Pass fees

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av8ts
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Pass fees

Post by av8ts »

Although I’ve never used the reciprocal js on Porter or Transat, I’ve heard it’s free. When traveling on a pass on AC we pay AIFs and airport security surcharge. How is this possible? Have the airports exempted employees from paying these fees?

The airlines get to keep around 5% of the AIFs for collecting it. My question is AC collecting this fee from employees who are exempt from it just to get their kickback?
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montado
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Re: Pass fees

Post by montado »

When you go for your medical at AC the Doctor checks your prostate, and usually comments “this is to remind you Air Canadian is your boss”. The pass travel is just another way you bend over and take it. :rolleyes:

It does not have to be this way, but no one will stop them. Like you said pass travel is a huge revenue stream with the service charge and kick backs.
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digits_
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Re: Pass fees

Post by digits_ »

On Porter it is free because they pay the tax for you. That is also the reason only one reciprocal jumpseater is allowed on each porter flight, even if there are more empty spots. That information is a year old but is still correct I believe.
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ant_321
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Re: Pass fees

Post by ant_321 »

digits_ wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 5:19 pm On Porter it is free because they pay the tax for you. That is also the reason only one reciprocal jumpseater is allowed on each porter flight, even if there are more empty spots. That information is a year old but is still correct I believe.
I've heard that as well but I call bs. A few airlines don't charge anything. I know Transat, PAL and SWG are free as well and don't have limits. I had a group of 7 jumpseat with me on SWG and I find it hard to believe that SWG paid a fee for all of them. If it was costing money they would either cap it or charge for it.
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Xander
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Re: Pass fees

Post by Xander »

There is a group of airline employees fighting this.

You can sign up for the newsletter:

cdnairportaifs@gmail.com

Provide your name, company and job description (pilot, fa, ame etc...)
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fish4life
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Re: Pass fees

Post by fish4life »

ant_321 wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:35 pm
digits_ wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 5:19 pm On Porter it is free because they pay the tax for you. That is also the reason only one reciprocal jumpseater is allowed on each porter flight, even if there are more empty spots. That information is a year old but is still correct I believe.
I've heard that as well but I call bs. A few airlines don't charge anything. I know Transat, PAL and SWG are free as well and don't have limits. I had a group of 7 jumpseat with me on SWG and I find it hard to believe that SWG paid a fee for all of them. If it was costing money they would either cap it or charge for it.
The airlines are eating the cost, AC and WJ charge because for every WJ pilot on a transat flight WJ probably takes 20 transat pilots. JS is a great program but unfortunately the extortion the airports charge may slowly ruin it.

Anyone who thinks the airlines are using it as a revenue stream for the 5% might want to think about the math, 5% of a $30 AIF is only $1.50. Between the credit card fees and administrative fees the airlines pay it probably absorbs that $1.50 in cost
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iflyroads
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Re: Pass fees

Post by iflyroads »

the good old days when MY ID travel also didnt charge you the fees were the best. 2 dollar fares at the most!

ahhh memories.
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PostmasterGeneral
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Re: Pass fees

Post by PostmasterGeneral »

Isn’t there something in the IATA rules stating that pass travellers shall not be charged AIFs and taxes? Or is that only for business / training / pos non rev travel?
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TheSocialChameleon
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Re: Pass fees

Post by TheSocialChameleon »

Most Pilot's are cheap asses. Why are you complaining about paying for a seat in the sky? For the price of a tank or 2 of gas in your car!
Now for the commuters...
The travelling public would love to pay only $58 YYZ-YUL. I can't fault the airline if you choose to live away from base. If you want it for free then put it in your Collective agreement that commuting to/from work should be included. Otherwise everything else is fair game.

TSC :smt071
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DanWEC
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Re: Pass fees

Post by DanWEC »

That's a silly post. Doubtful that you're a working pilot, "TSC". :rolleyes:

Every employee of a company generally gets a discount on the product they make/sell from their employer.
Eg: work at Home Depot and get stuff at cost. It's a benefit that an employer can give at a fraction of the equivalent outlay in salary, so, technically it's a win-win.

Also, there are only a few major bases in the country for airlines, and it would be unrealistic to require tens of thousands of professionals to live in the immediate vicinity of these few airports. The employee travel benefits help.
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derk99
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Re: Pass fees

Post by derk99 »

DanWEC wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 6:08 pm That's a silly post. Doubtful that you're a working pilot, "TSC". :rolleyes:

Every employee of a company generally gets a discount on the product they make/sell from their employer.
Eg: work at Home Depot and get stuff at cost. It's a benefit that an employer can give at a fraction of the equivalent outlay in salary, so, technically it's a win-win.

