Well that's kind of a drag

[Wolfhunter]

Just on the off chance someone on the planet hasn’t seen this… great tune.

 

 

[blues deville]

United settles with Dr. D.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/united-dragging-settlement-1.4088925?utm_source=skies-daily-news-news-from-the-web&utm_campaign=skies-daily-news&utm_medium=email&utm_term=news-news-from-the-web&utm_content=V1

[conehead]

Well, that was quicker than I expected. How are we going to find out how much he got?

[Airband]

I suspect we'll never know for sure other than it will probably be several lifetime earnings of a UA pilot and we're not likely to hear any first person account of the incident - ever.

[blues deville]

5 hours ago, conehead said:

Well, that was quicker than I expected. How are we going to find out how much he got?

CNN says north of a million.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/28/opinions/united-airlines-settlement-cevallos/index.html

[moeman]

I'd take a shot to the snot locker for that kind of money...

[Seeker]

32 minutes ago, moeman said:

I'd take a shot to the snot locker for that kind of money...

Even better if you do it to yourself and get to blame someone else.

[Guest]

 

and now a word from the "real front line"

Opinion: If Air Rage Is Out Of Control, Blame Management

May 3, 2017 Bob Ross | Aviation Week & Space Technology

 

A few days ago, I was meeting with union representatives at the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. We were collecting facts about an incident aboard a San Francisco-to-Dallas flight involving a flight attendant, a stroller and an irate passenger in the first-class cabin. During our meeting, I received a report of a flight attendant on a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles who had been grabbed by the throat by a passenger. The same week, a flight attendant emailed to describe seats on her flight littered with garbage and the words “F— You Bitch” found glued to the aircraft window in cutout letters. The same week, the American Airlines Facebook page received a number of death threats directed at flight attendants. I receive similar reports of air rage every day. 

Do you think, just maybe, this is getting out of hand?

It was not always this way. When I began working as a flight attendant 34 years ago, the job was about service, safety and maximizing the flying experience. Our 26,000 flight-attendant members at American Airlines still strive to make flying comfortable and enjoyable. But since 9/11 my colleagues and I have become first responders, the last line of defense, concerned about security and safety in a cabin when tensions run high. 

When you combine tight schedules, overcrowded aircraft and shrinking seats with less pitch and limited overhead bin space, you have a recipe for frustration. Factors such as overbooked flights—as we recently witnessed in a passenger removal on a United Airlines flight—add to the tension. Everyone is put on edge by pressure to get airplanes out on time, such as the “Departure minus 10 min.” and American’s “Optimizer” computer program, which calculates the minimum optimum amount of time that airplanes can be on the ground and erases any margin for error. The slightest delay causes a trickle effect for every flight down the line. All these stresses are related to corporate decisions beyond the control of passengers or flight attendants.

These metal tubes that we fly in have become like capsules housing hundreds of passengers with different needs, wants and cultures in an extremely confined space. We have packed the aircraft with seats but drained them of every amenity. Flying is no longer a pleasant experience for most of our customers, but it doesn’t have to be this way. 

Now that the industry is enjoying record profits, it is time to give back and think about finding ways to make flying less stressful and more comfortable. Perhaps we should focus on the quality of our on-time departure to start out with a better experience for everyone. Let’s do a better job of making sure large bags and cumbersome items do not make it down the boarding bridge by staffing to meet the needs of everyone. 

Let’s put the human element into scheduling for passengers and build more time into schedules for crew rest and connections. We should staff flights with more flight attendants, rather than  sticking with the minimum government mandates. Most importantly, we must value flight attendants, compensate them fairly and recognize that they play a larger role today in an airline’s success or failure than they ever have.

American took a step in the right direction at the end of April, after pressure from our union, when it granted raises on top of earlier salary adjustments, outside of the normal collective-bargaining process, to be competitive with its peers. But when inflation is taken into account, even these increases do not bring us back to the wage rates flight attendants earned prior to 9/11.

