Air Canada seat selection $45, will you pay it for 3 hr flght?

[FIYes]

Recently flew Air Canada for the first time. It was not a pleasant experience. This was a return flight from overseas. Due to lack of a good Internet connection I was unable to check in online.

We get to the checkin desk. DH is given a boarding pass with his seat assignment. I’m told flight is overbooked…check at the gate for a seat assignment…you are on standby. We go to the gate, however there is no agent at the gate. When an agent finally arrives, I’m able to get a seat assignment. Whew!

Our flight is delayed for an hour. This makes our connection tight. Flight attendants request that passengers remain seated and allow the 15 of us with a tight connection to deplane first. We hustle through the airport and get to our connection gate before the doors are closed. We are told that we have no seat on the connection and will need to see customer service for a new flight.

We get a new flight for 5 hours later. The new flight is also late so the 5 hours becomes nearly six hours. We are seated together on this flight.

We finally arrive hours late, however DH’s luggage does not arrive. No agent at baggage claim to take a delayed/lost luggage report. I call airport administration number and an agent is sent to speak to those of use with missing luggage. We are given a small card with a website and phone number. No further assistance.

Filing a missing luggage claim, online wants an incident number and asks why we didn’t file at airport. I call the number since I seem to be in a loop online trying to submit a claim. I’m on hold for an hour and 45 minutes before I give up. I call the next day and get through after only 34 minutes. I get the information needed to submit the online claim. I get an email response that I should hear something in 45 days.

Also, we were served a meal on the first flight. I had the chicken and it was okay. DH had the pasta and it made him sick.

Air Canada….Not A Fan!!

 

[Koolau]

Recently flew Air Canada for the first time. It was not a pleasant experience. This was a return flight from overseas. Due to lack of a good Internet connection I was unable to check in online.

We get to the checkin desk. DH is given a boarding pass with his seat assignment. I’m told flight is overbooked…check at the gate for a seat assignment…you are on standby. We go to the gate, however there is no agent at the gate. When an agent finally arrives, I’m able to get a seat assignment. Whew!

Our flight is delayed for an hour. This makes our connection tight. Flight attendants request that passengers remain seated and allow the 15 of us with a tight connection to deplane first. We hustle through the airport and get to our connection gate before the doors are closed. We are told that we have no seat on the connection and will need to see customer service for a new flight.

We get a new flight for 5 hours later. The new flight is also late so the 5 hours becomes nearly six hours. We are seated together on this flight.

We finally arrive hours late, however DH’s luggage does not arrive. No agent at baggage claim to take a delayed/lost luggage report. I call airport administration number and an agent is sent to speak to those of use with missing luggage. We are given a small card with a website and phone number. No further assistance.

Filing a missing luggage claim, online wants an incident number and asks why we didn’t file at airport. I call the number since I seem to be in a loop online trying to submit a claim. I’m on hold for an hour and 45 minutes before I give up. I call the next day and get through after only 34 minutes. I get the information needed to submit the online claim. I get an email response that I should hear something in 45 days.

Also, we were served a meal on the first flight. I had the chicken and it was okay. DH had the pasta and it made him sick.

Air Canada….Not A Fan!!

I've heard a lot of problems with United lately (cancelled flights) but our recent travel from Oahu to the mainland was more or less flawless. "More or less" on time. Friendly service (though limited.) More or less comfortable (coach plus) seats. No luggage, so I can't comment. Always someone at the kiosk to ask questions. Heh, heh, just don't ask me about the price increase of 50% since last year.

 

[FIYes]

Back to the OP question…on my standby seat, I was seated next to a couple who had paid $200 to be seated together. Their original seat assignment was not together. It was a 5.5 hour flight.

 

[Koolau]

Back to the OP question…on my standby seat, I was seated next to a couple who had paid $200 to be seated together. Their original seat assignment was not together. It was a 5.5 hour flight.

Heh, heh, DW and I rarely sit together. We try for an aisle seat 1) across form each other. 2) aisle seats in front/back of each other. 3) aisle seats within a couple of seats of each other. We haven't missed so far. No extra charge. YMMV

 

[brett]

Westjet recently had a 1/2 price sale on seat selections. First time we have ever seen that.

It caused us to log into our reservation and reserve our seats. Aisle and window. $13.50 Cad going, $14.75 returning. Four hour flight.

