Merry Christmas, happy holidays and best wishes for the New Year!

Rodney & Lisa

This is a letter I wrote to Air Canada informing them of my last flight with their air line.  After two years of paying for the privilege of lousy service, over priced flights, grumpy attendants I had enough.  Air Canada will no longer be getting any of my money.  I wonder if they respond?  I don't really care as it would only go to prove my point further, they don't give a s**t!

I am writing  this to inform you that you have lost a customer.  As someone who has flown over 100,000 miles with you since October 2006 I no longer wish to be treated like crap and will no longer be flying with your airline.

I can understand the occasional mishap and have let those issues pass as they occur knowing it is part of the way things go, stuff happens.  But this last experience is the last straw and I will be flying WestJet from now on.

After arriving at the airport well in advance of my flight I checked my bag and proceeded through security and to the Air Canada lounge.  At 11:25am I proceeded to my gate to board my flight.  At 11:40 they inform us that due to a mechanical issue (cracked window) they will be putting us on a different flight and it will be delayed an hour.  How they didn't see this earlier baffles me, but whatever, stuff happens.

I walk to the other gate and have to wait almost 45 minutes as they reseat other passengers rather than take care of the 5 passengers who are going to miss their connection due to the delay.  After finally making it to the counter I have to wait another 20 minutes as the agent takes care of rebooking me on another flight.  Normally this wouldn't be an issue but the fact that she kept leaving me to attend to other passengers did not sit well.  I understand everyone has questions but taking care of one customer at a time will take the same amount of time as trying to take care of them all at the same time and won't disrespect anyone.  Strike 1!

After being re-booked I was told to go to carousel 1 to get my bag and then re-check it.  I was told my bag would be there within 20 minutes.  After waiting at carousel 1 for nearly 40 minutes I went the baggage claim area where they told me it was "on its way".  After another 15 minutes I asked the baggage claim again and was told it was in xray and it would be "no more than 10 minutes".  Again I wait and 30 minutes later am told they "don't know where it is but it should only be a few minutes".  If you don't know, don't feed me a line of bull!  Nothing pisses people off more than being lied to!  Strike 2!

After another 20 minutes my bag arrives and I head back to check in with 40 minutes to go before my next flight.  Now I understand the difference between Super Elite and Elite but with no one in the Super Elite line and the fact that I was cutting it close due to having to wait for my bag so long I get in line at which time the agent asks if I was Super Elite.

I explained the situation but she refused to service my request and I was told to go to the Elite line.  While in the Elite line the same agent takes another customer who says he is only Elite but late for his flight and she takes his bags.  After a wait I am back in front of the same agent that refused me prior.  If you are going to enforce a rule, enforce it for everyone, I have no problems with that but don't turn around and take the next person in the same situation and let them pass.  You aren't an NFL referee afterall.  Strike 3!  You're out!

The total lack of respect, courtesy and understanding demonstrated by everyone I was in contact with in this situation did nothing but solidify my thought that this isn't a bad agent, or someone having a bad day but an culture of indifference, uncaring and general thoughtlessness towards your customers that trancends role and responsibility.  No one cares.  No one has any pride in their job.

For that, although I have paid for a few more flights yet this calendar year that will put me into the Elite category once again, I will no longer be booking any flights with Air Canada.  Having flown WestJet a few times over the last few years they have a commitment to customer service that I just don't see with Air Canada.  I figure I'll give them a shot, they sure as heck can't be any worse!

Rodney Buike