Derek Thompson, writing in The Atlantic magazine this month in an article entitled “How Flight Attendants Are Set-Up To Fail,” identified two major trends: “the airlines’ corporate power to maximize profits from each flight, and fliers’ power to broadcast their frustration on social media when tensions boil over,” such as we witnessed recently with the viral videos of a Delta Air Lines passenger denied access to a restroom.

It is going to be hard to stop viral videos, but CEOs of the air carriers can use their power to improve the flying experience. If they do not, the government is likely to step in and do it for them.

Bob Ross is the president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, representing 26,000 flight attendants at American Airlines. He also is a licensed pilot and has worked as an aircraft mechanic. The views expressed are not necessarily those of Aviation Week. 

[boestar]

This is what you get in a deregulated industry that is cutting prices so every redneck chuck and Jimbo can travel without the manners of a Billy Goat.  Once upon a time it was only the elite that travelled by air.  Those were the days

 

[Guest]

boestar: It wasn't just the elite that travelled, I do not remember such problems in the 60s, 70s, 80s or indeed into the 90s. IMO it is a general "Lack of respect" for others that is the root cause of our current problems .

[Guest]

Warren Buffett: Airlines are becoming “cattle cars” because that’s what we want

If you are looking some sympathy for your terrible experience on a US airline, don’t ask Warren Buffett.

The billionaire investor and CEO of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway says that a good price is more important to passengers than legroom or other services aboard.

Buffett invested in the United States’ little-liked major airlines last year, including United, after cheap fuel helped them rake in record profits. The price of seats have declined recently, leading airlines to seek creative ways to squeeze more money from passengers, charging for services that used to be free perks.

Large domestic carriers recently rolled out new basic economy classes that promise an even worse experience than regular coach class. In exchange for a slightly cheaper price, basic economy passengers board last, aren’t allowed to choose their seats, and are forbidden from using precious overhead bins. Airline executives are also trying to fit even more travelers on board by reducing already scarce legroom.

Airplanes “may become like cattle cars, but a significant percentage [of passengers] would rather be treated that way and fly for X than have far more legroom…and fly for X plus 25%,” Buffett told CNBC Monday.

Indeed, a 2016 survey by the International Air Transport Association, a trade group, shows that price is the top reason passengers choose a certain airline, while on-board comfort—if you can call it that— came in third.

The violent dragging of passenger David Dao off of a United Airlines flight last month sparked public outage about years of mistreatment of passengers by US airlines. Even US lawmakers joined in last week and chastised airline executives for their poor service and myriad fees.

Buffett, who long shunned investing in US commercial airlines (pdf) because they were prone to booms and busts, clearly isn’t investing in them now because passengers are more comfortable. But if he’s considering his own comfort and that of his shareholders, he should note that airline profits have dwindled, partly as the result of more expensive fuel.

“It’s a job I don’t want, running an airline,” he said.

https://qz.com/978394/warren-buffett-airlines-are-becoming-cattle-cars-because-thats-what-we-want/

[Guest]

Strange when you think about it, when you go to the circus, the opera, live theatre, a cruise, when you buy "Cheap" you get the nose bleeds, behind a pillar , small porthole to look out of etc. yet the public seems to accept that until they buy "Cheap" and travel on an airline.  About time the public wised up to what they have created. 

[Fido]

39 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

About time the public wised up to what they have created. 

If you want to see someone cry just tell them that you got a cheaper ticket than they did.

[av8tor]

2 hours ago, Malcolm said:

Strange when you think about it, when you go to the circus, the opera, live theatre, a cruise, when you buy "Cheap" you get the nose bleeds, behind a pillar , small porthole to look out of etc. yet the public seems to accept that until they buy "Cheap" and travel on an airline.  About time the public wised up to what they have created. 

