Compensation Clinic: Air Canada Flight Delay & Missed Connection Ensuing In 24h+ Delayed Arrival

This week’s Compensation Clinic is a couple of latest Air Canada Enterprise Class flight I had, going from Vancouver through Seoul to Bangkok, which obtained rerouted a number of instances.

Keep in mind you can all the time electronic mail us, ship a message through Fb or use Twitter and embrace photographs too. We’ll attempt to cowl a Compensation Clinic case right here often.

This explicit journey was one of many few instances I ever traveled on a paid ticket in recent times because it was an pressing, last-minute determination to go to Vancouver for 4 days, and the ticket was near C$6000.

Air Canada isn’t precisely recognized for its premium service, however I used to be positively shocked with the expertise of the Hong Kong – Vancouver sector.

Issues actually simply began on the return. First, the precedence check-in counters at Vancouver Airport weren’t staffed adequately. Out of eight counters, solely three have been manned.

I used to be then knowledgeable that the departure time for Vancouver-Seoul was delayed by at the very least an hour, making my connection in Seoul unlawful because it lower my connection time all the way down to solely 20 minutes. I used to be rebooked to Vancouver-Tokyo/NRT-Bangkok with the connection flight being in Japan Airways, operation from a completely completely different terminal. Despite the fact that there’s an intra-terminal connection in Narita it requires time.

Air Canada refused to rebook your entire itinerary on ONE airline (Japan Airways) and so it ended up like this:

As my (lack of) luck would have it, there was no time available. First the crew didn’t present up on time for the flight inflicting a 30-minute delay in boarding, then a mechanical subject brought about one other 40-minute delay in parking on the tarmac to get it sorted.

I already foresaw that the connection in Tokyo will find yourself in a catastrophe, so I preregistered for the arrivals quick monitor in case I have to enter and keep in a single day which is precisely what occurred.

The delay in arrival and a 25+ minute taxiing in Narita made the connection not possible. I knowledgeable the Air Canada employees upon arrival that I desire a voucher for the Hilton Narita, meals in addition to my suitcase, after which fly the next afternoon. It made not a lot distinction to me once I arrive in Bangkok and there have been no different alternate options anyway. Additionally, I’m not one to object to a free keep in Japan even when it’s only a day.

Following the immigration course of that was a breeze since I used to be ready, Air Canada employees met me on the baggage declare and handed me my suitcase (which took solely 20 minutes to retrieve, god bless Japan) in addition to a makeshift voucher for the Hilton Narita:

The voucher additionally features a dinner buffet on the Hilton in addition to breakfast:

I had dinner on the resort and took a fast journey to the Aeon Mall close by for some procuring. The following day it was good and sunny so I used the resort shuttle to go as much as Narita Metropolis, go to the temple and have some contemporary Unagi earlier than heading again to the resort within the afternoon after which going to the airport.

Ultimately, I arrived in Bangkok three calendar days after my departure in Vancouver. I, after all, complained by electronic mail to Air Canada, however they have been lower than , claiming that the compensation laws doesn’t apply:

We’re in receipt of your declare below the Air Passenger Safety Laws for reserving XXXXXX, flight AC63 YVR – ICN, on 2023/02/12. We’re sorry for the disruption you skilled at arrival to your closing vacation spot.

 

On this occasion, the compensation you’re requesting doesn’t apply as a result of the disruption was brought on by a safety-related subject.

This flight is delayed attributable to extra time wanted to substitute the plane. On account of an unexpected upkeep subject, the plane in your flight could have needed to be modified, and the arrival of the substitute plane took longer than anticipated.

As a goodwill gesture, I’m happy to give you a $100.00 CAD Air Canada eCoupon. Please discover particulars of this supply under.

In the event you want to be taught extra about flight disruptions and the way entitlement to compensation is assessed below Canada’s Air Passenger Safety Laws, please go to our web site.

We thanks in your understanding and look ahead to welcoming you on board once more.

Sincerely,
Buyer Relations

They conveniently unnoticed that the brand new flight I used to be on was additionally delayed and brought about this misconnection. After I filed one other grievance, they despatched the identical nonsense reply and one other $100 voucher. I made a decision to escalate the case to the CTA and can see later what the ultimate final result is.

After all, I may all the time sue Air Canada in Small Claims Court docket in British Columbia, I’ll take into account that when I hear from the regulator (which is absolutely only a rubber stamp in Canada, they don’t regulate something).

Conclusion

Following a flight delay and misconnect after a relatively horrible service expertise on my $6000 ticket, Air Canada is refusing to just accept any duty and gives simply $100 coupon for a future flight. This highlights that Air Canada is what I already stated many instances through the pandemic after they refused to compensate and refund passengers: A horrible airline with zero service requirements and a complete lack of accountability.

Many have sued Air Canada prior to now to acquire refunds and compensation the place it was due. I can solely encourage others on this scenario to do the identical and I’ll comply with that instance in addition to I absolutely count on that the CTA grievance received’t lead to something.