Friday, December 3, 2010

Yeah, so about that Paris thing...

It's a long, ultimately boring story, but I didn't make it to Paris. In what can only be described as a big, massive fail by Air Canada, my intended four days in Paris became a 24 hour trip to Heathrow airport and back, complete with little food and drink, and virtually no sleep.

I was originally supposed to fly Ottawa-Montreal-Paris. When we boarded the plane in Ottawa, it became apparent the plane's door would not close, we sat on the plane for 45 minutes (we were told they were getting booking agents to the gate to handle us when we got off the plane), got off only to be greeted by no one. At this point, I knew I had already missed my connecting flight to Paris, I made my way up to the booking desk and was told to collect my luggage first before they could help me. It took a half hour to get my bag back, I went upstairs to get sorted out, an hour later it was my turn to speak with the booking agent who informed me I was flying to Heathrow, where I would catch a British Airways flight to Paris. I knew there was a weather situation in the UK, and I specifically asked if there were delays at Heathrow airport, and she told me "There are no problems." Ha. Ha. Ha. Good one.

I made it to Heathrow airport (no meal, as I might add, can't get a vegetarian meal with less than 24 hours notice!), as we were landing, I saw the light skiffing of snow, and figured everything must be running smoothly (little did I know a light skiffing of snow in London, England is apparently a very big deal). As I made my way by bus from Terminal three to Terminal five, I noticed mountains of luggage covered by plastic tarps. It struck me as odd, by the haphazard way everything was stored, I assumed it was unclaimed luggage. In hindsight, I realize it was just the airport's way of dealing with massive (massive!) delays causing a huge backlog of luggage piling up at the airport.

Once I got to Terminal five, I got to the right gate pretty quickly, only to be denied entry because my flight had been cancelled. At this point, I was told British Airways had been cancelling flights within Europe for the past two days. Fuck. Fuckity-fuck-fuck-fuck. I was directed into a big line and told to rebook. While I was in that line, a British Airways employee came by with a clipboard and suggested that since I'm not British, it would be faster to declare myself at immigration and make my way back to departures to rebook my flight to Paris. So I do that, get upstairs, and holy shit, I have never seen such a mass of people in my life. I got into line, a British Airways employee was waiting at the end of the line to let everyone know "You are more than welcome to get in line, but just so you know, you will likely never make it to the front of this line before our desks close tonight." (this was at about 11am). I explain my situation, that I'm not supposed to be there, Air Canada rebooked me onto a British Airways flight, should I stay, or do I need to deal with Air Canada? He told me I'm now a British Airways customer, I have to get in line.

I was in line for over two hours (with no food or drink), I kept repeatedly explaining my situation to British Airways employees (people in blue vests who were walking around the line, not to actually do anything, but to make it appear British Airways was on the case). The last blue vest person I spoke to was actually from the baggage department, she never helps customers, so she took me to a supervisor who then informed me that since Air Canada had rebooked my flight, British Airways could not in fact help me, I had to go back to Terminal three to deal with Air Canada. So I take a train back to Terminal three, make my way to an Air Canada booking desk, and am told "Sorry, you're not an Air Canada customer anymore, you have to go back to British Airways." Faced with the decision to go back to *that* mess (two and a half hours in line got me perhaps 1/5 of the way through the queue, they were still cancelling flights, I was virtually guaranteed a 24+ hour wait in Terminal with no food or water), I rebooked my ticket home so that I was leaving Heathrow to fly directly back to Montreal immediately (the only certain decision I could make in an incredibly uncertain situation!). If I chose to get back in line at Terminal three, there was a very real possibility I would just make it to Paris in time to get back on the flight back to Canada anyhow. I had to haul ass to get on the plane to Montreal, it was already boarding.

I lucked out and managed to snag a meal on the plane back to Montreal, I slept a little bit, and I cried a lot, going away for a few days requires an enormous amount of planning and preparation, it was all for naught. When I landed in Montreal, I found out the plane back to Ottawa was delayed. Of course it was. Why wouldn't it be? All in all, it took 26 hours between when I left Ottawa and when I returned. No idea where my luggage is, I imagine it's buried on the runway at Heathrow, by the time I got back last night, flights to Paris from Heathrow were already running again, but given the incredible backlog, I wouln't have gotten out of that airport the same day, and I very much doubt my luggage would either.

I have sent my complaint to Air Canada (they don't have a phone number for customer complaints, imagine that?), I want to be reimbursed somehow for my ticket (60,000 air miles and $400), I should not be out of pocket for their sheer incompetence (had they rebooked my itinerary so that I was still flying Ottawa-Montreal-Paris, I would be in Paris right now, not sulking on my sofa in Stittsville). I held up my end of the bargain, I showed up on time, I did what I was told, and I got screwed.

24 comments:

  1. Ugh, that sucks! So awful for you. :( I really hope Air Canada does something to rectify.

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  2. You did get screwed. I hope that your get your refund. You SHOULD get your refund. What a story.

