[Isabela12345]

On March 20th 2022, my check in from Vancouver to San Francisco was denied because the flight was full, even though I booked it 1 month in advance and got at the airport 3 hours before my flight.

The reason? The covid test in the airport took 1 hours to be done (even though I theoretically had my spot 3 hours prior to the flight), the online check in for aircanada were offline, and there were 2 flights happening at the same time (mine, at 1:30pm to SF, and another one at 2:30 for San Diego). The line for check in expanded all the way outside of the denominated area and out to the airport. People going to San Francisco didn’t have priority on the line against San Diego.

We stayed there for 1 hour and half, talking to a fellow passenger who was also going to the same destination as us. He was behind us on the line (this information is important, I will explain why soon).

When we finally arrived at the check in agent, the lady responsible for us was having a bad amnesia day. She forgot her login password and had to call someone to help her into the system. When the computer was correct, a family beside our booth was irritated because they would miss their vacation flight to San Diego. This agent was tying to call San Diego’s gate to reopen, and suddenly MY agent left our booth to help THEM.

My boyfriend called her attention saying “Hi, I would appreciate if you paid attention on us, cause I don’t want to kiss my flight either”. Even though he was just being rational, the lady didn’t like it very much. She said drily “no worries, you will be ok.”, left from behind the counters (including her coworker’s) and shouted “LAST CALL TO SAN FRANCISCO! LAST CALL!”

Nobody in the line raised their hand for the last call, as everyone has gone through check in INCLUDING THE GUY BEHIND US, so our agent came back and for the first time took a look at our passports (by that time, she’d spent 25 minutes to get in the system and help her coworker).

And that is when everything caught fire. She told us that she was sorry, but the gate to SF was closed. We couldn’t even believe her words. It was an absurd. We got there on time, we had no bags, people behind us got through, and we could not miss a flight because of the incompetence of the airport and the airline, including hers (we didn’t say that outloud though, I also work on customer service and know how much these words hurt and you’re just thing to have a good day).

She said “I’m sorry, but the gate is closed and the flight is full, you can’t go in. I am calling the gate and there is nothing we can do”. She kept adding on her speech and got to the point of blaming my boyfriend and I, saying that we missed it because we were late. She ignored the fact that this was a complete lie and that not only her actions impacted our entire business trip, but that she literally said the flight was full.

As of customer service after the check in lady: I didn’t get priority to another flight nor a refund, despite the numerous calls and emails directly to Aircanada. We managed to travel the next day through another airline (Delta) as we were going to a work conference and not for vacations. My boyfriend, who is starting his career as a business owner, had multiple panic attacks that night because of the important meetings and investor opportunity that he’s lost.

… The frustration continues: On March 27th, our flight back home was ALSO declined as a “consequence” of the previous flight not being used. Yes, even though I talked to every attendant/customer service available at that time, sent emails explaining that I went to SF through another airline, AND confirmed my booking in an email that I got from Aircanada right after “missing” the first flight. No, you can’t go, this flight is also overbooked and the steps you took to make sure you go home in time are useless. I’m sorry there is nothing I can do.

I got at the SF airport 4 hours before the flight. No one could get me a spot in another airplane because all of them were overbooked, which is why I had to spend more than 3 times the necessary money for such a trip with no refund from any part of the awful service they provided us in both airports.

We are just being tossed around by Aircanada, having no right of voice. I am sick of their lack of organization, communication, and care for their customers. Like I said before, I work on this field. I’ve never felt so bad about a situation before.

My boyfriend and I have every proof necessary to tell our story, except for the calls to AirCanada’s customer service line on the 20th and 27th, as any person in line accepted to give the tracking number of the call… in case we’d want to file a lawsuit (?). Which is what I really feel like doing right now.

Please stay away from AirCanada.