Air Canada

✅ Trip Verified | Despite arriving at the airport two hours before my flight, I got a seat that didn't recline in an overstuffed aircraft during a pandemic, I waited for over an hour for my baggage upon arrival (the flight was a single leg and less than an hour!). It never showed up. I waited 48 hours to have it returned. At no point did anybody tell me anything; they just left me hanging while they fiddled with my bag. And for this, they charged me an extra 30 bucks.

✅ Trip Verified | I've flown with Air Canada more than any other airline in the past 5 years, and I've always ignored small unpleasant comments from ground and flight staff as well as poor organization and flight problems because flying Air Canada was often the only option available (or at least slightly more affordable) and I accepted it as a means to an end. However, my experience this week was awful. It started with a 3.5 to 4-hour line to the check-in counter. We were told that self check-in isn't available so everyone had to wait in a single line. Most people ended up missing their flights. The airline only had four counters available and would not offer any communication to anyone who was worried about their flight. At one point many of us reaching the front of the line were asked to break off and form a new line off to the side to make more space. After about 45 minutes of waiting, a new staff member asked us why we were standing there and told us our line doesn't lead anywhere. She told us we have to go back to the end of the line we were previously in if we wanted to be served. When other passengers became frustrated and mentioned that we have been waiting the longest and were asked to stand there, the ground staff responded that it wasn't true and that there was no way we've been waiting for 3 hours so far. Some people reacted by yelling while others started to cry from frustration. Once I finally made it to the check-in counter, I was told that all the other flights to Boston that day were full so my only option was to be placed on stand-by for all the flights in hopes that one of them would have extra space. I was told to wait at each gate one hour before a flight departs to see if my name was called. Luckily, I was able to board a flight that day and made it to Boston in the evening. When I arrived, my luggage was nowhere to be found. I went to the luggage service desk to inquire about it and was told that my luggage was not put on my flight because there was too much weight on the flight and it was better to take all the passengers to their destination than load all the luggage. If I knew this would have been the case, I would have much preferred to not board my flight and keep my personal items than arrive in a different country without my belongings. I was told the luggage would arrive on another flight and could be delivered to the place I was staying on the next day. I left all my contact information and had to hope for the best. The next day, I checked the online status of my luggage and it said that it had been loaded onto a delivery truck at 2pm. I waited and waited for it to arrive, but nothing came. I called Air Canada and they told me that the luggage will arrive anytime before 11:30pm. I didn't want to miss the delivery so I spent the first day of my trip just waiting. By midnight, no one had arrived. It is now the next day and I'm still waiting. Air Canada is unable to reach the delivery company.

✅ Trip Verified | Supposed to be my original flight was July 31st YWG to YVR then YVR to NRT via Air Canada and layover of 24h 20m HND to MNL via Philippine Airlines. My flight schedule was changed several times by another booking agency. The time I was about to check-in in Winnipeg, Air Canada didn’t give me my boarding pass and didn’t allow me to board my plane because according to them, my layover in Japan should only be less than 24 hours in order for me not to avail a transit visa. I researched a couple of times before my flight and I found out that a passenger is allowed to transit to Japan without a visa up to 72 hours with a confirmed ticket and if there are no available flights on the said date of arrival. Air Canada told me to call my booking agency and to adjust my layover time. But there are no longer available flights possible for that day. I was forced to book a new plane ticket amounting to $2937.46 including taxes on an economy ticket for the next day. Air Canada was so useless and I felt so disappointed because I have to travel back home again for an hour travel time and my brother who fetched me to the airport was already gone back home. I found the airline very inconsiderate and I hope they will update their policies regarding transit visas.

✅ Trip Verified | This is not the first time i got delayed by this Air Canada. They are very inconsiderate and do no care about their passengers. They give lame excuses as if they care yet they plan ahead. They mention that there is a technical issue of the plane. We had to wait and wait and by the time we got to Montreal, the connecting flight to Edmonton was gone. We were bungled up and were taken to a hotel where we were turned back because there were no room! Its so frustrating. Air Canada needs to improve their services and customer care.

Not Verified | The service I received from a phone operator for Air Canada was phenomonal. His name was Aaron and he was so compassionate as I dealing with a step Dad and Poppy to my kids getting ready to pass away. I very much need to be there for my Mom and he understood that and helped make changing my flights so much easier. Thank you Aaron, you are my angel today and the stress that has been lifted off of me feels so good. I will pay it forward for sure.

