Janet Wilson knows how desperate grieving relatives can be to catch a flight as soon as possible after someone dies.
The executive director of Bereaved Families of Ontario (Toronto) says she was appalled when Air Canada announced in late January it would no longer offer compassionate discounts on full-fare tickets.
For decades the discounts had shaved roughly 30 to 50 per cent off fares in cases involving sudden bereavement, medical emergencies or terminally ill children. The breaks are no longer available on Air Canada on flights anywhere in North America, or between Japan and North America.
"You'd think since 9/11 and all the other recent tragedies, with people having to quickly travel all over the world, that Air Canada would be more sensitive, and it's a shame that it isn't," says Wilson.
Wilson says she doesn't think much of the argument by Canada's largest airline that its regular discount rates eliminate the need for compassionate fares.
"Trying to avail yourself of the best deals at such a troubling time is really hard. It's tough to even get yourself out of the house, never mind manoeuvring to try to get a good rate," she says.
Air Canada officials did not respond to several requests for interviews with Business Edge.
The airline had said previously that the discounted fare structure it introduced in 2003, which does not require advance booking and allows the purchase of one-way fares, made the need for bereavement fares unnecessary. The airline also cited low demand for the special rates.
"Even if Air Canada is sometimes able to offer fares that are cheaper, there's still the perception that the airline has no concern or compassion for its customers," Wilson says From a business standpoint, that's exactly what Air Canada should have considered before enacting its new policy, says Jake McCall, founder and president of Toronto-based Second Sight Innovation.
"I'm in marketing and strategic planning, and if I saw any of my clients contemplating doing what Air Canada has done, I'd be horrified," he says. "And I'd be strongly suggesting that they not do it, because it's so insensitive."
A puzzling anomaly in Air Canada's new policy, points out Cheryl MacLeod, executive director of Whitby-based Hospice Durham, is that "at the beginning of the year, the federal government introduced employment insurance compassionate leave. It allows people to be supported for a bereavement period, which was a move we welcomed. One would think that the airline of the country would be in sync with what its own government is doing."
Among Air Canada's competitors, compassionate discount policies are a mixed bag.
Jetsgo "has never had discount fares specifically related to bereavement … (only) a policy of trying to offer the lowest fares to all passengers at all times based on availability," says spokesman Brad Cicero.
And Zoom, now in its third year of carrying passengers between Canada and Europe, also offers no compassionate discounts.
"But, our highest price is between $250 and $350 (one-way), regardless of the destination and we believe that is lower than Air Canada would have offered on its bereavement discounts," says spokeswoman Nadine Lablanc.
WestJet Airline "is keeping discounts on all flights, except charters, and they are approximately 30 to 50 per cent below full walk-up prices," says spokeswoman Jill Bentley.
Additionally, WestJet passengers don't have to provide death certificates and other documents at the time of booking, which Air Canada's policy required.
