- This extremely important news just in – Unfortunately, due to a very poorly run airline system, Kevin’s not going to be able to make it into Edmonton for tonight’s Q&A gig — Depite being there VERY early at the airport. A makeup date is already set, so read on for Kev’s post:
AIR CANADA FCKS ME! EDMONTON GIG CANCELLED!
Fucking Air Canada locked me out of my fucking flight even though I was in the terminal at 9:48 for an 11:05 flight! After waiting in a line for fifteen minutes, with no announcement that they were closing my Edmonton flight, I get to the desk, where I’m told it’s too late: I’m locked out of the flight. And when I’m like “I’ll ditch my luggage. Can’t I just get my boarding pass so I can get on that plane?” I’m told “No. They won’t let me ticket you. The flight’s closed.”
And there were still 20 minutes to go before they even started boarding, and 50 MINUTES before the flight even took off!
I’m sorry: I fucking hate Air Canada.
After all that time wasted at the Air Canada desk, desperately trying to get someone to do the right thing, I ran around from airlines to airlines (fat sweaty man, two cumbersome bags) trying to get to Edmonton before 7pm. The best anyone could do was get me there by 10-ish. I offered to start the Q&A then, but understandably, the folks running the gig felt that by the time I got through customs and hauled ass from the airport, we were looking at a close to 11 o’clock start time.
So the gig’s been called off.
Makeup date has already been chosen: Wednesday, OCTOBER 8TH.
My apologies folks. My bags were packed the night before, and I left for the airport with more than enough time. I was in the terminal with time to spare before the cut-off (and, I mean, a full hour they cut that shit off at? Jesus…), and still, I wasn’t allowed on the plane. I offered to ditch my luggage, and still I wasn’t allowed on the plane. Air Canada can suck it.
NO SHOW TONIGHT. Q&A’S BEEN MOVED TO OCTOBER 8TH.
Calgarians: this won’t effect your show on Tuesday. Rest assured, I WILL BOOK UNDER A DIFFERENT AIRLINES and make sure I’m there, in Calgary, with time to spare.
And there ya have it, folks — More news later, we just wanted to get this out there ASAP for those of you who don’t follow the blog sites regularly, especially if you are ticketed for tonight’s gig. We assume calling the venue will get you any details on the new date, or refund info if you can’t make it – Typically you’ll be issued a new ticket or your current ticket will work on the 8th, but we can’t say for certain how they’ll handle it (but don’t take it out on them, strictly the airline’s fault this time, nothing to to with Kev or the venue).
Air Canada Causes Kev’s Edmonton Gig To Reschedule!
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September 28, 2008 at 17:20
Kev, Sorry that Air CANADA, fucked you. they are good for that! The DB’s are high on passenger responsibilty but low on self accountability!
September 28, 2008 at 17:51
Hey, you know, I’m a Kevin Smith fan, but he’s in the wrong here. I recently took a flight with Air Canada from Ottawa to New York, and got this in an e-mail immediately upon booking:
~~~~~
Check-in and Boarding Times
* You must obtain your boarding pass and check in any baggage by the check-in cut-off time shown below. We recommend allowing plenty of time at the airport for check-in, especially if you have baggage and for security checks.
* You must also be available for boarding at the boarding gate by the cut-off time shown below. Failure to meet the boarding gate cut-off time may result in the loss of your assigned seat, the cancellation of your reservation, and your ineligibility for denied boarding compensation.
| Check-in |Boarding Gate
|Recommended |Cut-off time |Cut-off time
Within Canada |60 min. |30 min. |20 min.
To/from USA |90 min. |60 min. |20 min.
~~~~~
That second row is the important one: the check-in cut-off is 60 minutes prior to the boarding time when he’s traveling from the US. I assume the airline sent Kevin the same information they sent me. And from the information Kevin wrote, here’s the timeline:
-In terminal at 9:48, but in line until at the earliest 10:03 (15 minutes later).
-Boarding time: somewhere around 10:35 (based on it being 30 minutes before flight take-off).
Those are off slightly, but even by Kevin’s account, he was 20 minutes from boarding time and hadn’t even gotten in line for security. That does not qualify as “being there VERY early,” News Askew. Even if the 60 minute cut-off didn’t exist, that’s dangerously close to missing a flight. And Kevin says that he was at the front desk 20 minutes before the boarding time, which you’ll notice is the exact amount of time for the Boarding Gate Cut-Off, which is the time they demand you be at the boarding gate by. How does this qualify as “VERY early”?
I side with Air Canada. Hopefully Kevin wakes up early enough to make the cut-off next time and doesn’t blame others for his own mistakes.
September 28, 2008 at 17:55
Sorry, got lost in the numbers and worded things wrong: I assume their check-in cut-off time is 60 minutes before the flight leaves. In any case, by Kevin’s admission, he was ten minutes late, as there was 50 minutes before his flight left.
September 28, 2008 at 18:47
What sounds like the problem to me is that Kevin showed up on time, but there was no effort made or an announcement to say that the flight was closing. Good airlines do this sort of thing — They can tell who hasn’t checked in, and they’ll see if those folks are there and prioritize. Especially in Kev’s case, we assume it was a first class or business class ticket, in which case you pay a premium for expedited service — So the fact he had to wait that long to get to an agent coupled with the fact that no airline reps did anything to announce the closing of the flight, seems like poor service to us. That’s how I see it anyway.
September 28, 2008 at 21:29
I think viewdrix must be an Air Canada employee. Yes, there is a 1 hour cutoff for international flights, but
there is always room for exceptions. But what do you expect from Air Canada’s “quality customer service”.
Air Canada sucks. Go with Westjet next time.
September 28, 2008 at 22:17
I agree with everyone other than viewdrix… It was completely stupid. So what if he didn’t make it by the cutoff time? It was only 10 minutes… I’m sure they could have made an acception. Whatever. I feel bad for Kevin, but I have to say I’m relieved. My date was sick and I couldn’t find anyone else last minute. Ugh. Non-Kevin fans suck :P.
September 28, 2008 at 23:18
Regardless of the time when Mr. Smith arrived at the airport, let’s be honest. He does have a certain amount of ‘Star Power.’ He’s not a regular Joe getting on a flight. I know that Mr. Smith is the first one to downplay his fame status but, come on, you would think that Air Canada could have made an exception for a writer/director/actor going to an important Q & A. You know that if this was his friend Ben Affleck showing up for the flight the red carpet would have been thrown out.
On a personal note. I must say I was extremely dissapointed when I showed up tonight. I am celebrating my 40th birthday tomorrow and have been a fan of Mr. Smith’s movies since Clerks. My girlfriend & I drove 12 hours to make it down here for the Q & A and now have a another 12 hour drive tomorrow to go back home.
Adding to the expense of coming down to Edmonton is the fact that we had to make arrangements for care of our 6 year old autistic foster child for the weekend.
But..enough of my bitching and complaining. I will email Air Canada with my comments on their customer service (like that will make any difference) and wait for the next Q & A to be released to DVD (if another release is planned that is).
Regards,
Colin McMillan
Fort Nelson, BC, Canada
P.S. maybe the girlfriend will give me a extended birthday blowjob to help remove my sorrows if I whine enough
September 29, 2008 at 01:14
Dammit, yet another dissatisfied Air Canada customer. Quel Surprise. I almost didn’t enjoy my steak after reading about the postponement. Almost.
But hey, the new show date is right after my birthday so I won’t complain. Except about Air Canada. Bastards. I will make sure to NOT fly with them, I get enough bullshit from elsewhere.