Incorrect Communication when airlines "sell" seats on different airlines

by Susanne
(Mesa AZ)

I booked a flight with Fligh Network from Phoenix AZ to Victoria BC Canada. The flight email confirmation, eticket and booking information stated that the flight was with Air Canada. After receiving my e-ticket email notification I followed the directions to access the e-ticket website and print my ticket. My printed e-ticket confirmed I was on an Air Canada flight. It was not until I phoned Air Canada to confirm my flight 24 hours prior to my departure (according to directions in my flight e-ticket and email confirmation) that I found out that Air Canada and United sell seats on each others flights and that I had been booked with United Express. I have 3 complaints about this flight experience. First, the original e-ticket said nothing about United on it and it took sometime for the Air Canada confirmation agent to confirm my flights when I could not confirm my flight online as the reservation confirmation number I received when I booked online was not the confirmation number the Air Canada agent needed. She was very helpful thought and then gave me a new confirmation number to use when confirming my return flight. Secondly, none of the emails or e-tickets say I had to pay for my checked baggage, rather the Air Canada e-ticket I printed both going to Victoria and returning to Phoenix stated travel with Air Canada "entitled passengers to a free checked baggage allowance".

Lastly, while 3 of the 4 legs of the journey were on time and departed as scheduled, the final return flight from San Francisco to Phoenix was cancelled at the last minute. It was scheduled and announced as booked by the attendants on my first leg, was listed as scheduled on the departure board and even though I was sitting in the seating area 2 hours prior to the departure the cancellation was not announced. I found out when I re-checked for the third time the departure board. While I was fortunate to get on another flight it was last minute and I wonder how many passengers didn't find out in time and at that time no other flight to Phoenix was listed for that day!

It seems that the communication between Flight Network, Air Canada and United is not as accurate as it should be. Had I known I was travelling on United Express and would have a baggage fee I would have chosen to fly differently (either taken on a carry on bag or chosen another carrier) as the cost of the flight ended up being more than it could have been.