Malcolm, may I suggest that it’s not entirely the fault of Joe Public. Yes, most people are very price conscious but let’s not overlook airlines that do whatever they can to put a warm body in an empty seat. It is the airlines that have bought into the mantra that it is better to have a seat generate one dollar than to have it depart empty. After all, flights for the most part are scheduled, and are departing regardless of being half empty or full.

I will always remember, and probably never forget an article in the company rag of an airline no longer with us, where it was explained how an aircraft could depart ”full” and yet still lose money. I remember thinking to myself at the time, if this is the best that the high priced help at the top can come up with, then our days are numbered … and they were. The suits only (well maybe not only) focus is that they want Joe Public flying on their aircraft, and not with a competitor.  And what’s the obvious way to do that? Attract them with lower prices. And how to offset lower revenue? Well, lets cut service. You want service?Well then pay for it. All of the airlines are doing it as they, in concert with Joe Public, fight each other in this race to the bottom. Competition is good but it can have an ugly side to it.

[boestar]

Today I watched Gate lice get refused upgrades.  I got mine free.  That must drive them nuts.

[blues deville]

2 hours ago, boestar said:

Today I watched Gate lice get refused upgrades.  I got mine free.  That must drive them nuts.

Can you expand on the term "gate lice"? Sounds like it could be nasty.

[boestar]

These are the people that are members of frequent flyer plans and hang around the gate and constantly ask if there are upgrades available.  Usually these people have a lower status level but keep trying.  There were several on this flight all vying for the one seat that was actually available.

I boarded early with the expectation that the upgrade would not be available to me however I was wrong (for once) and was informed that the seat was there for me after the seatbelt sign went out.  I could feel the eyes of those people that kept asking at the gate as I walked up the aisle of the aircraft with my carry on.

 

[Guest]

No drag on the stock value. http://fortune.com/2017/05/09/united-airlines-stock-warren-buffett/

United Airlines Stock Just Hit an All-Time High

Lucinda Shen

4:05 PM ET

 

 

Shares of United Airlines' parent company soared to an all-time high Tuesday, after it revealed strong performance in April on several revenue metrics. That's despite being linked to dead rabbits, wrong-way flights and a bloody passenger over the course of the month.

Shares of United Continental Holdings had risen 5% as of late Tuesday afternoon, to $78.48 from $75.69, edging the company's market capitalization up by $867 million. Despite consumers' apparent dissatisfaction with airlines in April, passengers were still taking United flights. Last month, consolidated revenue per mile travelled by a passenger rose 7.4% in the month that David Dao was forcibly removed from his flight in a high-profile incident caught on video. The company also set a record with the fewest cancellations during a month in all of United's history.

 

Despite all the public relations headaches, the numbers are what matter to investing titan Warren Buffett and hedge fund manager Brad Gerstner of Altimeter Capital — who both reiterated their confidence in the airline industry at high-profile investing events in recent days. Even if the Oracle of Omaha doesn't exactly agree with the idea of hedge funds, he does agree with Gerstner on at least one thing: Airlines look poised for a come back.

"Our idea today is United Airlines," Gerstner said at the Sohn Investment Conference on Monday, an event at which Wall Street's finest give their biggest stock picks of the year."What do you need to believe to invest in United? You have to believe that the competitive dynamics really have changed as a result of consolidation."

Over the past decade or so, airline companies have undergone a string of mergers and acquisitions to combat weak profits — leaving just four major airlines, one of them being United, in control of roughly 70% of the U.S. market. That has left consumers in the U.S. with very few air travel options.

Airlines as a whole have come under increased scrutiny after Dao was forcibly dragged off a flight in early April. And over the course of the month, United was hit with even more negative press, Delta was criticized for kicking a couple and their son off a plane, while Qantas CEO Alan Joyce took a pie to the face.

But the negative press has done little to worry investors such as Buffett and Gerstner.

"One of the things they found is that a very high percentage of people are very price conscious," Buffett told CNBC following Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholders' meeting. "They may become like cattle cars, ... but a significant percentage would rather be treated that way and fly for X than have far more leg room (and other benefits) and fly for X plus 25%."

