Air Canada “nickels and dimes” their customers
The Consumerist reports that Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline, announced that it will now charge customers an additional $25 each way to check a second piece of luggage, regardless of the weight of the second piece. Cited as the reason? You guessed it: higher fuel costs. If weight were a factor, it would seem to make more sense, as transporting extra weight requires more fuel - but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.
To break it down a little more, this means that if you check two bags, each weighing 25lbs, you will be charged the $25 fee (again, each way) for the second bag - as opposed to packing one 50lb. bag and avoiding the additional fee altogether.
To be fair, Air Canada does offers a discount if you fly with no luggage at all - $3 each way! If packing light is just not an option for you at all, that will cost you dearly - an additional $100 (each way) for the third piece of luggage!
It was also reported in the Edmonton Sun that a reservation for a window or an aisle seat will cost you extra.
Air Canada also announced that for an additional $25 (each way) passengers can buy access to its “On My Way” customer service program which claims to provide a “dedicated agent” to help book you on to another flight, if your original flight gets cancelled.
I remember back in the good old days when customer service used to be something a company offered its customers by default without charging extra for it.
The times, they are a changing.
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One Response to “Air Canada “nickels and dimes” their customers”
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I have no problem with Air Canada’s service or prices. As for the extra $25 each way for “On my way” customer service, that is just one of those things companies try. They will cancel it soon enough when they find no one buys it!
With respect to charging for food, extra bags, etc.;…what’s the big deal? Do you want a profitable airline that can afford to do maintenance or a money losing one that has you worried it is going out of business all the time?
Whether they charge bit by bit or one big fee, it is all costing a certain amount of money to fly. I see endless whining. Trips and travelling cost money. They all need to stay in business.
I wish all of the US airlines were profitable, it would give me a lot more confidence.