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  3. Oh no. :((( I'm so sorry to hear that. :( That *totally* sucks! Be persistent with Air Canada -- they'll probably only offer a minimum amount of compensation, so be sure to bump your complaint up to the ombudsman.

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  4. Wow! Sorry to hear you had such a horrible experience with AC and your Paris trip was forcibly cancelled because of airline screw-ups. I've always hated flying with AC. I've had my share of problems with them and I've heard numerous horror stories. I don't fly AC unless it's absolute necessity, which unfortunately happens more than I care to think about.

    I think you should definitely file a complaint and get your money and points back. Good luck with AC. It's probably going to be another battle there. Keep us posted!

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  5. That's horrible. Heathrow is horrible on a good day, and it seems even worse on a bad.
    And yes a little bit of snow will mess up everything in Europe, they are just not used to it. Next time see if you can take the train to France (if there ever is a next time)

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  6. Oh no, that's terrible. I am so sorry to hear that. Unfortunately the husband and me know all about Air Canada's stellar customer service and spending the night in airports because of that.

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  7. This is exactly why I got out of the travel business. I worked for Expedia for 2 years, wathced so many people get screwed over by the airlines. They will fly you somewhere, but if they go out of business while you're there, or something else happens, they couldn't care less. You're on your own. And what happens to the people who don't have the money to buy a new ticket home?
    It's really disgusting, airlines suck.

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  8. OH NO.... That's absoluelty horrific!!! I can't believe you had to put all that effort into getting screwed!! Complain complain complain.... and then complain some more. Let us know if you get some compensation... we already don't like Air Canada. If they don't make up for this I'm putting them on the band list!!

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  9. I am so, so, so sorry. I hate disappointment so very much and I felt yours so clearly. Many more good things will come your way though, of that I am certain! :)

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  10. That is awful. I'm so sorry. I hope Air Canada compensates you and soon.

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  11. How disappointing. You MUST be reimbursed (at the very least)! The masses are waiting for your response Air Canada... how are you going to handle this?

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  12. Aw Susie!!! I'm so sorry you didn't make it there. AC better step up and compensate!

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  13. OH no. I hate Air Canada. They've screwed us too in the past on our honeymoon no less!

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  14. this is nuts. i am so sorry and so frustrated for you.

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  15. What a truly horrible story. I hope Air Canada do the right thing and refund you in full, and quickly!

    Your comment about the light dusting of snow at Heathrow was an interesting one. Sadly, just a small amount of snow here in the UK seems to bring everything to a standstill, including what is one of the world's busiest airports! It's crazy and I'm sorry you were caught up in it!

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  16. That's so so awful, I'm so sorry. I know how hard it is to plan a trip like this for childcare - that really sucks and I do hope Air Canada reimburses you or at the least gives you a credit or something for another trip. Ugh, I'm sorry!

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  17. Send them a letter snail mail if you haven't already. That gets better results.

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  18. Oh, that really really bites. Sorry to hear you missed Paris. :(

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  19. Susie, So sorry to hear that you didn't make it to Paris. I totally agree with the suggestion of a snail mail letter. In my experience with other situations it has yielded better results.

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  20. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I wanted to be jealous of all the things you would be seeing and doing in "Pareeee". Drats...what a bummer!!!!

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  21. So sad -- you had such a lovely opportunity missed with your hubby (after that planning for the kids too) -- and then you get taken advantage of by a stupid airline of incompetence with employees who obviously dont care. Keep smiling - soemthing is bound to come back on the very postive side of karma, to compensate. You can make it happen! :O)))

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  22. What a disappointment. I'm so sorry that your trip was ruined.

    I've gone 10 rounds with Air Canada more than once, most recently a few weeks ago. They screwed up, big time, but thankfully their customer service people on the phone (the booking people) were actually willing to try to make it better, and they did their best. That said, I had to talk to one of the "Leads" to get any real compensation from them - and you can't actually speak to them, you have to leave a message and wait (4 days, in my case) for a call back. The woman that called me back was rude, condescending, and downright mean. I was actually in tears when I hung up with her. There's a lengthy letter to their customer service department brewing in my mind.

    Good luck with them. I bet they'll tell you it was weather-related and therefore not their fault. General incompetence does not seem to be compensatable, in their eyes. And unfortunately, they have a monopoly in this country. We can all talk about never flying with them again, but it's pretty darn challenging to travel from and within this country without them, unless you have unlimited cash and flexibility.

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  23. I spoke with a helpful person at Air Canada on Friday morning, he managed to get Aeroplan to give us the 60,000 air miles back (though I'll believe it when I see it, I have to fax all my boarding passes and itineraries to them), I still want the $400 back. I think the fact this hinges on a mechanical failure should be enough... had that not happened, they woulnd't have made the crap decision to send me to an airport that had basically been inoperational within Europe for 2 days beforehand. It still boggles my mind!

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  24. Good thing you kept all your boarding passes, etc, just faxing that all in with a detailed timeline of your journey through hell, I mean Heathrow, should help prove your point. I recommend using the words "make it right" - as in A/C needs to make this right!
    good luck

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