Edmonton Photographer | Air Canada's Customer Service Sucks!

Evidently, I have masochistic tendencies. After laying awake for the past 3 nights, dreading the completion of GST remittance forms, laundry, potty training and various other things that one doesn't in general yearn to do, I finally had a panic attack. It happened about 9:06am this morning.

The panic attack happened exactly when I was making my list. If you are a list maker, you get it. When you get to the second sheet of paper and realize that there's nothing you can remove from it and it all seems insurmountable. Of course, if you don't make lists, you may be so unorganized that you don't care or you may be so organized that you are already packed and halfway to the airport for your flight next Tuesday. I prefer the list method.

This is what my "Things that have to go on the plane to fly to Newfoundland next Tuesday" list looks like;
-Bridget
-Diaper bag; diapers, wipes, change of clothes, books and small toys, snacks and drinks
-Car seat (as Bridget doesn't like my lap anymore so she has her own seat to avoid her escaping and penetrating the cockpit door to show the pilot her 'baby'.
-Camera bag; camera, lenses and flashes for Newfoundland Portrait assignments.
-ID and Ticket info
-Stroller to transport Bridget and her baby, to be passed in at the plane door.
-Self

So. That looks like a long list. I try to visualize how I am going to do this. So I look at Air Canada website to see if perhaps by some stroke of luck they have relaxed the rules and will allow me to take my running stroller under which I could stow most of the other things I need to transport (except for Bridget, who I would let ride in the stroller) and push with one hand while carrying the car seat.

No luck. Must be a collapsible (my running stroller collapses....phew!) umbrella stroller.Great. No storage in, under or on that engineering marvel. Fantastic!

So when my masochistic tendencies kicked in, I found myself on hold with Air Canada. The charming Air Canada voice says 'Your wait time is greater than 10 minutes'. No problem. I flip on the speaker phone, edit some of the photos I took last night, make a cup of tea, change a bum, back up some files and then have a game of twiddle my thumbs.

"Hello, this is Cletus (not his real name- but the name his mother would have given him if she had to have a conversation with him this morning).

"Hi Cletus, my name is Amy Donovan and I will be flying to Newfoundland with you on October 6th. I have some questions about travelling with children."

Long pause.

No response from Cletus but I can hear background noise, so I assume he is still there.

"I am travelling with an 18 month old, who has her own seat. I am just wondering about getting all of my things from the gate onto the plane. Do you guys take the car seat?"

"No."

"Oh, well then what do you suggest I do with car seat, carry-on bags, stroller, and baby to get them onto the plane?" (I didn't even mention Bridget's baby, in case I found myself buying her a seat of her own). At this point, I was still pretty professional. There had to be a solution to this, which he has yet to tell me about...

Long pause

"Hello? Cletus? Are you still there?"

"Weeeeeeeell.......put the baby in the stroller and carry your bag on your back."

"Yes, but what about the car seat? Could someone take it to the plane for me?"

"No. You will have to carry it."

"Cletus, do you have children?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever travelled with them?"

He has.

So I ask him how he pushes an umbrella stroller (which requires 2 hands at all times to not go in circles, while carrying a bag AND a full sized car seat.

"Oh, I don't use a stroller. I put the baby in the car seat and carry the car seat."
Oh good. I have Lou Ferrigno on the phone.

"You what? I am talking about a 25lb baby and a full sized car seat, that thing must weigh 40lbs. There's no way I can carry that in front of me with the baby in it and carry a bag on my back'. At this point I wasn't even worrying about the camera bag.

"Well then don't take a carry-on bag."

"Cletus- your children, how well would they do on an 8 hour flight with no diapers, wipes, snacks, books or toys."

Long pause.

"Cletus, are you sure that no one can just take the car seat to the plane for me and I will manage the rest?"

"Ms. Donovan. Do you watch the news?"

Of course I watch the freaking news! What does this have to so with me not having super human strength and the patience of a Saint? "Yes, yes I do."

"Well, if you had been paying attention, you would have noticed that we have had layoffs so there is no one available to do things extraordinary things, like you are asking."

Extraordinary things. I consider donating a kidney to a stranger an extraordinary thing. Those who go on missionary ventures to Burma do extraordinary things. Firemen do extraordinary things. I need help with a car seat.

"Cletus? Do you still help people in wheelchairs who need assistance?"

Short pause.

"Yes, but there are laws about that. They can't help being handicapped. But no one told you that you have to travel with a child."

Suddenly I feel my shoulders burning from the steam pouring out of my ears.

"Cletus! I bought a second ticket for my 18 month old, who according to your policy could still travel for free on my lap. I did that, so as not to aggravate EVERY OTHER passenger and member of the flight crew on your plane. So I would not be allowing her run to around and scream when I try to keep her up in my arms for eight straight hours. I just need help with the car seat, because it is not possible for me to carry the baby, the car seat, the stroller and the diaper bag, that I will need for her on the plane. I just need help with the car seat"

"Ma'am, perhaps you should have an other adult fly with you to help."

LONG PAUSE.

"That is not an option. What sort of suggestion is that!? If there was another adult available to fly with me, they would already be flying with me. Wouldn't they? It's not like the rest of my family choose to drive or fly with West Jet!"

"Well Ma'am, clearly this flying by yourself with a child thing is not for you, as you are unable to bring the things you will need for her during your trip. Perhaps she should stay at home."

Jerry Springer rage clogged my throat stopping me from making any audible noise. I have no words at this point, even if I could say something!

Extremely long pause.

I gather my composure in his silence and begin to try to reason with him again.

"Cletus. I have paid $800 for the seat from my child to sit in. I have paid $800 for my seat for me to sit in. You are refusing to offer any assistance because there have been layoffs. I will not leave my child at home because there have been layoffs. I will not make another adult fly with me so that she can have a car..."

I get interrupted mid rant.

"....Why don't you try bringing a smaller car seat, like those ones with the handles that people carry babies in." he interjects.

"WHAT!" There goes my composure. "I told you my 25lb baby is 18 months old and you are suggesting that I put her in a baby bucket? That is NOT practical and NOT safe. Are you sure you have children???"

"Ms.Donovan. Why don't you sit her in the seat and leave the car seat at home, or check it with checked baggage."

Now he is proposing that I try to restrain an 18 month old in an airplane using only an lap belt. This not only disagrees with what I have just read to be Transport Canada's regulations on the matter (on the Air Canada website no less) but also the sensibilities of every parent, everywhere.

"What??? What did you just say?"

"Ms. Donovan, perhaps you would like me to refund the price of your tickets so that you and your baby can stay at home and avoid the stress of having to carry your car seat."

Now. This from the man who had just finished telling me that they had lay-offs. That there were not enough employees left to be of any use to any of the airline's patrons. Now he wants less customers.

"WHAT?!?!?" My woman scorned voice comes to the top of my throat like a tornado spitting acid and nails along the way.

"Ma'am, I have done this job for 11 years and no one else has so much trouble understanding our policies."

For 11 years, this man has worked in the same call centre answering the same questions about ridiculous Air Canada policies. He wants me to believe that I am the only mother ever to have flown solo with a toddler.

So I say, "Cletus. I am going to pretend you did not just say that. I am however, not going to believe for one second that I am the only mother who has in the last 11 years flown alone with a toddler and who asked for assistance with a car seat."

Do you know what he said?! Do you know!??!

"Ma'am, I am not sure what West Jet's policies are, but I know they fly to Newfoundland as well."

Because at this point, I was out of words and was too exasperated to share any more thoughts, breaths or brain activity with a man who was clearly short on all three counts, I wordlessly ended my conversation with a click.

What would you have done?