Airline decided to cancel the flight I was using to get to SA!!!

**MadPatSki** · 08-26-2008, 07:27 PM

I just got back from the airport. The Tuesday overnight flight out of Toronto was cancelled on August 1st. I bought my ticket on July 21 and got a letter confirmation maybe one week later. They never notified me, I found it fishy when I was only able to get my boarding for Toronto tonight from the self-service machines. When I went to the desk, person told the Santiago flight was tomorrow. WHAT???

I had my email confirmed, my letter of confirmation. Guy told me to go to the ticket office where the lady found out that they weren't any AC flight for South America tonight. WTF???

I was pissed, heard it's been puking in Pucon and was planning be meet with a maggot and ski there on Thursday. Now I'll have to wait an extra day.

Lady told me that I should complain with customer service. The lady at the counter changed my reservation, so now my whole vacation is moved back by one day (I was trying to get two, but there is no flights back on Thursday).

Is there a way to get something back from them in term of discount vouchers, extra points, whatever.

Oh yeah, they were charging $25 for my ski bag. I had one bag + ski bag. This is new.

Not really pissed, just frustrated. Any suggestions maggots?

**Stu Gotz** · 08-26-2008, 07:37 PM

Upper Deck the flight you are on.

**Huckin eh?** · 08-26-2008, 07:41 PM

Check you email good, and your spam!
If they change the flight before 48 hours before the flight they say they will contact you by email
within 48 hours of they say they will notify you by phone.

Having said that, did you miss a powder day? Powder days to me are worth at least $400 because that about the equivalent of heli-ski type runs that I get cos Im almost always on first chair.
Id try and milk it for all you can.

**xyz** · 08-26-2008, 08:00 PM

i have a feeling that this kinda stuff is going to be our new airline travel reality...

**MadPatSki** · 08-27-2008, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by Huckin eh?

Check you email good, and your spam!
If they change the flight before 48 hours before the flight they say they will contact you by email
within 48 hours of they say they will notify you by phone.

Instead on eating breakfast on the plane flying down toward Santiago, I find myself back in my office at work (no need to waste a day off).

Flight was changed on August 1st.

I booked my tix online on July 21st and received an email confirmation (air canada doesn't fall in my spam). So they have my email

They also sent me an letter my printed confirmation - received after August 1st, but not sure when it was mailed. So they have my address (and probably phone number - it's always asked when you booked a flight).

I also have a member of their spamming emails + member of the frequent flyer program. So they can reach me.

Originally Posted by Huckin eh?

Having said that, did you miss a powder day? Powder days to me are worth at least $400 because that about the equivalent of heli-ski type runs that I get cos Im almost always on first chair.
Id try and milk it for all you can.

I was planning on taking the bus to Pucon today and ski tomorrow. It's been snowing down appparently since Sunday night. Found out from another maggot that I'm suppose to meet that the mountain was closed yesterday.

Snow-forecast.com at mid

Wed AM : 1cm
Wed PM : 6cm
Wed overnight : 26cm
Thurs AM : 5cm
Thurs PM : 4cm
Thurs overnight : 11cm

So yeah, if the lift are running on Thursday, I'm definitely missing a powder day.

I'd try to tell then that I was totally fucked with joining a gruop of skiers and I'll have to take an 18 hour bus ride to catch up with them (not exactly true). But I have NOTHING on paper, no reservations, nothing.

**salida** · 08-27-2008, 09:22 AM

Man Pat, that's really bad news. I would go in and fight them like hell. Try to get a voucher for another flight of the same distance. Airlines and their poor customer service really peeve me.

**hutash** · 08-27-2008, 09:24 AM

At least they didn't cancel the flights for the season, as happened to friends flying home to Holland a few years back. We dropped them off at the airport, only to get a phone call when we got home an hour and a half later telling us they were stuck at LAX. Martin Air decided to end their LAX to Amsterdam flights for the season, but didn't bother to tell anybody. They eventually were routed through Miami and Frankfurt before getting home two days late. The eventually paid for two days of missed work, but that was all. Good luck on getting AC to do anything...at least you aren't dealing with United.

Have fun, and post so TRs, though I know we won't get any pictures for at least 6 month. Time to up grade to digital

**gpcharles** · 08-27-2008, 09:36 AM

what a PISSAH pat. agree 100% with salida. go after them like hell (after you get to SA), and demand alot of compensation for damages to your powder skiing!

otherwise, i hope your trip turns out to be killer.

**Hutch** · 08-27-2008, 09:58 AM

Air Canada? No experience with them, but I would think you could come up with a better reason that their failure to notify you of the delay caused you major problems than "you have to catch up with a bunch of skiers." Like, you missed your wedding.