Not Verified | I recently made reservations for a flight from Toronto to Newark on June 30th. My original reservation was for 230pm and arriving in Newark at 401pm. My flight was cancelled while sitting on the plane waiting for it to takeoff. The reason for the cancellation was "a tornado warning." Meanwhile in Newark it was 98 degrees and sunny. Everyone from that flight was made to stand on a long line while waiting on ONE customer service representative to attend to the 100 plus people from my flight and trying to assist an additional 50 plus people that had flights to other destinations. Needless to say the 50 plus people that had flights to other destinations were attended to while myself and the passengers that had been deplaned were told after an hour to come back tomorrow because our flight had been postponed to 8am the following day (July 1st). We had made reservations to drive from Newark to Ocean City MD for a two night stay but due to Air Canada we did not make it and we were only able to enjoy half a day and a one night stay and due to it being the Fourth of July no extensions were being offered. So we basically payed $400 for a room and extra for a flight with no compensations. On July 6th at 8am I boarded a United flight from Philadelphia to Washington with and hour and half stop over in Washington where I was boarding an Air Canada flight at 1030am to Toronto. When I went to check in for my flight to Toronto I was told that the Covid test that I had taken was unacceptable and I was required to have a PCR test in order to board any flight to Canada. So I missed the 1030am flight, and went downstairs to get a rapid PCR test done. $250 USD later I received a negative PCR test and made my way back to the Air Canada counter to see if I was able to get on a later flight. When I approached the Air Canada counter the gentleman rudely tried to give me a card with Air Canada's Customer service number (that I have been trying to call for days to find out information regarding Covid testing) I told him "please don't try to give me that number you know that no one answers that phone." He went to the back to supposedly speak to someone and then quickly came back to me and stated "We have another flight at 430pm but we are fully booked so we cannot help you. Anyways you should try United because it is their fault for allowing you on that flight this morning with the wrong test." Long story short, I went over to the United counter and the gentleman who I believe was the supervisor, stated to me that he would "try his best to put me on a flight to Toronto." He got me on the United flight from Washington to Toronto at 545pm, which I am grateful for.

✅ Trip Verified | Please avoid Boing 787-9 for long flights. Seats are uncomfortable and plane is really crowded. You get bumped by trollies due to narrow aisles. Staff is ok but my food lacked taste and freshness.

✅ Trip Verified | I flew business class on Air Canada from Newark to Doha via Toronto. I was connecting to my favorite airline, Qatar. I was looking forward to the service. However, AC was terrible. Check in at EWR was hectic. The agents did not pay attention to detail and gave me boarding passes belonging to someone else. Not a huge deal. My flight arrived to Toronto late and I arrived at the gate just as they were calling for final boarding. I went to the agent and gave her all of the documentation she asked for without comment as I was catching my breath. At the end of it all, she said, "you could be nicer you know" I asked what her problem was and that I had given her everything that she asked for and that she was not particularly nice either. The flight was terrible for business class. They had one menu with no options. The dinner was good, but breakfast was inedible. The seat was very comfortable and the flight attendants friendly. However, Air Canada has taken cost cutting in business class to a low. I connect to Qatar on a five hour flight. They had numerous menu options and better good. It is interesting how North Americans want to complain about the Middle Eastern carriers and their subsidies. However, the North American carriers get subsidies as well. Where they can't compete is service. If I am spending over $3000 on a business class ticket, and my choices are Air Canada or a Middle Eastern carrier, I would be a fool to spend my money on Air Canada. I wrote Air Canada and almost 4 weeks later have been given the courtesy of a response.

Not Verified | Air Canada is by far the worst airline in the world. They sold multiple passengers seats on flights they don’t exist and left multiple passengers stranded in Toronto. I don’t understand how they can be in business when they defraud all their passengers.

✅ Trip Verified | Booked on-line a same day/one-way flight from Ottawa to Toronto on Easter Sunday. On-line booking and seat selection was normal although when the booking was made (just after lunch), there was only one flight for the remainder of the day. Booked a seat in Economy class and upgraded to Business Class on check-in at the airport. Security was moderately busy but once again, CATSA screening staff at Ottawa Airport were disinterested and not helpful (showed my boarding pass and was motioned to join the long economy queue, asked if that was the business line and then was motioned to join mid-way rather than being directed to the priority queue). After security, walked to the gate (Maple Leaf lounge at Ottawa is currently closed) and boarding was just commencing. Boarded quickly onto the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and found my upgraded seat (4A) without issue. Flight departed on schedule. In-flight service consisted of a box lunch/snack along with a small water bottle, bag of pretzels, ear buds, promotional flyer about cleanliness protocols and sanitizing wipes. Seat was comfortable and in-flight crew were both attentive and professional. Flight arrived early and taxi in to the gate was quick. Disembarkation was efficient and I was able to exit the terminal to meet my ride without issue.