Air Canada complaints help.

[spikerS]

Hey all, I am trying to find an "office of the president" type email address for Air Canada. Things have just been pushed too far by them, and I am ready to chew someone's head off.

I have already gone through their regular complaints, and while they did try to make things right, events afterwards have just gotten worse.

Any help you guys can provide would be appreciated.

[toyboy88]

Here's the e-mail of the president/CEO himself: calvin.rovinescu[at]aircanada.com

(Found off Google from another 'complaint' e-mail letter, so not 100% sure if still accurate, but he is still CEO and AC e-mail addresses are formatted that way).

[hurrdurr]

Back story?

[spikerS]

long story short, someone I know is travelling with their child who has a pretty bad peanut allergy.

In previous flights, they called in advance, like a week or more, as they did this time, to advise of the peanut allergy. The Airlines then set up a little "buffer zone" where there won't be any products served that might have peanuts, and so that the catering companies can make appropriate arrangements. The call was made, and everything was good.

Then, last night, less than 24 hours before flight departure, they got a call from Air Canada. They were told that for the child with the peanut allergy to fly, they would need a letter from a doctor stating that the child it safe and fit to fly. Like WTF, in the past times, this has never come up before, nor needed. It is not like the child has some sort of disease or whatever! Now the 2 are in a city, 2.5 hours from home, with less than 18 hours before departure time to find a doctor to get them a letter, and this is like 5:30pm, and the AC rep asks "So, does your child still have an allergy or not?" - direct quote.

With all my problems with AC in the past 6 months, and then another stupid delay this morning, and the treatment last night, it just cut the last remaining thread of sanity I had.

[got_mike33]

Originally posted by spikers
long story short, someone I know is travelling with their child who has a pretty bad peanut allergy.

In previous flights, they called in advance, like a week or more, as they did this time, to advise of the peanut allergy. The Airlines then set up a little "buffer zone" where there won't be any products served that might have peanuts, and so that the catering companies can make appropriate arrangements. The call was made, and everything was good.

Then, last night, less than 24 hours before flight departure, they got a call from Air Canada. They were told that for the child with the peanut allergy to fly, they would need a letter from a doctor stating that the child it safe and fit to fly. Like WTF, in the past times, this has never come up before, nor needed. It is not like the child has some sort of disease or whatever! Now the 2 are in a city, 2.5 hours from home, with less than 18 hours before departure time to find a doctor to get them a letter, and this is like 5:30pm, and the AC rep asks "So, does your child still have an allergy or not?" - direct quote.

With all my problems with AC in the past 6 months, and then another stupid delay this morning, and the treatment last night, it just cut the last remaining thread of sanity I had.

Wow, that's brutal. I have a peanut allergy as well and always fly with West Jet, I don't believe they serve anything with peanuts or nuts.

I don't understand why they haven't stopped serving peanuts on planes yet. Having a reaction in a big tube 30,000 ft in the air would not be fun. Especially when you have at most 30 minutes to get to a hospital...

[littledan]

if you are that allergic to nuts then carry an epipen. i'll be eating my honey roasted peanuts so too bad.

[baygirl]

I am carrying 2 epipens...I am aware they cannot provide a peanut-free environment, all I ask for is a small buffer zone. I was told to get the buffer-zone I would need a doctor's note(this was from the lady at AC medical desk.) She said if I couldn't get the note, that they would take the note off my file. I said fine, I will just inform the flight staff when we board. Her response was if I did that they would ask us to de-plane until a note was provided. At check-in I explained the problem and the agent said the same if she put it in the file, so they didn't add it...

*Edit: @littledan The buffer zone can be as small as the row in front and the row behind. I am not demanding the whole god-damn plane be peanut-free.

[P_D]

Not to be a dick but why should they provide you with the "buffer zone" at the expense of other passengers?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by P_D
Not to be a dick but why should they provide you with the "buffer zone" at the expense of other passengers?

Would it completely ruin your flight if you weren't able to eat the little bag of 5-6 peanuts they give you?

Also I imagine they would offer a seat-swap with anyone who wanted those peanuts that bad. Maybe even give them an extra bag for their troubles :eek: .

[davidI]

That is brutal. I'm a big supporter of AC despite their bad rap but that shit is uncalled for.

Do they actually still serve peanuts on AC? I always get almonds and cashews but that is in business class...maybe it's still peanuts in economy?

[Amysicle]

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/onboard/dining/nutritional.html

Inconsistent policy implementation on AC. When the passenger called in the week prior, they should have been informed of the rule at that time instead of saying okay and then been given less than 24 hours notice about the policy being strictly enforced and more or less saying, what are you going to do about it?

Sounds like the AC rep combing the files for notes and going on a power trip obviously has the same opinions as some of the people in this thread.

My husband has the same view as them but I don't. As long as the request is within reason, why not accommodate someone who cannot help being born with an allergy? Is it honestly that much of a hardship to forgo peanuts for a few hours or are people getting up in arms over their imagined belief that their rights are being trampled?

Don't get me wrong, the people who insist on the entire school/world being entirely ______-free have my contempt since they are trying to control everyone. I just don't see that being the case here.

[baygirl]

Originally posted by Amysicle
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/onboard/dining/nutritional.html

Inconsistent policy implementation on AC. When the passenger called in the week prior, they should have been informed of the rule at that time instead of saying okay and then been given less than 24 hours notice about the policy being strictly enforced and more or less saying, what are you going to do about it?

Sounds like the AC rep combing the files for notes and going on a power trip obviously has the same opinions as some of the people in this thread.

My husband has the same view as them but I don't. As long as the request is within reason, why not accommodate someone who cannot help being born with an allergy? Is it honestly that much of a hardship to forgo peanuts for a few hours or are people getting up in arms over their imagined belief that their rights are being trampled?

Don't get me wrong, the people who insist on the entire school/world being entirely ______-free have my contempt since they are trying to control everyone. I just don't see that being the case here.
I realize that part of this mess was my fault, I should have looked up the allergy policy on their website. I was going on previous experiences I have had before(this was her 6th flight) Every other time I notified the company with a phone call, and made sure the flight crew was informed and there was never an issue.The less than 24hrs notice is what bugged me. If I would have been informed of this requirement the week prior when I called, I would have had no problem providing them with a doctor's note. I made it clear to the representative on the phone that I was aware of the risks, knew they could not guarantee peanut-free, but still if I wanted the flight crew aware, I needed that doctor's note. In my opinion, instead of a doctor's note they should have a waiver for people to sign saying they understand the risks. And let me make it clear, I did not expect a peanut-free plane, just a small buffer zone of the row behind and in front of us. In the past I have gladly changed our seats because the person sitting next to us had an issue with her allergy. I do not expect the world to be peanut-free, all I ask for is a little understanding from others sometimes. All I am doing is trying to protect my daughter without placing her in a bubble.

[jdmakkord]

Did you know that WestJet just started carrying epi-pens on board? If they will go this far, why can't AC offer a little help with a situation such as this? It is not hard to move guests to accommodate a special needs guest, it happens every single flight.

[Feruk]

I can understand it must suck to have a peanut allergy and see a need for airline companies not to serve these people peanuts. But a "buffer zone?" That's overkill. People bring on their own snacks all the time. How can you really expect to control that?

AC sounds kinda retarded based on the doctor's note request 18 hours before flight, and the quote, but I think a "buffer zone" sounds even more retarded.