[myska]

This is to warn everyone who doesn't know how much you (don't) matter as an Aeroplan costumer.
I was in Japan during the earthquake on march 11th. My scheduled flight from Narita to Vancouver that day was cancelled with hundreds of other flights. Thousands of passengers were stuck on the airport that night. The earthquake happened just before 3pm friday. There was not a one AC representative to give us any information about the whole situation. Just before midnight, 8 hours after the earthquake the japanese agents gave us (AC costumers) phone numbers that we could call and rebook our flights. I was flying on aeroplan points. As such, there was no seat available until Tuesday!!!! that was 5 days away!!! I thought that was a bad joke. I spent a night on the airport with aftershocks occuring every couple hours. The airport would shake, I would grab my stuff thinking I needed to get out again.
The next day japanese agents doing work for AC finally showed up at 1pm to give us more information. They assembled stand by list of passengers from previous day for that night's flight to Vancouver. I was among the first ones to sign up. To my surprise I was not put on the plane that night. That is when I learned that priority was made based on fare paid. And because I was flying on points I was the last one to go!! WHAT??

Passengers who stayed behind were told that there are seats available on the flight to Toronto the next day, the third day from the earthquake. To get rebooked we had to call AC to rebook. By then I knew fair amount of passengers. We all spent another night on the airport in hope of getting out. That night they all got rebooked for Toronto flight but me. We all called AC the same time, there were lots of seats available and yet, I did not get one!! I was told repeatedly that the plane was full! I called all night in hope of some seat becoming available. No such luck. I started to realize that I was seriously stuck and I was not getting on the plane because I was flying on these useless points!!

On the third day after numerous phone calls I was so stressed out I was ready to lose it. Half an hour before 3pm flight to Toronto I decided to call AC one more time. What was I told? Oh, I am sorry, the plane to Toronto is full! It was Sunday and I was supposed to be there for another two days with all the aftershocks and nuclear threat? I could not handle it anymore. I told the agent on the other side of the phone that I understand their dirty game of class system they have and that I am not getting on the plane because I am an Aeroplan costumer. I said I was not going to hang up unless she would put me on that plane to Toronto because my mental health was becoming a concern to me. Only after that she put me on hold and after two minutes I had a seat to Toronto with immediate connection to Vancouver!!! Am I serious? YES!!
Aeroplan is great unless **** hits the fan. Then you do not matter. You are nobody. It is all about money.
I made an official complaint to Aeroplan. I was told that they are aware of AC treating Aeroplan costumers like that! Really?? So this is normal practise and nobody does anything about it? I guess not. Bend me over and screw me, I am Canadian so I can take it!!
Cancelled my Aeroplan credit card and nobody will ever see me on an AC plane again. I am so done with you Air Canada. You made me feel so powerless and worthless that I feel like shouting "proud to be canadian" ! NOT!

safe travels to everyone