Have to wonder what made the airline decide to do this. I have never seen this before on any carrier.

We are on an AC flight to Morocco in Sept. Have yet to even check on seating or seat prices.

 

[livingalmostlarge]

Yes? but I pay $40 for not the save but the regular main fare on alaska all the time. I like having the flexibility for cancelling. I end up changing all the time. Happened on the most recent trip to hawaii. I booked it last minute and i changed my tickets from Sunday to Friday for change in fare price but having the flexibility and not buying ticket insurance is better for me personally.

It does suck with 4 people paying for main cabin, and I considered not doing it for our next trip to SF, but with status for DH and I, we don't get bonus miles either flying saver so we might as well pony up for main cabin which gives you seat selection.

I also just paid $450 pp for 18 hour flights for economy plus which i figure is well worth it.

 

[brett]

Yes? but I pay $40 for not the save but the regular main fare on alaska all the time. I like having the flexibility for cancelling. I end up changing all the time. Happened on the most recent trip to hawaii. I booked it last minute and i changed my tickets from Sunday to Friday for change in fare price but having the flexibility and not buying ticket insurance is better for me personally.

It does suck with 4 people paying for main cabin, and I considered not doing it for our next trip to SF, but with status for DH and I, we don't get bonus miles either flying saver so we might as well pony up for main cabin which gives you seat selection.

I also just paid $450 pp for 18 hour flights for economy plus which i figure is well worth it.

We also look at economy plus. BUT...do some research on the airline/aircraft to ensure that you really are getting a benefit. More than once we discovered what was being sold was an extra inch.

OTOH, we upgraded to prremium econony on our last TAP flight to Portugal. It was well worth the incremental charge if only because it came with full refund if we cancel 48 hris or more prior to flight time, seat selection. Also had baggage we we only do carry on so that is not a big draw for us.

We did a SFO-Singapore flight a few years ago. 17 plus hours. We booked economy. Then waited until close to blast off when United sent us a good offer to upgrade to lie down seats in business class. We snapped it up.

 

[livingalmostlarge]

It is premium plus economy that SFO SIN flight united. Not business class but right below. I didn't want to wait and the seats are now looking like $4700 instead of the $1000 i paid for DH and miles for us plus upgrade. Guess it was a good deal. But 16+ hours seemed a lot to not pick a seat. First time I've ever paid for economy plus, usually we get free upgrades with DH traveling. And I buy main cabin to double the miles bonus or something.

 

[Music Lover]

We will pay to choose our seats in 2 situations:

1. It's a long flight and we want to sit together (4 or more hours)

2. If we have to go through customs when we arrive so we're not stuck behind 150 people being processed by 3 or 4 agents. That can easily save an hour of more of our time.

 

[Ian S]

I just booked flights between Phoenix and Toronto for next month on Air Canada Rouge. I did pay extra (~$100 CDN total covering both flights) for exit row seating. It's the only carrier with convenient non-stop service for me. Also, I have credits with them I want to use up. And because I have a Canadian bank account with Visa debit card, I don't worry about exchange rates. The flight east is 4 hrs 10 minutes while the return flight is 4 hrs 35 minutes. For a 3 hr flight I wouldn't probably pay for seat selection.

My experience with Air Canada has been OK with the worst instance being a flight arriving very late in Toronto in poor winter weather such that the rental car agency didn't hold my car even though I'd told them I'd be late. Probably more blame on the rental car company than on Air Canada.

 

[fh2000]

I am the OP.

Just got back from Canada for a 7 day trip.

The original seat selection price was $45. As days getting closer, it dropped to $14.95. We waited until 24 hours prior and selected seats with no cost.

Flying out from LAX, we had to sit separately. Flying back in we selected an isle seat and the adjacent seat, but their computer assigned a window seat with an adjacent seat. So, kind of strange. But, we were fine with that.

 

[Koolau]

I am the OP.

Just got back from Canada for a 7 day trip.

The original seat selection price was $45. As days getting closer, it dropped to $14.95. We waited until 24 hours prior and selected seats with no cost.

Flying out from LAX, we had to sit separately. Flying back in we selected an isle seat and the adjacent seat, but their computer assigned a window seat with an adjacent seat. So, kind of strange. But, we were fine with that.

I guess patience is a virtue! Glad it w*rked out for you.

Travel stories/pictures?