[Guest]

Seems that the press is making a mountain out of a mole hill when it comes to passenger satisfaction based on a few incidents, at leas according to JD Power.

J.D. Power: Despite recent news, airlines are

It hasn't been a good month for news about U.S. airlines. However, despite that persistent drumbeat of negative headlines, airline service is the best it's been in years.

At least that's according to J.D. Power, which found soaring passenger-satisfaction levels in its annual customer-service survey of North American airlines for 2017.

“It’s impossible to think about airline customer satisfaction without replaying the recent images of a passenger being dragged from a seat, but our data shows that, as a whole, the airline industry has been making marked improvements in customer satisfaction across a variety of metrics, from ticket cost to flight crew,” Michael Taylor, travel practice lead at J.D. Power, said in a statement. “As recent events remind us, however, airlines have significant room for improvement.”

SEE INDIVIDUAL AIRLINE RATINGS: J.D. Power: Alaska Air, Southwest are the USA's best airlines for 2017

In the group's 2017 survey, passengers' happiness with service on U.S. and Canadian airlines continued to rise, hitting its highest mark ever since J.D. Power moved to its current survey format in 2006. The industry's satisfaction score climbed to an average of 756 on a 1,000-point scale -- a 30-point jump from the previous record high that was set just last year.

The improving overall scores continue a five-year trend in the J.D. Power survey. The gains for 2017 were seen across the board, rising in all of the customer-service factors rated in the survey.

Falling airfares, improved on-time performance and a decline in lost luggage were all cited for bolstering customer-service scores. Also improved in 2017, according to J.D. Power, were “historically low bump rates and high scores for flight crews.”

Those "historically low bump" rates come even though the topic has remained in the headlines for weeks following the United Express 3411 incident on April 9.

J.D. Power also found fliers did not appear to be especially unhappy with airline service workers.

"Despite recent news stories, issues arising from airline crews, staff, and 'attitude' are neither the most common problem reported, nor are problems with the crew the most impactful on satisfaction, according to study findings," Taylor added in a statement to USA TODAY's Today in the Sky blog.

Even United, suffering from weeks of bad press since that passenger-dragging incident that made global headlines, scored ratings that run counter to recent narratives.

"United Airlines achieves the greatest improvement in Flight Crew satisfaction, an increase of 37 points year over year," Taylor said.

J.D. Power's satisfaction scores are drawn from airlines' performances in seven categories (in order of importance to the survey), cost and fees, in-flight services, aircraft, boarding/deplaning/baggage, flight crew, check-in, and reservations.

The full methodology for the survey can be found at J.D. Power's website, though the group says the results are based on responses from a combination of 11,015 business and leisure passengers who flew on a major North American airline between March 2016 and March 2017. The study was fielded between April 2016 and March 2017.

The J.D. Power ratings come a month after another annual airline rating found that airline service improved slightly in its year-over-year ratings for 2017. That study -- the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report that's a joint project of Wichita State and the Arizona campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University -- tabbed Alaska Airlines as the top U.S. carrier.

Alaska Airlines closed on its acquisition of Virgin America in December, a deal that makes Alaska the fifth-biggest U.S. airline and a dominant player on the West Coast. Virgin America was among several notable carriers not included in the J.D. Power survey. Spirit Airlines, Allegiant and Porter are among the others not included in the J.D. Power survey.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2017/05/10/jd-power-despite-recent-news-airlines-doing-great-customer-service/101498980/

[Guest]

Another voice of reason in the wilderness.

It’s not all the airlines’ fault. Sometimes it’s the Ugly American traveler.

By Fredrick Kunkle By Fredrick Kunkle

Tripping

Analysis

Analysis Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events
Travelers walked outside the United Airlines terminal at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago last month. Boarding a flight these days can mean joining Fight Club. (Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images)

U.S. airlines have received some well-deserved criticism lately for their routine mistreatment of customers.

