I received an interesting email from Air Canada Aeroplan last night, and I’m curious if any OMAAT readers are in the same situation…
In this post:
Aeroplan’s alleged duplicate transfer error
I received an email from Air Canada Aeroplan, which is leaving me scratching my head. Let me just copy and paste the email:
Thanks for being an Aeroplan Member. We’re pleased you’re converting your reward points to Aeroplan points.
We’re reaching out to you because duplicate points were added to your account during a conversion error in 2023. We have since attempted to debit the points from your account to rectify this error, however, there were insufficient points to cover the full balance of points owing.
You’ll see an adjustment to the transactions on your account, along with the points debited and your updated balance. For more information about Aeroplan points corrections, please see our Terms & Conditions.
Points debited: 3,550
Points owing: 109,450Until the full points value is debited to reconcile your account, you will not be able to redeem any further points. You can, of course, continue to earn, convert, or buy Aeroplan points to make up the difference.
We will attempt to debit the points owing again over the next three months. If, however, you have enough points to cover the remaining balance before that time, please contact us at [email] or [phone number].
We appreciate your understanding, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Suffice it to say that this email caught me off guard. It’s entirely possible that what Aeroplan is saying is true, since I can’t imagine this is being sent out in error. However, I can say in all honesty that if there was some sort of a conversion error, I didn’t notice it…
I’m trying my best to “audit” this…
Based on the email, it sounds like 113,000 Aeroplan points are in question, as Aeroplan has debited 3,550 points, and needs to debit 109,450 more points. So I went into my email inbox and searched “113,000 Aeroplan points,” and that brought up a transfer I made from Capital One for that number of points in November 2023.
The problem is, I can’t actually figure out how to review the account history for my Aeroplan or Capital One accounts for these purposes. In the case of both my Aeroplan account and Capital One account, the activities page doesn’t go back that far.
It would be nice if the email actually listed the specific transactions, so that members at least know what triggered this. I’m curious how widespread this issue was. Was it specific to Capital One transfers during a certain time, or what?
Really what’s confusing me the most here is that I feel like I would’ve noticed if I were given 113,000 extra Aeroplan points, since I usually keep a close eye on this kind of stuff (I don’t like 100K+ points to just go missing, after all!). But it’s possible that I missed something?
Bottom line
Apparently I transfered points to Air Canada Aeroplan, and there was a duplicate transaction, whereby the points were deposited twice. Based on my own research, it appears that a Capital One transfer is what caused this, since it’s the only time I’ve transfered exactly 113,000 points to Aeroplan. However, without the ability to go back so far in my account history, it’s hard to know what to make of this.
Were any OMAAT readers impacted by this duplicate points issue with Aeroplan?
That's the whole point. You need to check both your capital one transaction history and your aeroplan and see if indeed they made a mistake. Opening an account with another email address is a good idea but the downside is loosing possible status.
Yea I got double credit, Thought I made an error last year and yes I did use the points so I technically owe but I'll just wait to see what happens. I'm still negative balance with Iberia several years back but nothing ever came of it just effectively banned from the program.
What do you mean, "the activities page doesn’t go back that far"? On Aeroplan activity page, go to "filters" and choose 2 years.
Theoretically monopolies would have zero incentive to be competitive and competent. Sounds like Air Canada. Coddling from the Canadian government does not help either. Wish there were more Canadian competitors so that people can bail to another airline and hurt incompetent businesses.
Wouldn't it have been better, Ben, if you had made contact with the other parties before this post, to find out some more background info?
Your post would then be able to include their side of the story, rather than leave it hanging....
This isnt the Washington Post. It is Ben’s blog.
Happened to me, they told me I owe them 75K. They were referencing a flown flight from April 2023. When I called and they checked, they realized that the miles were actually debited properly and they had a supervisor restore the account.
Weird.
This makes no sense unless you used 113k x2.
I find it amazing (well maybe not) that Aeroplan and others do not have records for ar least the last 2 or 3 years readilly available on-line.
How hard can it be to archive records indefinately in the digital age?
And both parties would recognise an error of 113,000 miles pretty quickly you'd imagine.
Something smelling a bit off there....
A few things with this. 1. Glad I know what's it my pocket and it's NOT Capital One 2. Sounds like Aeroplan is not what it's cracked up to be 3. Banned from Canada, priceless.
This is the most annoying part of the new digital generation.
Once upon a time we had paper records so this could not happen.
So many people voluntarily switched over to electronic statements that we are responsible for the mess that we have encouraged.
There are so many better airlines out there. Go find one.
Close acct, create new one.
This kind of thing would be hilarious if the incompetence wasn't so infuriating. This is why I always take a very conservative stance with Aeroplan.. the redemptions are valuable for J travel assuming nothing at all goes wrong.
I had a contractor pull this kind of stunt with us during our home construction. "We actually invoiced you incorrectly on XYZ repairs due to a clerical error. We'll need to charge your card on file...
This kind of thing would be hilarious if the incompetence wasn't so infuriating. This is why I always take a very conservative stance with Aeroplan.. the redemptions are valuable for J travel assuming nothing at all goes wrong.
