I just read Rick Segal’s post about Air Canada and setting expectations. I’m frustrated with Air Canada right now. Here’s the situation. I’ll be in NYC next Thursday and Friday, and I need to be in London on the following Monday. My options are:

1) Fly home Friday night, get in at 11:00 p.m., and fly out Sunday morning. Jet lag here I come!

2) Fly to London, spend a nice weekend as a tourist, enjoy the sites. Downside: London is expensive.

3) Fly to Zurich, visit my family, get a cheap ticket to London, save expenses, and be in great shape to present at SES London.

Should be easy, right? Air Canada doesn’t make it easy. $980.00 CAD to fly from NYC to London, and back to Victoria. $2500.00 to Zurich. $1152 to Rome, via Zurich!

That’s right. If I fly to Rome, with the plane landing in Zurich, and me changing planes there it costs me $1400 extra. No, apparently, I can’t just get off in Zurich, if I do, I void my return flight! Something is wrong with Air Canada’s pricing.

Here’s part 2. My associate is flying from Nanaimo to London, return. Book it via Vancouver $2452. Book Vancouver to London return $842.00. Book a return ticket Nanaimo - Vancouver, $80.00, all on Air Canada. So book one ticket, pay $2452. Book it as two separate tickets, and pay $920.00. Tough decision.