Their sins include, but are not limited to: overbooking; tinier and tinier seats; bigger disparities between the comforts of first-class swells and the human cargo in economy; and fees, fees, fees. The event that brought all this into focus, of course, was the outrageous assault on a United Airlines passenger who was dragged off a plane last month.

But maybe it’s time air travelers also look in the mirror to see why so many jetliners have become venues for Mile High cage fights. Those folks might see a reflection of the Ugly American. The whiny American. The entitled American.

Just this week, we’ve been treated to fight night on a plane at Burbank Bob Hope Airport in California that ended with a Southwest Airlines flight attendant buried somewhere in the scrum.  At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida, passengers started duking it out with sheriff’s deputies and each other after Spirit Airlines canceled hundreds of flights amid a labor dispute with pilots.

On Wednesday, a Kansas City woman went on the evening news to talk about her “humiliation” after she had to pee in a cup on a United Airlines flight last month because she has an “overactive bladder,” KCTV News 5 reports. The TV segment — which contains grainy reenactments of the moment The Cup is passed — said that flight attendants forbid the woman to get up from her seat after takeoff, even though they were handing out drinks. The woman told the TV station the seat belt light was still on because of turbulence.

The airline,  however, told the news station in a statement that the woman had tried to get to the lavatory, in violation of federal regulations, while the April 9 flight was on its final descent.

Before the pee cup, there were the leggings girls, and several diverted flights after fighting broke out over reclining seats and efforts to thwart same with the “knee defender.”

[Sure, you can wear leggings on a plane. But please don’t]

Many of these incidents were captured on video and posted on social media, the many-eyed watchdog that has given us firsthand looks at abuses people endured from the airlines or law enforcement that might otherwise have gone unreported.

But smartphone cameras have captured scenes of a lot of people acting badly, too. Some incidents even have a whiff of having been ginned up to create faux outrage, perhaps for someone’s 15 minutes of Facebook fame or in the hope that the airlines can be shamed into coughing up free seats or more.

“We are definitely seeing a small number of passengers who appear to be manipulating the public outrage at airlines to try to get something, or to disobey crew member instructions,” Taylor Garland, a spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said Wednesday. “We believe this is unfair to the vast majority of passengers who just show up for a flight that they want to be safe, efficient, uneventful and friendly, and get on with their travel plans.”

 

Whether it's an overbooked flight or getting stuck on a tarmac, this is what you need to know about your rights when common flight troubles come up. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post)

Whether it's an overbooked flight or getting stuck on a tarmac, this is what you need to know about your rights when common flight troubles come up. Whether it's an overbooked flight or getting stuck on a tarmac, this is what you need to know about your rights when common flight troubles come up. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post)

Garland said she knew of a recent budget flight where a passenger took a seat in an exit row, which costs more than other seats and to which the passenger was not assigned. A flight attendant told the passenger to return to his seat, and the person complied. But for the rest of the flight, the passenger hurled verbal abuse at the flight attendant, Garland said.

“Because everyone’s on edge, there wasn’t much action taken,” Garland. “It wasn’t a firestorm national media event, but little things like that undermine the role the crew plays in the cabin, which is to enforce federal regulations for the safety and security of everyone on that plane.”

There’s no doubt that the airline monopoly has inflamed everyone’s nerves with its casual callousness toward customers. A day after members of Congress wagged their fingers at United Airlines chief executive Oscar Munoz and other airline bosses, news broke that American Airlines would soon be shoehorning more passengers into some of their planes.

But the problem — to view the video from Fort Lauderdale and California — is also us.

[Guest]

The press jumped hard on how bad airlines were, the US congress responded. Seems that the pen is still mighty (or should I say the yellow press) but then the truth comes out.

Unlike Congress, U.S. passengers seem extraordinarily forgiving toward airlines

By Kari Paul

Published: May 11, 2017 6:09 a.m. ET

A member of Congress called the industry ‘an absolute joke,’ but overall customers are happy

Members of Congress say anti-competitive changes have made airlines terrible for consumers.

