This blog is coming to you late because the last few days have been an “adventure” and my thoughts were somewhat preoccupied.  I write this blog at thirty five thousand feet in the air and my intentions are to share with you some of the worst services levels I have ever encountered while flying.  That’s truly remarkable given the hundreds of flights I have taken.  As an example I flew over seventy six thousand miles with Air Canada alone in 2012.  I thought I saw it all until my most recent trip.

The purpose of my trip was to attend the TMG conference in Mexico.  In no shape or form was my experience a reflection of the conference.  The conference itself was great.  TMG invited Kathy Gregory and me to attend, and to speak during the business session they held for all their brokers attending the conference.  Unfortunately Kathy had to cancel the trip due to circumstances beyond her control but I was going to attend because it was TMG.  The Mortgage Group is a valued customer of ours but more importantly because of my personal relationship with Grant and Debbie Thomas.  If they ask me to attend, I’m there.  I tried to do the right thing by supporting my friends but I also decided that I should get back earlier because plenty of work waits for me at the office.  Simple, no?  Clearly not.  

My Executive Assistant booked a new flight for me to come back last Saturday, meaning that I would only be in Mexico for 48 hours.  No problem, worth the effort for reasons noted above.  I was originally scheduled to come back on the following Tuesday, yesterday.  So there I am on Saturday bidding farewell to those who attended the conference.  Off to the airport I go, along with other conference attendees who were leaving a little earlier.  Of our group I was the last to check in at the Air Canada counter, and this where it gets nuts.  Here’s how the conversation went with the Air Canada employee who was supposed to check me in:

AC Employee:  I’m sorry sir but ju can’t go on de plane because ju name not on de list.

Bozic: It must be some kind of mistake, please check again.

AC Employee: No mistake,  ju name not on de list.

Bozic: (Holding up my iPhone to show him my e-ticket).  Is this an Air Canada confirmation?

AC Employee: Si

Bozic: Is it a confirmation for this flight?

AC Employee: Si

Bozic: Am I getting on this flight?

AC Employee: No

Bozic: Why?

AC Employee: Ju name not on de list.

Bozic: How do I get my name on the list?

AC Employee: Ju got to talk to Air Canada.

Bozic: Is this the Air Canada check in counter?

AC Employee: Si

Bozic: At this moment do you represent Air Canada?

AC Employee: Si

Bozic: Can I talk to you about getting my name on the list.

AC Employee: Si

Bozic: Will you help me to get my name on the list?

AC Employee:  No

Bozic: Why not?

AC Employee: Ju name not on de list.

I am not kidding, and they wouldn’t allow me on the flight.  To make matters worse I contacted Aeroplan, because I have a number that I can call because I’m a “valued” customer at Air Canada.  I call the number and the person on the phone says; “I’m sorry sir but there’s nothing I can do because you booked this trip on-line and not through Aeroplan”.  So Air Canada’s solution was to strand a passenger and not care at all about the damage they were doing to their own brand; strict adherence to an employee procedural manual trumped creative thought and problem solving by Air Canada employees.  I get it, people make mistakes.  But there’s something called duty of care, and in my case Air Canada failed miserably in this regard.   On the other hand, Best Points Travel who didn’t even book my flight back, we’re called upon to see if they could offer any assistance.  They worked the phones tirelessly, calling everyone they could at Air Canada to see if they could get me back home. When they realized that Air Canada didn’t care at all they immediately booked me on a flight with United Airlines the following day.  To Donna and Jennifer at Best Points travel, thank you for doing what Air Canada failed to do, actually giving a damn about a customer.

I have to say the following day got even more comical.  Back to the airport I went on Sunday, this was really starting to look like the movie Groundhog’s Day.  I said goodbye to everyone at the conference, again, jokingly saying I’ll see them at dinner tonight.  I arrived at the airport, checked in at the Untied counter, ecstatic that my name was on the list.  Boarding pass in hand I happily headed to the bar for a nice cold cervesa.  I had few…. because I waited for five hours before United finally announced the flight was cancelled because of bad weather.  Hand to go god I burst out laughing.  I can’t blame United Airlines for bad weather.  It happens, but I never should have been at the airport for that flight.  I was only there because of Air Canada’s total disregard for a customer, and ultimately their hiring practices.

Remember, I was originally booked to come back on the Tuesday, and even with all the changes made to my flights I didn’t cancel the original Tuesday flight.  I also never checked out of my hotel room early because I paid for it until Tuesday.  Thankfully that voice in my head told me not to cancel the original flight and hotel room.  I needed both to preserve some sense of sanity.  And thankfully Sunwing Airlines got me home, and they gave me five hours of flight time to think and craft this blog.  My little blog has had four hundred thousand page visits in just year and half, and now I got to share my Air Canada customer service experience with thousands of people.  I feel a little better now.

Until next time

Cheers