Air Canada Mechanical Issues

[BWL]

My wife is flying to St John's today from Calgary starting at 0600 this morning with a stop over in YYZ. Her flights have now been cancelled three times due to aircraft mechanical issues and is not getting into St John's until after midnight or at least that is the plan so far today at 1700 Calgary time.

Does anyone know the issue, seems odd that so many airplanes are going AOG or is this an excuse. is there safety concerns now flying Air Canada??

[porcsord]

They don't have to pay out if it was something out of their control. So, likely not 3 mechanic failures, but if they say there isn't enough Cree, they need to pay everybody who was delayed.

[CpnCrunch]

Ask them what the mechanical issue was.

[BWL]

Like we thought it is BS, AC has crew issues no more. That is understandable but my wife who fly's in our airplane was getting worried. should have flown her to Halifax at least ourselves.

[BWL]

AC you are on this site, stop scaring your passengers with Mechanical Issues excuses' when it is crew or other issues.

[rookiepilot]

Know what I don’t like — airline employees?

Lying to your customers is an expected part of the job.

If that’s you doing it, let me ask, who are you?

I once did have a job with customers, way back, for many years. Never can I recall lying to them. I told the truth, took the heat, and fixed problems as they arose.

Hope you sleep well.

[Liftdump]

I once had a WJ CSR in YVR tell me it was to cold for a Q400 to land in YEG. A quick check on the Nav Canada website showed it was -18c. A quick look around boarding area explained the true reason. 10 Pax

[BTD]

I don’t know the specific issues, but quite often when aircraft spend less time on the ground between flights there is less time to fix things on overnights or in between flights. Many MELs still require maintenance work that can’t be done by the crew. We end up waiting for maintenance personnel, it all adds time. The more aircraft fly the more time they need on the ground. It is busy out there right now.

We aren’t all as#holes. I try my best. Had a return to gate the other day for maintenance. Made my PA standing at the front of the cabin. Had to kick everyone off because the APU needed to be turned off and it was very warm. I went up to the gate area to be available for technical questions and walked around handing out wings and postcards to the kids and inviting them up to the flight deck if we had time at departure or when we got to destination. I’ve walked multiple passengers with missing bags to the lost luggage line (I can’t do much else, but it is usually appreciated), and if I see a young family waiting for a stroller on the gate, I’ll head down to check it out and bring it up if I can.

We don’t need all the HR fancy sayings about coming together, just do your best and try to make your co-workers and customers’ day just a little better and show you care. And most do. It goes a long way

[rookiepilot]

We aren’t all as#holes.

Thats one of you. Better than zero.

[Core]

This is a while ago, but I can attest 100% while working for an express carrier that multiple flights cancelled due to crewing or upstream logistic delays were absolutely listed as "Weather"... Shitty feeling while checking your schedule after the cancellation, seeing the reason come up while walking by the counter with 100 people who deserve better.

[BTD]

This is a while ago, but I can attest 100% while working for an express carrier (And not the 2 garbage ones either) for several years that multiple flights cancelled due to crewing or upstream logistic delays were absolutely listed as "Weather"... Shitty feeling while checking your schedule after the cancellation, seeing the reason come up while walking by the counter with 100 people who deserve better.

I have seen that. Happened to me pre covid in a major US city. Its often some mid level individual making the call thinking they are doing the right thing. When I walked past the counter and saw a bunch of people standing around, I asked the agent what was going on. I asked to borrow the gate agent phone, went back behind a wall and called SOC directly. Seems they were getting different info. It’s not my place to decide what the plan is but it is my job to make sure they have the right info. Nobody in the gate area knew I made that phone call, but magically about 35 people got hotel rooms. A few days went by and I got the expected email asking what the deal was. I explained it, they gave a thumbs up and haven’t heard about it since.

It sucks, it’s uncomfortable to do, but don’t walk by that stuff. We are the PIC, we wear the uniform, it IS our problem.

[Core]

I have seen that. Happened to me pre covid in a major US city. Its often some mid level individual making the call thinking they are doing the right thing. When I walked past the counter and saw a bunch of people standing around, I asked the agent what was going on. I asked to borrow the gate agent phone, went back behind a wall and called SOC directly. Seems they were getting different info. It’s not my place to decide what the plan is but it is my job to make sure they have the right info. Nobody in the gate area knew I made that phone call, but magically about 35 people got hotel rooms. A few days went by and I got the expected email asking what the deal was. I explained it, they gave a thumbs up and haven’t heard about it since.

It sucks, it’s uncomfortable to do, but don’t walk by that stuff. We are the PIC, we wear the uniform, it IS our problem.

I like the way you think. There needs to be more of us that aren't just punching the clock.