I had a contractor pull this kind of stunt with us during our home construction. "We actually invoiced you incorrectly on XYZ repairs due to a clerical error. We'll need to charge your card on file for [four-figure amount]." In spite of the estimate matching the charges. I just told him to send me what he told me in writing and I'd have my attorney contact him to follow up. Zero communication after that.
Not Aeroplan, but Hyatt did that to me last year. they claimed the hotel forgot to deduct the points. Say what? How can that happen if you book an award? They always come out... regardless, I lost.
Same thing happened to me, only in my case they debited the full 104,000 miles that they said I’ve been miscredited. Like everyone else apparently, my issue was with a capital one transfer, and my capital one app doesn’t let me go that far back.
I was later able to check my Capital One account statement from last November, and Aeroplan was indeed correct that they had double-credited my transfer, and this was the proper fix.
This exact issue happened to me. Aeroplan just debited me 40K points. They claim I received extra (x3 transfer presumably). Given that I follow my mileage programs religiously, and notice a discrepancy of just a few hundred miles - absolutely not possible that something like that would go unnoticed.
Unfortunately, Aeroplan does not provide any actual account statements, nor a full account history. The only history visible is for the last 2 years. However,...
This exact issue happened to me. Aeroplan just debited me 40K points. They claim I received extra (x3 transfer presumably). Given that I follow my mileage programs religiously, and notice a discrepancy of just a few hundred miles - absolutely not possible that something like that would go unnoticed.
Unfortunately, Aeroplan does not provide any actual account statements, nor a full account history. The only history visible is for the last 2 years. However, it does not include account balances for any of the dates. Lacking that and the previous history, I can't tell what the balance should be today. So, there is no way to audit the totals they are claiming.
Customer service is stonewalling and of no help at all. This is really a jerk move on the part of Aeroplan (who I've been moving lots of miles to).
You can look up to two years back easily on the aeroplan mobile app. One on your aeroplan account page in the app, you just have to go down to the bottom and click the filter icon and filter up to two years. That should cover your Nov 2023 transaction.
Sounds like a race to the bottom for glitches and customer service between air Canada and avianca
Start with a phone call. During that, ask for an account history for 24 months.
Why not call Capital One, if it potentially involves a Capital One transfer?
Capital one will only show the one transfer.
Open up a new account with a different address.
Canada will ban entry for a DUI arrest in the US years ago and require expensive legal proceedings to try to get a waiver by a Canadian judge. Hope Aeroplan won't get you permanently banned from Canada.
Derek. So will the USA in reverse. Foreigners with a criminal record are banned from entering each of the countries.
Canada is worse. A DUI arrest and the case dismissed is enough for a ban.
Depends on your intoxicant. Cannabis is 100% legal in Canada whilst a mere possession conviction is enough for a ban on entry to US.
My cats breath smells like cat food. Hope Aeroplan won't get you permanently banned from Canada.
Someone else reported a similar issue on Flyertalk yesterday, and they couldn't reconcile it since they didn't have their account balance at a given point in time.
They also swore they would have noticed 3x the transfer being deposited...
That was me.
This happened to me as well. It was a Capital One Transfer I made in September.
Did you resolve the matter?
I understand that the phone queues at Aeroplan are legendary, but can’t you just call them and ask?
Will make no difference as they are useless and well-known for their level of customer service
Called. No use. When I asked for audit data for my account (i.e. either the entire account history, or the specific balance on a date preceding those 2 years visible) - they told me: "We have that information, but will not give it to the customer". Then they told me to call Capital One. Absolutely unprofessional and unhelpful.
Shocking, simply shocking that the Aeroplan would be of no help.
Trash airline, buyer beware
Many of us that are Super Elite with Air Canada track our Aeroplan points with a spreadsheet because of the poor job that Aeroplan does in adding and subtracting points. The app and the website often don't match and it can be a real challenge to determine whether what has occurred is actually happening. Air Canada's IT is notorious for being bad and when you fly Air Canada a lot you get used to this kind of nonsense.
Not the only one, per a post I saw in FM Insider FB group.
I recently cancelled an award ticket a few days before departure, paid the fee and got an email stating I would get the 90K+ points the award cost. Problem is, Aeroplan only returned 50K points. I’m traveling abroad and will have to call them when I return. Would be nice if they have an email…
You can contact them via the customer relations form on AC.com, but there's a chance you might get back an email saying to call them.
You were fortunate actually to get something back. They canceled my ticket and never refunded the miles. No reply to any emails and contacting them is a nightmare. I am just wondering if it is worth taking legal action.
Even if you somehow missed this, should you really be expected to fix their mistake? C’mon Aeroplane.
Yes and no, If it's legit, I think it's fair for them to claim it back, particularly if the points were not awarded through air Canada flights. It only hurts everyone else If it's a bigger wide spread issue.
@Dan -- If the mistake happened in November, it's fair to let them correct it in December. If they can't get around to doing their audit until May, they should eat their mistake.