Sorry, this offer has expired. Set up a deal alert and get notified of future deals like this. Add a Deal Alert

Expired Hot Deals

Sorry, this offer has expired.
Set up a deal alert and get notified of future deals like this.
Set up a Deal Alert

Air Canada Flight Pass - Price Error ($901 for 10 Western Flights)

  • Last Updated:
  • Dec 12th, 2022 4:21 am
Tags:
None
Newbie
Jan 2, 2013
22 posts
25 upvotes
I'm in too...Ridiculous, they removed the FAQ showing the guaranteed price, even if the cost of flight passes changes after the fact...If we make a mistake, it's our problem at our cost...If they make a mistake, it's somehow ok...
Newbie
Aug 26, 2015
17 posts
1 upvote
Madden, AB
+1 more. I nominate retrothing to be the lawyer lol...
Member
Nov 27, 2014
286 posts
2 upvotes
Canada
It seems like a lot of people are getting really worked up over something that was clearly a price error. Mistakes happen but this is not like scanning code of practice. You are talking over a $7000 differential each package. In a perfect world AC would honor the price and lose 100's of thousands, however the reality is they are trying to stay in business.....unlike Skygreece.
Jr. Member
Jul 31, 2003
153 posts
2 upvotes
Kamandi wrote: It seems like a lot of people are getting really worked up over something that was clearly a price error. Mistakes happen but this is not like scanning code of practice. You are talking over a $7000 differential each package. In a perfect world AC would honor the price and lose 100's of thousands, however the reality is they are trying to stay in business.....unlike Skygreece.
As other posters and customers have already mentioned, Air Canada not only made a mistake, but they have been dishonest by changing their Terms and Conditions and FAQs after this pricing error. Whether the pricing error was a difference of $7000 or $1, Air Canada needs to be responsible for their mistake and for the customers who expected to have flight passes after receiving confirmation e-mails.

As Thrillhouse19's screenshot shows, the company showed no sympathy to a customer because of their cancellation policies, stating that "our terms and conditions are made clear at the time of purchase". If the reverse was true and hundreds of customers overpaid for their fares (which is actually true on a daily basis), I'm not convinced that Air Canada would show any sympathy.
Jr. Member
Oct 4, 2013
191 posts
41 upvotes
In France, the seller HAS TO, legally, accept the sale in case of an error in the price... unless the difference is important and blatantly obvious.
For instance, the last digit dropped on a high number - like a car going from $29999 to $2999. In the AC case here, this would be dropped super fast, as it's obvious ($8000 to $800).

I know in QC they are pretty good at getting companies to maintain the sale. I'm in AB and countless times have I had orders cancelled from BestBuy for instance, while the orders still went through for QC clients.

Clearly AC panicked and the update of the FAQ is a rookie mistake. Can't wait to see what happens over the next few days...
Sr. Member
Sep 27, 2010
551 posts
347 upvotes
Vancouver
The fact that Air Canada published the rates on their website should demonstrate their willingness to enter into a contract with the purchaser. Once I submit my credit card information and it goes through, regardless of whether the money is transferred, should mean that the contract is created.

The website was meant to replace a human ticketing agent to lower cost and increase efficiency. This means that the company should be responsible for what is on the website. I can't simply blame computer error and expect to get away with it at my job, so why should they. Imagine if doctors could be able to do that. There are still negligence involved.
Newbie
Jan 2, 2007
93 posts
10 upvotes
Quite ironic that the day AC screws over their customers that Westjet launched their 737 long-haul fleet :)

I am disappointed no communication or notice whatsoever has been provided by AC. You have lost yourself a loyal customer to Westjet. I will gladly pay their fare prices even if AC has cheaper flights regardless. What kind of company secretly adjusts their T&C's, then secretly removes all purchased flight passes without telling the consumer prior, and gives no notice or communication of its actions.

I will gladly join in any efforts/legal pursuant that any decides to kick start. Please PM me if needed.
Newbie
Aug 27, 2015
3 posts
3 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
I bought one of these and I am a lawyer in Vancouver. I will be pursuing this further by likely filing a small claims action. I am however looking into the idea of simply turning this into a class action lawsuit.

It is amazing that there is absolutely no correspondence to any of us from air canada about the issue as well.
Member
Dec 24, 2006
418 posts
342 upvotes
I was able to purchase 2 of these for my wife and I and have had it removed from both our accounts. The question now isn't whether they should honour their prices, we can debate the laws surrounding this for days and months to come (although I do believe they should honour their 'mistake', how many of us have been charged a $90 fee for mistakenly reversing the arrival and departure flights? the list goes on for erroneous charges applied for honest mistakes that happen to honest people every single day via aircanada.com)

The question should be: AC, why haven't you addressed this issue with the people involved who were able to make the actual purchase? Rather they just entered our online accounts and removed the flight passes with no communication whatsoever. This is a federally regulated publicly traded company that has a responsibility to address this issue with those involved and answer to the public and their shareholders. It has obviously made national news coverage for a reason and people want answers.

Changing the FAQs to cover their tracks is one of the shadiest online business practices I've witnesses in a long time. TOS changes happen often and frequently due to the nature of online business - I get it. But doing so in the face of an error to protect their best interest is just poor business practice and shows the lack of ethics this company has.