By

KariPaul

Reporter

 

At congressional hearings over the past week on the state of U.S. airlines, politicians accused the industry of anti-competitive behavior, diminishing flight quality and increasing hidden fees. Customers, however, seem to be kinder to the industry.

Recent surveys among North American airline passengers suggest satisfaction is at an all-time high. Overall customer satisfaction with airlines increased for the fifth consecutive year, reaching 756 on a 1,000 point scale — a 30 point change from last year, one new survey by marketing company J.D. Power found. There is one important caveat, however. The survey only covered between April 2016 and March 2017, so the events of the last six weeks — 300 flights canceled by Spirit Airlines and the United Airlines incident where a 69-year-old doctor was dragged off a fight — and for which the airline’s CEO Oscar Munoz repeatedly apologized — weren’t included.

Still, another survey released in the wake of those airline PR disasters showed that most people would still fly United Airlines UAL, +0.00% the company that took most of the flak for the industry over the last six weeks. Some 57% of millennials said they would continue to fly with United, according to this survey of more than 2,300 young fliers released last month after the recent controversies. That’s good news for airlines: Millennials are now the most frequent business travelers of any generation — millennials took 7.4 business trips last year, versus 6.4 for Generation Xers and 6.3 for baby boomers, according to an October 2016 report from travel and hospitality marketing firm MMGY Global.

And there’s still time for the industry to recover. Some 85% percent of people who traveled by air in 2016 said they were “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their air travel experience, up from 80% in 2015, according to a new study released in March from trade organization Airlines for America. The increasingly positive view of air travel can be attributed to enhancements in onboard food and entertainment and expedited security screening at airports, John Heimlich, chief economist for the company that conducted the survey, Ipsos Public Affairs.

Others noted that consumers are aware that it is safer — and cheaper — to fly now than ever before, even if the experience itself feels more fraught. “Although airlines are showing welcome improvement, I don’t think things are nearly as bad as recent news reports suggest,” said George Hobica, president of Airfarewatchdog, a low-airfare alert and advice site. “They still have a long way to go before matching the golden days of air travel. But those days are never coming back.” (Despite the year-over-year improvement in customer satisfaction, however, airlines ranked seventh-to-last out of 43 industries in the American Customer Satisfaction Index in 2016.)

Congress was somewhat less enthusiastic about recent events. Following the high-profile controversy involving United Airlines UAL, +0.00%  physically removing a passenger from a flight in April so one of its employees could fly, both the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee held hearings last week to discuss the state of the airline industry. “It’s an absolute joke that there’s competition within the airline industry,’ Rep. Duncan Hunter (R.-Calif.) said. “The airline industry has become anti-competitive and consumers are being hurt in the process.”

Members of Congress and consumer groups, including the Alliance for Aviation Across America, highlighted anti-competitive behavior and poor customer service, after a series of mergers over the last 12 years have reduced the 10 biggest U.S. airlines to four main carriers. In the most recent merger, Alaska Air Group ALK, -1.21%  in December acquired Virgin America and plans to kill off the latter brand. House members in the hearing said these changes are decreasing competition in the industry and making conditions worse for travelers.

Others complained about shrinking seats on flights. American Airlines AAL, +0.47% recently announced it would shrink legroom on flights from 31 inches to 30 inches — as small as budget airlines like FRNT, +0.00% and Spirit Airlines SAVE, -0.61% Uncomfortable seats are the top complaint for air travelers, with 77% citing it as the most hated aspect of flying. “Talk to any passenger—they feel that they are being treated as self-loading cargo,” Sen. Bill Nelson, (D.-Fla.) said at the congressional hearing.

“It is frustrating for me to hear that you’re all about the consumer when every time I get on a commercial flight there’s nothing but complaints from consumers because there is not enough room, there is not enough legroom, there is not enough choice even though you claim to have choice and that’s the unfortunate part of all of this,” Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D.-Nev.) told United Airlines President Scott Kirby at a Senate subcommittee hearing.