Also, there are only a few major bases in the country for airlines, and it would be unrealistic to require tens of thousands of professionals to live in the immediate vicinity of these few airports. The employee travel benefits help.
Wrong,People who work at home depot do NOT get a discount on anything they pay full price just like the customers.
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hithere
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Re: Pass fees

Post by hithere »

Well then Home Depot is an anomaly because the vast majority of companies provide the product/service they provide at a discount to those that help make/provide the service(ie the employees).
Also the difference in price that AC mainline employees pay vs that which Express employees pay is an issue. (If you don’t know already Express pays more for any AC family flight even when said flight is on their own express carrier). The difference is such that many express pilots fly on other carriers to get to/from work whenever the option exists. Pretty sad when a FAv passenger on a WestJet flight asks an Express Pilot how come we always travel on them and the answer is because it’s cheaper and we are given buy on board for free as opposed to always having to pay for it on AC family.
PS This is a beef with AC management and not the pilots because I realize pass travel is not contractual item
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altiplano
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Re: Pass fees

Post by altiplano »

My friend's wife works at HD... she got me a discount on some stuff years back... She was a manager of some sort... Maybe it changed?
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av8ts
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Re: Pass fees

Post by av8ts »

hithere wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 1:11 pm Also the difference in price that AC mainline employees pay vs that which Express employees pay is an issue. (If you don’t know already Express pays more for any AC family flight even when said flight is on their own express carrier). The difference is such that many express pilots fly on other carriers to get to/from work whenever the option exists. Pretty sad when a FAv passenger on a WestJet flight asks an Express Pilot how come we always travel on them and the answer is because it’s cheaper and we are given buy on board for free as opposed to always having to pay for it on AC family.
PS This is a beef with AC management and not the pilots because I realize pass travel is not contractual item
I am an Express pilot and it make perfect sense to me that non AC employees would not get the same discount as employees
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hithere
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Re: Pass fees

Post by hithere »

Ok you must not be a commuter and/or rarely use your passes. Otherwise you would be feeling the pinch of pass travel being used as a revenue generating machine by mothercorp.
Passes at WestJet, Transat and virtually all US carriers are a fraction of what they are in Canada
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leftoftrack
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Re: Pass fees

Post by leftoftrack »

Air Canada never use to charge anything, they absorbed the taxes for as many pilots as had jump seats. this meant leaving pilots behind due to being limited to the number of jumpseats. they took the issue to management and management solved the issue with offering all available seats, with the rider paying the fee. This was a issue brought forth by pilots for pilots and they got exactly what they asked for.
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av8ts
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Re: Pass fees

Post by av8ts »

hithere wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 7:52 am Ok you must not be a commuter and/or rarely use your passes. Otherwise you would be feeling the pinch of pass travel being used as a revenue generating machine by mothercorp.
Passes at WestJet, Transat and virtually all US carriers are a fraction of what they are in Canada
I am a commuter and use passes at least 3 or more times a year for non commuting travel. Yes it is expensive ((for passes) and I do think it should be cheaper. HOWEVER I still understand how AC employees get cheaper travel than non AC employees
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goleafsgo
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Re: Pass fees

Post by goleafsgo »

av8ts wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:28 am
hithere wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 7:52 am Ok you must not be a commuter and/or rarely use your passes. Otherwise you would be feeling the pinch of pass travel being used as a revenue generating machine by mothercorp.
Passes at WestJet, Transat and virtually all US carriers are a fraction of what they are in Canada
I am a commuter and use passes at least 3 or more times a year for non commuting travel. Yes it is expensive ((for passes) and I do think it should be cheaper. HOWEVER I still understand how AC employees get cheaper travel than non AC employees
So why should it be cheaper for a mainline pilot to travel on Jazz than it is for a Jazz pilot to fly on their own airline
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daedalusx
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Re: Pass fees

Post by daedalusx »

Also why should it be cheaper for a Jazz pilot to travel on WJ than on their own airline?
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av8ts
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Re: Pass fees

Post by av8ts »

goleafsgo wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:47 pm
av8ts wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:28 am
hithere wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 7:52 am Ok you must not be a commuter and/or rarely use your passes. Otherwise you would be feeling the pinch of pass travel being used as a revenue generating machine by mothercorp.
Passes at WestJet, Transat and virtually all US carriers are a fraction of what they are in Canada
I am a commuter and use passes at least 3 or more times a year for non commuting travel. Yes it is expensive ((for passes) and I do think it should be cheaper. HOWEVER I still understand how AC employees get cheaper travel than non AC employees
So why should it be cheaper for a mainline pilot to travel on Jazz than it is for a Jazz pilot to fly on their own airline
Because Jazz is not an airline. We are a contract company. All our seats are owned by AC. So they decide who sits in them and at what price. If I charter a plane I decide who gets on. The company I charter from doesn’t get to put its employees on.
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