Originally Posted by
mikilan
Thankyou everyone for your detailed answers and advice. I will stay on this thread until you tell me to stop. I found an old thread (July, 2010) whose member had the same problem I do. I don't think the members will re-visit that thread so I'll explain the common problem here. As she did, I had different agents tell me differently what is allowed: 1. 2 stopovers AND 1 open jaw IF booked through the Aeroplan Centre. 2. EITHER '2 stopovers' OR '1 stopover AND 1 open jaw'. I started my post after I was told of the first scenario, that is why I seem to have so many stops.
The Air Canada Reward Chart only has Scenario 2. But the Star Alliance Reward Chart seems to me to say Scenario 1 but I suppose you can interpret it differently. Here is what the Star Alliance Chart says:
"One stopover is permitted in addition to the point of turnaround for inter-continental travel only.
Two stopovers are permitted in addition to the point of turnaround for inter-continental travel only for bookings made through the Aeroplan Contact Centre.Maximum of 10 segments per reward on allowable routings.
Routing cannot include the same city more than once in each direction.
One open jaw per reward is permitted in addition to the allowable stopover."
What is your interpretation? And if it is Scenario 1, how do I get the agent to agree - they don't like being questioned.
I have searched the internet for days trying to find a definitive answer. I so hate phoning Aeroplan but it took me many many years to accumulate these points. I do appreciate you staying on this thread. Thank you again.
Stay on this thread it is, sounds good to me. Only reason I mentioned starting a new one was when I resurfaced an old thread and added a new comment it seemed to get lost so I started a new one and got my answer right away, but as you can see by my post count I will happily defer to the more senior posters here.
On stopovers / open jaws, I have been explicitly told either 2 stopovers or 1 stopover and an open jaw. However in reading through this forum i believe I have seen several people who have been issued reward tickets with 2 stopovers and an open jaw. I am still not sure which is right to be honest.
I know it is a point of contention that some people dislike the idea of continuing to phone Aeroplan over and over until you get what you want when you are dealing with a confusing rule (seems some agents err in your favour and some err against you on what are valid requests, mixed bag there, and I am sure some agents know every rule cold), but it does appear in some instances it works to play agent roulette with Aeroplan. It sounds like you did talk to one agent who told you that you could book 2 stopovers and an open jaw, what I would do when you find one who says the same is book your reward flight right then and there and hope the ticket gets validated and issued.