flights on Air Canada, Westjet, and Transat.  We have also mediocre flights on all three.  We would not hesitate to book any them.  In fact we will be in January, and in April.   And certainly the some of the ground crew can be questionable. 

 

 Like the Westjet counter person in Winnipeg who , when my Calgary flight was cancelled, suggested that she would put me on a flight  to Toronto, then catch a Calgary flight.  I opted instead for the Vancouver milk run that had a stop in Regina, then Calgary that was scheduled to depart in an hour.

 

That to us is the hallmark of economy class air travel today.  Inconsistency.  Same with mass market cruise lines.  Not hard to get a crew that it tried, or perhaps has low morale for some reason or other.  The in flight crew have to put up with a great deal of nonsense and rudeness from some self entitled  passengers

 

At the end of the day, an economy class fare in Canada is not much different than a Greyhound bus seat.

Edited October 25, 2021 by iancal

[CaptFantastic]

To be honest, AC is usually my airline of choice. However, hyperbole or not, AC Rouge just plain sucks. I can’t believe it’s as high as 83

[travelplus]

On 8/18/2021 at 10:23 PM, Bruin Steve said:

Air Canada just sent me a voucher for $250 off my next flight...

But based on the time I spent with them this past Sunday, I may never take that offer.

 

I had tickets on Air Canada to get home from Athens after my Apex cruises--Athens-Toronto and Toronto-LAX.  They shortened the layover time in Toronto and I was worried about the connection timing.  So, I didn't want to be near the back of the plane on the first leg.  Also, for various reasons, I require an aisle seat.  So, when I noticed the aisle seats getting booked up and also those toward the front of coach, I pulled the trigger and RESERVED aisle seats near the front.  Paid $124.  Air Canada charged my credit card and sent me a confirmation.

 

When we got to the airport in Athens, they issued us boarding passes showing two middle seats, not together, in Row 60 on the first leg...and seats in different rows at the back of the plane on the second.

 

The Air Canada folks at the counter in Athens refused to do anything about it until I PROVED to them I reserved seats.  So, I showed them the confirmation.  The agent initially told me "Flight is full, nothing I can do"...Then, after a lot of conversation, they moved us closer to the front (but not where I had bought the assignments) and two aisle seats.  Told me I'd have to ask in Toronto about the second leg.  Turns out the reassigned seats were in Row 23--directly in front of the restrooms and UNABLE TO RECLINE...for a 10+ hour flight!

 

In Toronto, when we got there, they had already started boarding...but I went to the counter and asked.  The Air Canada rep there told me "We're full"...then ignored me and said "NEXT!".  I asked to speak to a supervisor and she referred me to the guy next to her--who would not listen to me at all--claimed I somehow "abused his colleague" and threatened to have me arrested and/or thrown off the plane!  He then showed me his computer screen and insisted I was lying--that I NEVER pre-reserved seats because it wasn't on his computer.  He refused to even look at my Air Canada email confirmation or my credit card login showing the Air Canada charges.

 

When I got home, I reported this to Air Canada on their website form.  I got a form email response and a message that I'd receive $50 credit back to my card in "one or two billing cycles".

 

I wrote back to complain and try to correct them...and they sent a form email with that $250 toward a future Air Canada flight taken within three years.

 

Why does ANYONE fly with this airline?

I would have whipped out my Smartphone and sent a Twitter DM to Air Canada. They may just upgrade you to Premium Economy if you are nice and calmly explain your ordeal. Overseas agents can be hit or miss.

 

Also I would go to the Business Class line and explain what happened with my proof and let a veteran agent handle it