ray1312 Guest
17:54 16/02/06
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air canada - OK till a problem occurs
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We travelled last August across Canada and for the most part ( 5 /6 flights) Air Canada were good to excellent.
Not on our first flight.
We have been trying to get a reasonable response from Air Canada
over our experience .
I have exhausted their iternal system in UK and internationally.
We were on a flight on Aug 2nd last year, Heathrow - Toronto. It was
diverted to Ottawa because of the Air France crash immediately prior. (Thankfully all on the Air France plane escaped unhurt). Clearly that was not their fault.
However, what followed was unacceptable. The plane having been
diverted, was already 90 mins late. I think it touched down about 5.30 -
6PM local time.
We were given no information, even though Canadians with locally
registered mobile phones were able to get no end of information on the
situation on the Air France plane, that BA were accomodating all their
passengers in local hotels overnight etc. We were told nothing.
We were offered no food except water. (no bread even!)
We were not allowed to leave the plane.
No effort was made to find out contact details of relatives.
Relatives waiting at Toronto for us were told nothing.
Our daughter is disabled, yet they made no effort to find out whether
she was OK, needed anything special etc.
We were kept on the plane till around midnight.They could have sent out for food, but didn't.
Then we were bussed to Toronto - the wrong terminal at that - arriving
about 3.30AM.
Air Canada only gave the usual PR responses - 'regretting',
'disappointed', 'sorry to hear' - no acceptance that anything could have
been done better. They only offered to re-imburse us for any costs while on the plane - completely daft as there was no food or services to buy!
There may or may not be a legal obligation on their part, but will they
have signed in to any international agreement or anything that suggests
that they have any liabilities?
Ray
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castlemeadow Guest
19:08 02/01/06
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AIR CANADA - they don't like disabled people!
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AIR CANADA � to Los Angeles � NOT!
Attempt to travel to Los Angeles from Vancouver on New Year�s EVE via AIR CANADA was ended when the pilot, MR. Bob McGrath, had me removed from the plane. It was his decision that I needed a medical certificate to fly after having a coughing reaction to perfume as we just started to back out after the plane loaded. I had fully recovered � was seen to by AIR CANADA STAFF and by ambulance paramedics who agreed that I was fine but the captain of AIR CANADA FLIGHT 554 on December 31, 2005, decided that I would not fly on his plane. That began another host of unfortunate events which saw not only that I did not have my vacation, but that I did not return home until almost midnight without having had any meals or beverages (except a coffee with Danielle, the only saving grace that AIR CANADA can claim), no access to my medications that were in my luggage, and not much empathy from a clearly overworked and very tired staff.
I booked my ticket through Air CANADA�S WEB SITE and since there is no avenue for identifying my special NEEDS, I SPOKE TO A TICKET AGENT by telephone AS I BOOKED IT SO I COULD MAKE SURE I COULD BE SEATED WITH MY ATTENDANT, LET THEM KNOW I USED A WHEELCHAIR FOR MOBILITY, AND THAT I WAS EXTREMELY ALLERGIC TO PERFUME. This information was, as far as I know recorded in my file. When we arrived at the first counter, I again let them know about my special needs and my allergies. I wear a double medical mask to protect myself as best I can from inhaling the particles. At Vancouver Airport all passengers are forced to go through the DUTY FREE store in order to go through Customs where there are many perfume molecules in the air, so this is the first place my lungs became agitated. At the counter at the gate I once again identified my problems and special needs to the agent at the desk who said to make sure to let the purser know. Since I use a wheelchair, I promised I would tell the staff when I was preboarded. I immediately let the staff know and they seemed accommodating. At every turn I was honest and informative with Air Canada staff letting them know what might happen and that I had medication to handle the situation should it arise - and that I may need Emergency Oxygen should the reaction be severe. I even explained a previous experience to one flight attendant. She nodded in understanding. It was not until one of last three passengers boarded that I experienced some respiratory distress, took out my ventolin, coughed (as I do when reacting) and chewed a Benedryl. The flight attendant asked if she could help and I said Oxygen would help (as it clears the chemical from my lungs, and is not the systemic and dangerous jolt that epinephrine �the epi-pen, would provide- which is really more medicine that I needed for that reaction). Within seconds I was fine� but the decision to end my flight was made. My holiday was ruined and the flight of the rest of the passengers was delayed while that poor decision was made.
Danielle, an Air Canada ground employee, decided to try valiantly to save my holiday, but was given wrong information by her own company all along the way. First she was told that my family physician could FAX in a medical clearance so we managed to get hold of the doctor, get her FAXED the necessary forms, which she prepared to FAX to the MEDICAL DESK at AIR CANADA. After wasting my doctor�s time and energy, it turned out she would be required to examine me again at that time to determine my fitness to travel, which was not feasible since I was at the airport and she was a 4 hour round trip away (and it was New Year�s EVE!) Meanwhile, the medical clinic at the airport which had been open when this fiasco began was now closed so that option disappeared while my poor doctor was attempting to get clearance for me. More phone calls were made. A promise was made to let my traveling partner know I would be coming to meet him the next morning � he did not receive any messages from Air Canada when he deplaned in Los Angeles � nor did he get any message on the flight before he deplaned. He had no idea they were working on saving the vacation for me.
By this time all the walk-in clinics in Richmond had closed and I had to go to Richmond Hospital Emergency Clinic to get clearance to fly. I arrived there at 4:30 and saw a doctor at 6:15 and had the needed note in my hand by 6:30. Danielle, from AIR CANADA, had arranged for me to stay for $82.00 plus tax at a nearby hotel so I could fly out in the morning. I agreed that it might be a worthy investment to save my holiday. AIR CANADA did not offer to pay this expense. The hotel was near the hospital but it was raining and cold and dark so I could not wheel myself to this hotel. Wheelchair taxis were averaging over an hour wait. The hotel said they would come and pick me up. I had a contact at the hotel named HAYMAN who kept promising they would pick me up shortly � I communicated several times with him by cell phone � which meant I had to exit the hospital into the cold night air as cell phones are not allowed at Richmond hospital. I also was now unable to get hold of anyone at the MEDA desk number DANIELLE had given me for AIR CANADA � I just got a recording every time I called. (My cell phone records will document all my outbound calls.) If I did fly out, I would have no way of connecting with my partner�I phoned the hotel again -I finally gave them my cell number � still no one came � at 8:30 I called again in tears and was given the hotel manager who said he knew nothing about it and would send someone � I asked them to bring my luggage to the hospital then phoned my son to come and get me and take me home to Anmore. I arrived home just after 11:30 PM.
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unhappy customer Guest
13:52 31/12/05
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Re: Air Canada
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Re "Air Canada" posted by Grumbletext the mgnt. at 14:13 18/06/04 ...
My son, his girlfriend and 13 month old son just departed for Edmonton from Ottawa. They were allowed two pieces of luggage each amounting to six pieces over all and they had four. One of the cases was slighty over weight and they refused to take it on the flight and we were unable to lighten the load in that particular bag to meet the qualifications. I offered to pay the overage of weight to no avail.The bag is now on a Voyageur bus on its way to Edmonton at an additional cost of $80.00. It is no wonder that people get upset with air canada with service of that sort. West Jet would have charged an overage and taken the bag on the flight anyway as I have had to do that before.
Needless to say the next flight will be with another airline!!.
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Grumbletext the mgnt. Site Admin
14:13 18/06/04
Posts: 335 
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Air Canada
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