In the industry’s defense, airfares are historically low, helped by low gas prices, a spokeswoman for trade organization Airlines for America said. Airlines safely operate 27,000 flights to more than 800 destinations a year, she said, delivering more than 2 million passengers each day. “U.S. airlines are focused and committed to treating every passenger with the respect and dignity they deserve

[Lakelad]

.

Globe says Air Canada, WestJet score poorly in survey

 

Thu May 11, 2017 - Stockwatch News

 

The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that despite some high-profile air rage videos, passengers seem to be happier than ever with North America's airlines.

 

The Globe's Greg Keenan writes that customer satisfaction with airlines grew for the fifth straight year and reached its highest point yet, according to a J.D. Power  survey.

 

Canada's two main airlines, however, did not score well on the survey. Air Canada fell to last place among the ranking of five traditional North American carriers with a score of 709. WestJet Airlines  ranked third among four low-cost carriers with a score of 736.

 

Both airlines were below average in their segments.

 

The survey may also have missed the growing frustration with passengers on those two airlines whose flights through Pearson have been delayed or cancelled because of construction on the airport's busiest and longest runway.

 

Both airlines have sent letters to passengers in recent weeks apologizing for the delays, but social-media sites are peppered with critics demanding compensation.

 

Despite those indications of unhappiness, both airlines are reporting increased traffic. Air Canada officials point out that its score was higher than in 2016.

.

 

 

[J.O.]

Blaming Air Canada and WestJet for YYZ construction delays is about as stupid as blaming Toyota for those bridge repairs on your way to work.

[Guest]

Another story that will likely not be on the CBC.

Competing airline offers L.A. tickets to family refused Cuba vacation refund

 

Air Canada comes to the rescue for Calgary family

 

Air Canada comes to the rescue for Calgary family

Calgary family who thought struggles with Sunwing Vacations would ground travel plans, is set to depart. Kamil Karamali explains.

Sunwing refuses cancellation request

A family fearing the Zika virus will affect their unborn child can’t get a refund on a flight to Cuba. Kamil Karamali has details.

 

 

Jackie Dunham, CTVNews.ca
Published Friday, May 12, 2017 8:09AM EDT

A Calgary family denied a refund for a trip to Cuba after an unexpected pregnancy will still be able to enjoy a nice getaway together thanks to the generosity of a competing airline.

The Aburtos had planned to fly to Cuba on Thursday, but their plans were derailed when Leslie Aburto discovered she was pregnant in the days leading up to their departure date.

Cuba is still fighting the spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which can cause serious birth defects in the fetus if a pregnant woman becomes infected.

The Aburto family booked a Sunwing vacation package to Cuba but cancelled after an unexpected pregnancy.

 

The Aburtos will be taking their 17-month-old son to Disneyland in L.A. on Friday thanks to Air Canada.

Leslie and her husband Wilfredo were unwilling to take a chance on the health of their future child, so they decided to cancel their trip. When Sunwing told them it was against their policy to issue refunds or transfer tickets for last-minute cancellations, the Aburtos thought they would be out more than $6,000.

But a manager at Air Canada in Calgary heard about their story and took pity on the family of four.

“It just tugged at my heartstrings and I just thought we would see what we could do to help them,” Mark Dantu told CTV Calgary on Thursday.

Air Canada offered the Aburtos free tickets to Los Angeles, Calif. and the family gladly accepted. Now, Leslie and Wilfredo will be taking their 17-month-old son to Disneyland on Friday, while their eldest son is in Cuba for the original vacation.

All in all, the family will only lose approximately $3,000 on the Sunwing package and they will still be able to enjoy a trip away together.

“You know, we’re just overjoyed,” Leslie said. “There are no words to even really describe it.”

[Canoehead]

This is getting ridiculous

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/air-canada-passenger-bumped-wants-compensation-1.4114718