YYC Calgary Airport review: Customer service

Another airport disaster story, as follows –

GREED BREEDS GREED

On Feb. 21st of this year - 2023, I was scheduled to leave on a flight at 9:45 AM, Tuesday from Calgary to Hamilton, Ont. I was going for one week only, to see my 96-year-old failing mother and my little auntie of 87 years-of-age, who was soon to be transferred to palliative care because of a terminal health condition. I hadn’t flown for a few years and was about to embark on a rude awakening! This trip was vitally important because of the last of a generation of my family. I had been warned that airlines are now charging for checking baggage, so the better way is to use a carry-on only. So that’s exactly what I did because my sister & friend had extra clothes for me. However, the bag I chose didn’t have wheels or a flip-up handle and was just a giant duffle bag. I was able to use a cart to transport it. However, I was not allowed to use the cart after a certain point, and that 40-pound duffle bag became very heavy! By the time I walked what seemed to be another ½ mile, my feet were sore and felt like tree stumps on fire understandably, being 71 years old!

I finally arrived at the security section, which looked to me like a feedlot for cattle! The number of people for inspection had 2 – 3 wheeled bags each, which made for a very long and increasingly painful wait! I concluded that because of the extra charges to check baggage caused people to try to cut costs. It was taking forever to get through this abundance of people! Not only was that an issue, but they were also understaffed and time was getting on!

While we were monotonously shuffling through inch by inch, I noticed that some ladies and young girls were crying from pain and fear! The plane was about to leave and we were risking missing our flight! One poor little gal that confided in me, was so scared that she didn’t want me to leave her side. She was of East Indian descent and was moving from Vancouver to her brothers in Montreal. Her luggage was on the flight that just left and she was very much in despair! I promised her that I would stay and wait for her. I felt such compassion for the poor scared soul! It was a living nightmare and totally appalling! There was another lady with 2 crutches crying for help! I used to always see helpers with white shirts and cowboy hats and red vests, complete with smiles. There were none to be seen!

When I finally was able to talk to an attendant, he informed me that he would order me a wheelchair to get back down to the entrance and told me that I could take a flight Thursday instead (2 days later). That was an impossibility for me because I have 3 cats and 2 dogs that I already had pre-arranged for their care with my daughter and a friend. It was already an inconvenience for them because of work etc. I was both physically and mentally despaired at this point, and couldn’t make such hasty changes of plans!

Seemed like forever waiting for that wheelchair. At one point I spotted 3 of them – empty. When I asked the people with these chairs if one was ordered for me, they asked me what airline I was flying with. As soon as I mentioned West Jet, they didn’t hesitate to inform me that they only took Air Canada customers. So, of course, a few more tears! Ug!

All said, I spent 5 & ½ hours at that international airport and was ready to collapse with fatigue. My daughter had to complete her work day to pick me up and deliver me to my other daughters’ so that I could finally drive to my home – 2 hours NE of Calgary airport.

This airport spent a lot of taxpayers’ money to expand, to encourage the tourist industry/trade . . . ex., - Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper Park, Kananaskis Country, Drumheller Tyrell Museum and Calgary Stampede, etc. There was obviously not a lot of thought given to the extra staff needed to accommodate for such an expansion! When they started to charge extra for checked baggage (for an additional money-making scheme) . . . thus encouraging people to flood the over-head with carry-ons per flight, as well as extra security measures needed for this increase, this was the perfect example of extreme GREED!

Then I began to ponder a bit more about our Travel & Tourism Government program, and I have to question as to why the constant kayos continuously cause such sadness and despair for the passengers in the industry. I also went so far as to wonder if it was intentional, order to have room for all of this extra luggage that would never begin to fit in the overhead on the plane. The vacant seats would hold a majority of smaller carry-ons. So, I concluded that - GREED BREEDS GREED! How ridiculous and look what despair you’ve caused! Not a lot of thought and planning was put forth on their part! To make even more nonsense, I’m still not reimbursed for my flight cost! I’d like to ask a favour of the whole system . . . try getting it together for everyone’s sake! A word of advice – show some organization, kindness & compassion, or you’ll destroy the whole industry!