This is something that was more common on CP. Apparantly AC is really serious now about charging the fee. They see it as a huge amount of revenue, and although it is a pain to pay $107 I can see where they're coming from. I have had CP waive change fee many times, but only once that I can remember on AC.

The one situation where I might hope for lenience is if you have first flight in the morning, and want to leave on the last flight the night before. Beacuse it is not the same calandar day, change fee applies (even to standby). I had AC agree to waive this once, but only after whizzing around YVR and bouncing between CP check-in, CP ticketing, AC check-in, AC customer service. Eventually an ACer just said what the hay and put me on standby with no change fee. I was AC Élite at the time.