Air Canada Passes

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loopa
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Air Canada Passes

Post by loopa »

I have a question about them.

When you guys say want to travel from Toronto to Vancouver, you guys have certain number of passes you can use per year correct?

How do you guys go about using those? Do you purchase them at a discounted price through your company? And how does it work at the airport, if you have a buddy pass, are you on the standby list or are you guaranteed to get on board the flight? Also, is there such a thing where if you have a buddy pass, and another employee with a higher seniority number has a buddy pass that the other employee would get priority to board the plane?


Thanks !
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Martin Tamme
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by Martin Tamme »

Well, the first thing is that you have to become an employee, and it will be explained to you. Then you will notice that you get cheaper deals with Expedia than as an employee with Air Canada Vacations. Then you will find out that it's cheaper to buy Tango seats then purchasing Family Affair Tickets.
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loopa
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by loopa »

Martin Tamme wrote:Well, the first thing is that you have to become an employee, and it will be explained to you. Then you will notice that you get cheaper deals with Expedia than as an employee with Air Canada Vacations. Then you will find out that it's cheaper to buy Tango seats then purchasing Family Affair Tickets.
So if you purchase through expedia and such, there's no standby right?
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Lost in Saigon
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by Lost in Saigon »

loopa wrote:So if you purchase through expedia and such, there's no standby right?
He is saying that Air Canada employees do not get "Good Deals". He is saying it is cheaper just to buy your tickets the normal way like everyone else.

Employees do get unlimited standby passes. These are not free. (even though they really have no value) Currently you have to pay the taxes only, but there were times when they also made you pay a service charge. This can cost $100-300 for a worthless standby ticket that means you will not get on the aircraft unless there are empty seats.

Commuting and Vacationing with a standby ticket can be very stressful.....
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loopa
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by loopa »

LOL, what was I reading.

I guess I was reading what I wanted to see.


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Jaques Strappe
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by Jaques Strappe »

All sarcasm aside, I just flew to the Caribbean and back for $78 and not all on Air Canada.
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mattedfred
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by mattedfred »

i flew from IAD to YYZ on Shuttle America in J class for free

gotta love recip jumpseat agreements that don't charge a fee
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yycflyguy
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by yycflyguy »

... as a standby. I think Jacques had positive space. Where did you go Jacques? Mojitos and cigars without me?
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Jaques Strappe
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by Jaques Strappe »

Your old stompin ground.......

Just off the coast of Columbia. Did some diving. Jumpseated down and did a Zed back cause I didn't feel like wearing the uniform.

I have to admit that with some airfares being so insanely cheap, I have purchased tickets and on this trip we looked at that again but it meant flying on some U.S based commuter types and I just will not do that anymore as a result of reading the Colgan transcripts.
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toniswokej
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by toniswokej »

i also tried to get cheaper deals. but with no result. that why am saying go for normal ticket.
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Sloyne
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by Sloyne »

I spend my winters in Clearwater, FL. and my summers near Sarnia, ON. As my "out of province" medical insurance only cover me for thirty days at a time I have to return to Canada each month. My Air Canada employee pass (I am an AC retiree) between TPA and YYZ cost me $196.86 but a positive space ticket with Delta between TPA and DTW cost me $175.00. Now I know some are going to tell me that I can extend my AC flight to YZR for the same price ($196.86) but I would have to wait almost five hours at YYZ for my connection to YZR with still no guarantee that I would make it onto the 18 seater aircraft. The road journey time between YYZ and my home is over three hours, the road journey time between DTW and my home is a little more than one hour. No prizes for guessing which route I take.

Another issue to consider when using an Air Canada employee pass; Air Canada employees can "buy" seniority in the form of a C1/J10 pass. This C1/J10 is "supposed" to give you access to the J cabin but in effect buys you seniority. Example; I was on a standby pass at TPA along with a colleague who had 39 years service with the company. We were both bumped in favour of cons with vastly inferior seniority. How could this happen? Simple, they had purchased the upgraded option on the pass which also "bought" them seniority.
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Last edited by Sloyne on Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
bluemic
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by bluemic »

I too am an Air Canada retiree (I'm contesting that btw, however the subject is amply covered on a different thread) and, since my forced exit, I do a fair amount of pleasure travel each year. From my experience, the AC "pass" system is disappointing.