Are you sure they failed to notify you? Did they have your old e-mail address in their records or something? If so, that would be your fault, I think.

**MadPatSki** · 08-27-2008, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Hutch

Are you sure they failed to notify you? Did they have your old e-mail address in their records or something? If so, that would be your fault, I think.

Initially they said they didn't have info where to reach and started looking at my file.

The email address they had on-file, it's was correct (Air Canada isn't treated as spam - I would on the amount of stuff I get from them). All the information they had was correct.

Originally Posted by Hutch

Air Canada? No experience with them, but I would think you could come up with a better reason that their failure to notify you of the delay caused you major problems than "you have to catch up with a bunch of skiers." Like, you missed your wedding.

That is my huge weaken here. I don't f*ckall. I don't have anything officially reserved (not like last year). The only measure count of this is gas and $8 parking.

There is a plan. I pretended I was going to tour with a ski group (of 1???) and that was scheduled to leave today on an 11hr-bus-ride to Pucon and then further down to Bariloche. I said that this fucked everything up and I needed to reach them with maybe an 18-hr-bus-ride and a few transfers. It wasn't the lady behind the desk fault, I just told her and was very distressed (I was acting a bit, my wife thought I was dead serious).

I found out that you can never take anything for granted, I never pre-count my skis days, I hate predicting how many days I'll ski this week or next season. There is also a random element in the statistical model that has to be accounted for, however the answer seems to be "42".

Random element? I flight 2-3 times/year with AC, this is the first fuck up that I recall. Luggages were damage twice in 20 years (not only AC here), however some people flight more than I do.

Originally Posted by gpetrics

demand alot of compensation for damages to your powder skiing!

Unfortunately, without anything tangible, the joy of skiing or/and powder is totally priceless for the clueless. Most people working in offices or the general public are clueless when it doesn't have a $ sign attached to it.

Thanks for your moral support. I'll worry about it when I get back and I won't let something like this get to me. It's one of life "random elements". From last year SA experience, random TISA factors are greater south of the equator.

**gpcharles** · 08-27-2008, 10:40 AM

lol! i predict 42 fuctons of snow upon your arrival for skiing!

**Long duc dong** · 08-27-2008, 10:42 AM

Go to the president's house and hit him in the knee with a baseball bat. This will assure that they do not do this again.

On second thought, just keep complaining and milk them for as much as possible.

**Toadman** · 08-27-2008, 10:51 AM

As a member of their FF program, ask for an op upgrade for your flt to SCL. If that doesn't work ask for the equivalent in miles for an AC int'l award. Good luck.

**CoAlpha** · 08-27-2008, 11:21 AM

Im a airline pilot, sorry man you get what you pay for. Cheep tickets = no service, you all are like cattle to us anyways.

**splat** · 08-27-2008, 11:39 AM

Throw a shitfit for first class seating after explaining the massive costs you incurred due to their fuckup. Ask for the CEOs address and telephone number. You might be in the cattle car, but your inconvenience is excuse enough for getting the moooove to first class.

Try not to get tasered...

**Ireallyliketoski2** · 08-27-2008, 11:40 AM

Somebody call the Waaaaambulance.

**hartzejr** · 08-27-2008, 11:42 AM

Guess I don't have to be the first devil's advocate, CoAlpha beat me to it. Flights constantly change. A prudent person might check on the status every now and then to make sure nothing has changed, especially for a much anticipated trip. I think you had plenty of time to get online and check and adjust accordingly. Shit, you had 3 weeks!

I got stuck in Anchorage because a damn volcano was spewing ash. I'm gonna the Geoloigical Society and complain.

**MadPatSki** · 08-27-2008, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by hartzejr

A prudent person might check on the status every now and then to make sure nothing has changed, especially for a much anticipated trip. I think you had plenty of time to get online and check and adjust accordingly. Shit, you had 3 weeks!.

You go to meet someone for dinner, your friend doesn't show up. Shouldn't be normal that expect a noticed from that person? Same here, they didn't have to call me. They have my email. 3 weeks. I bought my ticket 9 days before AND got a LETTER confirmation waiting for me when I got back from in Ottawa from our family trip on August 17th.

Am I expected to check at every 24 hours? I booked a flight on NW to flight into Bozeman back in 06 (not saying they're better or worst), the schedule and flights got changed or cancelled so many times (4 times in 4 months), but I got notified each time. I know I should check, but a small notice would be nice.

Originally Posted by hartzejr

I got stuck in Anchorage because a damn volcano was spewing ash. I'm gonna the Geoloigical Society and complain.

