2023-06-03 22:36:36
It’s the chaos it creates, the stress it creates
laments Ms. Nakache.
Her plane was supposed to leave Montreal a little after 8 p.m. on June 1, but she says the takeoff was pushed back more than four hours. In an email of which Radio-Canada was able to read, Air Canada justified this delay by computer problems.
Indeed, the carrier had to cancel or delay hundreds of flights Thursday and Friday due to technical problems. It was the second such incident in less than a week.
Already in Montreal, Ms. Nakache knew she would miss her connecting flight to Geneva. Despite the concerns of several passengers, the company still let them go, assuring them that they would be taken care of once in Geneva, she says.
Back in Switzerland, they were still in the dark. An airline employee eventually told Ms Nakache and the other passengers that they had to transit through Turkey to get to Beirut.
It felt like there was room on other flights [à destination de Beyrouth]. We checked on our side
says Ms. Nakache.
« What we really blame Air Canada for is the lack of communication, the threat that we all experienced that, if we didn’t take the option they offered us, we had to manage on our own themselves. We all had the impression that it was an option that suited them but that it was not in our interest. »
Ms Nakache claims that several travelers were promised a hotel room to rest in once in Istanbul, which did not materialize. She regrets that several vulnerable people had to sleep on the ground of the airport.
Among the passengers was a very elderly person, one with a heart condition and at least one person with young children
she says.
Ms Nakache finally arrived in Lebanon on Saturday, a day later than expected.
It has to change
Ms. Nakache is still in contact with several travelers who were on the same plane and who are still suffering.
Of course, we’re healthy, of course, we survived, and there’s a lot more traumatic event, but that’s not normal
she says.
They are now considering filing a claim with Air Canada.
We do it to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We often say that in the case of Air Canada. We often hear stories like that and, at some point, we will have to be taken seriously.
she argues.
Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Thursday that the problems at Air Canada were due to an update to its computer systems.
Photo: The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette
If these steps do not bear fruit, Ms. Nakache even thinks of taking collective action.
It is not normal that a company like Air Canada does not put passengers first. We didn’t feel supervised at all. It has to change. It’s not normal that we have to experience things like that, especially in the current context, where tickets are still very expensive.
pleads Ms. Nakache.
In a written response sent to Radio-Canada, Air Canada explains that it cannot comment specifically on this situation, but the carrier claims to be treating directly
with its customers. However, the company invites Ms. Nakache to contact its customer service.
With information from Emmanuelle Poisson
1685865663
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