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| - I had the worst first experience with Air Canada. I booked this airline through Chase rewards because of a convenient departure airport and reasonable point total. The way this airline handled a missed connection due to delayed flight was the epitome of poor customer service, no attention to detail, and sub-par accommodations.
Upon notification of delay in departure, I approached the gate attendant to notify that the delay may impact a connection in Toronto to an international flight to Beijing. I was told the delay would not impact the connection and that they would make no action. On further delay of the flight I approached the attendant again. I was now told that there was not enough time to look into another flight plan. Had the attendant looked into an option at the first delay notification, I would've been able to get connected through a different route.
On arrival in Toronto, I was not given any instruction on what to do next. Being fairly close to our departure time, I ran through customs and found my gate. The plane was still at the gate and the ramp was still connected. Clearly out of breath indicating an urgent situation, this gate attendant proceeded to tell me to wait and proceeded with an unrelated task. Once I was given attention, she called to see if my companion and I could board. We were told that we just missed the ability to board, even though the plane was still at the gate. Had there been any communication or customer service, the flight could have waited for us to board before starting the departure sequence. There was not a lack of ability to accommodate, just an ignorance to service.
Once broken hearted at the situation, seeing the plane sitting and the realization that we'd miss 1/2 of the coursework we were to complete in our short Beijing stay, we were instructed to go to customer service for new boarding passes on the same flight the next day. We arrived at the customer service desk to be greeted by agents who were distracted and not sympathetic to our situation. We were told they could not handle our new arrangements and were dismissed up an elevator to find the correct desk. At the top of the elevator, there were no obvious indicators of where to go so we asked an Air Canada desk attendant. This happened at 3 separate counters with each agent giving unspecific direction and a point of a finger to dismiss us to find someone who could help us solve a problem we didn't create. After about an hour of uncertain airport trudging, multiple wrong desk arrivals, we eventually came out of customs to the departures agent outside of security. This agent seemed annoyed we were at the wrong desk, and since we were outside of security could not re-enter for the correct desk, and reluctantly helped us.
We were booked for an overnight stay at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel and given $15 meal vouchers for dinner. The Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel has a 1-2 star rating on yelp. The rooms were outdated there were stains on the linens. The meal voucher only covered the least expensive entree at the hotel, a hamburger.
The agent the day before did not ask our seating preference and booked isle and middle seats. We tried to change seats (again being scolded at approaching the wrong baggage desk, even though we didn't have bags) but the flight was full so there was not an ability to change seats. This leads me to believe our previous flight was oversold as well, and that our seats were given away, not that the airline couldn't accommodate us.
I hope that Chase stops supporting this airline and that my social media posts and word of mouth about this company disrupts future ability to provide poor customer service. In speaking of my experience so far, I've already learned that many others see these practices as standard for Air Canada. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, book Air Canada.
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