I don't have an issue with stuff out of their control. Fuck, I had to deal with France infamous one day strikes back in 2003 with wife and young kids (one of them being 4 months old) after one month in France. Shit of stuff which included carseat and skis). I didn't complain, it was out-of-their control. We had to get back to the next morning at 5am at the Lyon airport to fly out to London, no space on the direct flight from London to Ottawa or Toronto or Montreal.

Ended up going Lyon-London-St.John's-Halifax-Ottawa. Alone is bad enough, but with two young kids. Ah yes, the infant don't get a seat (althought they charged you $$$ to travel with them (I guess they like luggage for the airlines), so we had her sitting on us for the whole trip? Anyone flying with kids would know this.

Did I complain? Not at all, I was greatfull that they found me a way back home.

Am I companing now? Yes. Why? Because this isn't the 20th century. They moved my reservation along automatically (with same seat reserved), but weren't able to send me an automated notification? Yes, I might be at fault for not checking back, however a small notification isn't much to ask?

**splat** · 08-27-2008, 12:14 PM

Trick is to turn your bummer into an upper...as in upgrade. Nothing like first class seating on a long flight.

The NYT just did an article about how bumping will increase with flight cuts and what the customer can expect in compensation. Vouchers worth $400 is the norm. Only a sucker would refuse to ask for it.

**MadPatSki** · 08-27-2008, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by splat

Only a sucker would refuse to ask for it.

As I mentioned above, this is random element, random element are to be expected in life. Some suck more than others. I'm not going to wine or lose any sleep over this.

I agree with splat, I'd be an idiot not to say anything and just let it be.

Originally Posted by Ireallyliketoski

Somebody call the Waaaaambulance.

Don't need a waaaambulance, I am just looking for some sort of compensation for my troubles (ie. missing a powder day). They screwed up. This is no different than you asking discount lift tickets or freebies.

**mmmthmtskier** · 08-27-2008, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by hartzejr

A prudent person might check on the status every now and then to make sure nothing has changed, especially for a much anticipated trip. I think you had plenty of time to get online and check and adjust accordingly.

Fuel prices are dictating the way airlines are run now. My recent trip to Maui was marred with several flight time changes, delays and flights moved to earlier flight times. What was aggavating was that the flight numbers were changed on these flights, too: Hard to keep track of things. Hawaiian Air was known as the on-time leader for their flights but no more. Each plane must now be full for the airline to have any hope of staying out of the red.
How will I plan my future flights? I'll make sure to have an adequate cushion between connecting flights, domestic 1-2hrs, international 2-3hrs. That way if there are any changes, I'll have a better chance of getting on an earlier or later flight. Is this convenient? Hell no. But I'll have a better chance of getting to where I'm going so I'll make the adjustment. Hopefully, the transportation and lodging businesses will adjust as well...

**davep** · 08-27-2008, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by MadPatSki

You go to meet someone for dinner, your friend doesn't show up. Shouldn't be normal that expect a noticed from that person? Same here, they didn't have to call me. They have my email. 3 weeks. I bought my ticket 9 days before AND got a LETTER confirmation waiting for me when I got back from in Ottawa from our family trip on August 17th.

I wouldn't say you should check every day.

But the airlines do say you should confirm your flight 1-2 days before. I always do. One time I found out I had been moved to a flight 6 hours later than the original one. Saved me sitting at the airport for an extra 6 hrs.

**MadPatSki** · 08-27-2008, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by davep

I wouldn't say you should check every day.

But the airlines do say you should confirm your flight 1-2 days before. I always do. One time I found out I had been moved to a flight 6 hours later than the original one. Saved me sitting at the airport for an extra 6 hrs.

I agree about checking, this made more sense before when not everything was done electronically. I realized that I should have, I usually do, but I have a crazy week (lucky that my boss didn't cancel my vacation) plsu kids starting school yesterday. The YYZ-SCL happens once a day and not everyday. So if it's not leaving at midnight, odds are it's not leaving at all.

Fuck, if people can get an email notifcation when someone reply on a thread on a ski forum, they could at least figure out a way of sending an email.

**Shredhead** · 08-27-2008, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by CoAlpha

Im a airline pilot, sorry man you get what you pay for. Cheep tickets = no service, you all are like cattle to us anyways.

Let me guess, United?

**hartzejr** · 08-27-2008, 01:45 PM

I'm just saying to double check a day or two before. Airlines are a pain in the ass to deal with so it just a good idea to keep up-to-date on those sonsabitches.. CoAlpha

. Like I mentioned, I was just playing devil's advocate.

But I do sympathise and hope you trip pans out well and you get some sweet face while out there. We expect a TR.