Air Canada Program Charges Extra For ‘Special’ Customer Service

It’s probably happened to you. You’re at the airport ready to get on a plane when you look up at the board and get that sinking feeling – your flight has been either delayed or cancelled. It may be the weather. It may be a mechanical problem. It may be overbooking. Or it may be something you never quite figure out. But what it almost always winds up being is a major hassle and pain and too often, there’s no real way around it.

But now Air Canada is offering passengers a chance to be compensated for that failure to fly with a new program it calls “On My Way.” For a fee of between $25 and $35, you’ll have instant access to an agent who will help you rebook, pay for a rental car or cover the cost of hotel accommodations if you wind up having to stay overnight. You’ll also get your meals thrown in.

And those so equipped will be able to get a text message sent to their cell phone telling them the flight number, the gate, and the time of their rearranged departure.

It’s a kind of extended ‘cancellation insurance’ never provided by the airline before. “We know how frustrating it can be when travel plans are disrupted by factors beyond the airline’s control, such as bad weather or airport and air traffic delays,” Air Canada’s Ben Smith notes in a statement. “On My Way’ …  lets customers customize their journey … by choosing to pay for just the options that best meet their needs.”

But some think it’s just another way to gouge the public.   Industry analysts call it de-bundling — charging customers extra for services that used to be included, things like extra luggage, seat preferences, meals, even blankets.

“I think it’s a way to increase revenue, yeah, a quick grab,” notes one flyer.

“They’re charging for something that one would expect to be normal service, so, you know, it sounds a little bit trashy,” another adds.

Some think it’s well worth the price.

“Particularly in the winter, flying across Canada , you run the risk of being waylaid because of weather,” notes frequent flyer Dave Desborn.  “For 35 bucks to be looked after, possibly for two, three or four nights in a hotel, it’s all good.”

Critics say Air C anada ‘s now charging for customer service, and its biggest rival is taking a swing.

“It’s a choice. It’s fair for those people that are looking for an extra peace of mind. They can pay extra for that. From a WestJet perspective we’ll give you that peace of mind at no extra charge,” said WestJet’s Richard Bertram.

So what happens if you don’t pony up for the insurance and you’re on one of those delayed departures? The airline explains you’ll still get access to its agents – but hotels, meals and all those extras are up to you.

Here’s a peek at what the program entails:

Name: On My Way

Airlines: Air Canada and Jazz

Cost: $25 for short haul flights (1,609 kilomtres/1,000 miles or less); $35 for longer flights (1610 kilometres/1001 miles or more) both ways.

Must be purchased: When you book your flight.

Destinations covered: Canada and the U.S.

When it kicks in: Applies to flight delays and cancellations beyond your control which occur within 48 hours of your scheduled departure time.

What you get for your money:

• Instant access to ‘specially trained team’ of customer agents 24 hours a day on a priority basis.
• Rebook on Air Canada or another North American airline
• Hotel paid for
• Meals paid for
• Rental car or other ground transportation cost covered
• Flight info sent to your cell phone or BlackBerry four hours before departure, including flight number, gate number, times and any connecting flights.

Find more info here.