Over the years, we've flown less and less with AC for myriad of reasons (flight delays, poor customer service, ridiculous fees etc). One customer #BoycottAirCanada obviously doesn't affect their business, neither 10, neither 100. They just keep capitalizing on their monopolized situation and Canadians, without much choice, keep paying. The only way we can affect change is to #BoycottAirCanada whenever possible. #FlyWestJet
Newbie
Nov 28, 2013
46 posts
25 upvotes
Surrey
ListPrivate wrote: I was able to purchase 2 of these for my wife and I and have had it removed from both our accounts. The question now isn't whether they should honour their prices, we can debate the laws surrounding this for days and months to come (although I do believe they should honour their 'mistake', how many of us have been charged a $90 fee for mistakenly reversing the arrival and departure flights? the list goes on for erroneous charges applied for honest mistakes that happen to honest people every single day via aircanada.com)

The question should be: AC, why haven't you addressed this issue with the people involved who were able to make the actual purchase? Rather they just entered our online accounts and removed the flight passes with no communication whatsoever. This is a federally regulated publicly traded company that has a responsibility to address this issue with those involved and answer to the public and their shareholders. It has obviously made national news coverage for a reason and people want answers.

Changing the FAQs to cover their tracks is one of the shadiest online business practices I've witnesses in a long time. TOS changes happen often and frequently due to the nature of online business - I get it. But doing so in the face of an error to protect their best interest is just poor business practice and shows the lack of ethics this company has.

Over the years, we've flown less and less with AC for myriad of reasons (flight delays, poor customer service, ridiculous fees etc). One customer #BoycottAirCanada obviously doesn't affect their business, neither 10, neither 100. They just keep capitalizing on their monopolized situation and Canadians, without much choice, keep paying. The only way we can affect change is to #BoycottAirCanada whenever possible. #FlyWestJet

I'm doing exactly that. A couple months ago we were late checking by a couple of minutes (literary!). We went to the machine and it didn't let us check in so we went to the counter (at this time we are late by 5 minutes). The lady behind the counter said (with a rude and a non sympathetic manner) "it is specifically stated in the terms and agreements that you must check in at least 1 hour prior to boarding". We told her it is only 5 minutes and the probability that the we wont make it to the gate is nill (small airport and early morning), she didnt care nor even tried to out any effort, kept on saying the the terms and conditions stated blah blah blah. We didn't argue any further so we paid $70 to get a guaranteed seat for the next flight. Went in and by the time we got to the gate the original plane was still there and they are still boarding...we were not impressed. I know we were late but given the situation and how it was not busy...I know I'm going sideway here but I feel that if AC never given its customers a break (I am sure I am not the only one that had given a no from AC without any sympathy), then why should we give them a break?
Deal Addict
Mar 7, 2011
1253 posts
245 upvotes
Toronto
To all of those that are saying that they will boycott AC and fly Westjet from now on, that's just rediculous. Westjet doesn't fly to many destinations that AC does, nor can their schedule (departure times and frequencies) compare to the ones AC offers.
Yeah, I get it. You're upset about not getting your flight passes, but really?!?! There was a chance of 0.01% that AC would have honored the passes sold with the price error...
Deal Addict
User avatar
Sep 19, 2005
3116 posts
2251 upvotes
Canadia
Jestah wrote: As other posters and customers have already mentioned, Air Canada not only made a mistake, but they have been dishonest by changing their Terms and Conditions and FAQs after this pricing error.
Actually, the removal of the Flight Pass FAQ is critical here, but only because the page provided a clear explanation of the difference between flight passes, flight credits and reservations (the bit about a future price change is a red herring).

One section specifically addresses what a flight pass is: "Air Canada Flight Passes are comprised of Flight Credits. Each Flight Credit is used for one flight segment, one direct flight, or connecting flights between an origin and a destination."

It then goes on to discuss how you can redeem a flight credit and "When you use a Flight Credit to make a booking, you will receive an electronic Itinerary Receipt showing details of your flight reservation."

Consequently, Air Canada stated that a Flight Pass is substantially different than a reservation and can be redeemed for a reservation. Their Conditions of carriage and Tariffs (which remain unchanged since 2011) state, "Air Canada reserves the right to cancel reservations and/or tickets issued with an erroneously quoted fare prior to said erroneous quote being detected and corrected."

Since a flight pass is neither a reservation nor a ticket, neither their domestic nor international tariff terms apply.

I will wait to see how Air Canada proceeds, but I'm considering small claims action.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
May 16, 2011
5345 posts
7971 upvotes
Burnaby, BC
andysh wrote: The website was meant to replace a human ticketing agent to lower cost and increase efficiency. This means that the company should be responsible for what is on the website. I can't simply blame computer error and expect to get away with it at my job, so why should they. Imagine if doctors could be able to do that. There are still negligence involved.
That is exactly right. Automation in customer service is saving companies a whole lot, while reducing jobs. Take truck driving for example in the next 10 years. None of those savings are ever passed on to the customers.

If they are relying on automation, they should be held responsible for any problems that occur due to it. This is not like a human bank teller accidentally giving you an extra 20. This is a serious breach of contract, for thousands of people. Not a harmless "glitch". Would a automated truck running over someone be considered just a glitch? Or would it force a revaluation of the automation, after due compensation? We, as customers, have to stop seeing large corporations as mom and pop stores, or blaming and scapegoating, as they happily do, "junior engineers" for coding errors.

Delta's price error was honoured: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/delta-to-h ... -1.2476635
Deal Expert
User avatar
Apr 21, 2004
58648 posts
24637 upvotes
Fjiwa78 wrote: I bought one of these and I am a lawyer in Vancouver. I will be pursuing this further by likely filing a small claims action. I am however looking into the idea of simply turning this into a class action lawsuit.

It is amazing that there is absolutely no correspondence to any of us from air canada about the issue as well.
How can we be part of a class action suit? I live in the GTA but want in. Screw AC.

Top