Complaint Review: Air Canada - Calgary Alberta

I purchased two tickets lured by an add on Expedia.com. They claimed to have 24hrs service and the best rates ever. I was travelling with my daughter who could not get her passport in time to make our flights so my initial call was to merely cancel our travelling and use our tickets otherwise. A rough Mr. Norman told me off when I asked the confirmation for the cancelled tickets and for the credit for future traveling. He literally laughed at me and told me off by stating "he was letting me go" as he had other customers waiting. He wanted me to take his word for it and hold on to my tickets as only proof our cancllation ever happened. I requested to speak with his lead, an even ruder "agent", Darla, who advised me not to "bother" him but to go read my ticket. At the end of his scolding he hung up, literally, "no bother", and certainly no customer service etiquette. Here comes the next round! I tried contacting the company again and again and again waiting over an hour on one occasion. I realized, at that point, I was black listed and that no one would pick up.

You may imagine I trusted them not for the credit, long term, so I decided to request a refund, at the outrageous price of 358.00 (easily equivalent to a ticket to a closer destination -bummer!).

Next day, during business hours, I was reassured they were sorry and were going to send me the confirmation on both ticket's cancellation and issue the refund, minus he 358. I thought I would pay the price so never would I try to fly with Air Canada. But my ordeal was not over, it had just started. I never received the confirmation on one of the tickets, or the refund for the other one. I called and called and every time the spcimen on the line was but one more affirmation of why this company does not even have a customer service department accessible. I emailed twice and continued on my task. I spoke with Patrick and Brian, Christpher and Bruice, all competing for the award for the rudest person in the Air Line Industry.

Finally, I learned my refund will come in eight weeks. So with privileges similar to the US Passport Office, Air Canada has charged me 358 not to take a vacation, and holds my money till October. Perhaps at that point with the fare amount I would have travelled to France I will be able to spend Holloween in Los Cabos. Who overviews this rough practices? More important, if you eliminate the access to customer service how is a costumer supposed to overpower Darla and Norman, and Christopher who, at the last round ended up telling me "I will not sit here and listen to you. I ask the questions and you answer, you hear me!"?

So beware! This company is less than substandard, it is simply all for its own profit and to prove so, they do not even "bother" to provide you with adecquate management and customer service quality personel to whom complain when something goes wrong. In the mean time they hold my two thousand dollars at their ease, and they tell me off when I try to get them. If that is not a rip off, what is!

Maria

San Diego, California

U.S.A.