Retirees pay a service charge on ALL 'passes' and as "Sloyne" points out above, everyone is forced to purchase a C1 standby ticket to protect one's seniority. Once the four annual C1's are used up, you might as well take the train. For many of us, C1 priority comes across as nothing but a money-grab by the company.

The "J" class upgrade (which is the 'carrot-on-the-stick' part of the C1) turns out to be pretty much a non-starter, especially on North American routes. Those traveling on the C1 priority are at the bottom of the pecking order for access to the front cabin, which fills up astonishingly fast at the gate with "real people" using their coupons (or points or whatever) - even though the loads might've shown plenty of space a day or so before. Ergo, and despite one's best planning, we end up in the back - but at twice the price!

[I can't count the number of times the gate agent has apologized to me that she/he has had to sit us in Y even tho' we've paid the C1 charge. The agents know the policy is a scam and they're embarrassed about it…but their hands are tied.]

And…FWIW, I talked to an ex-BA driver while down south earlier this month (nice beach again, 13N!) and was astounded to hear about BA's employee travel benefits. I started to tell him about our system but he held up his hand and said: "No need to explain; when I worked with BALPA we all knew that AC was well known for having a 'rah-thah different' (think: British irony here) Employee Travel Policy."

From what he told me about his company's policy, I had to agree.

mic
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flyguycanuk
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by flyguycanuk »

Yes, that all terrible... but trying being junior and having thousands of some other company's employees traveling on C2's ahead of you! Now THAT sucks!
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mbav8r
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by mbav8r »

Yes, that all terrible... but trying being junior and having thousands of some other company's employees traveling on C2's ahead of you! Now THAT sucks!
Gee, I wonder who you're referring to. See other thread about my prediction and I hope for your sake it doesn't come true. Can you imagine how you'll feel, being BOTL to those very same C2 holders :lol:
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Johnny767
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by Johnny767 »

Active Employees are only on a "temporary reprieve" from service charges.

A thank-you for all you gave in CCAA. AC's pass policy is brutal; I'd be happy if they put it -"where the sun doesn't shine" - and gave us back our wages plus cost of living.

Then I'd be happy to purchase my own travel.

Have a Jumpseat deal for the Commuters and scrap the rest.
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mattedfred
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by mattedfred »

The cost of AC Pass Travel is a joke. I commute from YYZ to YUL and back for less with WestJet and for free with Porter. What do you think WestJet and Porter passengers are thinking when they see a pilot in a competitors uniform flying on the competition?
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Sloyne
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Re: Air Canada Passes

Post by Sloyne »

mattedfred wrote:The cost of AC Pass Travel is a joke. I commute from YYZ to YUL and back for less with WestJet and for free with Porter. What do you think WestJet and Porter passengers are thinking when they see a pilot in a competitors uniform flying on the competition?
And people wonder why so many employees/retirees badmouth Air Canada, even while flying on a pass. If I had a buck for each time I have heard an Air Canada person badmouth the company to a fare paying pax or potential pax, I would be wealthy. By the way, it isn't just the "pass charge" that pushes up the price of the AC pass, the taxes and charges at YYZ are atrocious and resistance to these charges are manifested in the growing number of Canadians using US border airports. I have a friend who lives in Victoria, BC who will be travelling to Puerto Vallarta tomorrow, January 1., and is doing it via SEA and the Seattle ferry and bus from the ferry to SeaTac. It is cheaper than using her AC pass and going via YVR or YYC.

The loss of the meagre revenue charged to employees/retirees like myself will not impact Air Canada's bottom line, the bad mouthing will, eventualy.
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