Originally Posted by nmpls

I have (had) an open jaw AC flight booked in late August with a return of late September from US to Japan.
On 3/5/2020 (I have impeccable timing), I bought SFO-YVR-NRT-FUK, CTS-NRT-YVR-SFO leaving early May, departing early June.
As covid became more clearly a world wide issue, on 4/1/2020, I changed the flight to the current SFO-YVR-NRT-CTS, FUK-NRT-YVR-SFO. The intra-Japan legs were operated by ANA (possibly ANAwings), YVR-SFO was operated by UA. All flights had an AC flight number. All flights except the intra-Japan flights are in P. Intra-Japan flights are in Y. I paid a fair difference of ~400USD to change.
This week I received notice the NRT-CTS flight was cancelled. It was not rebooked by AC, and looking at ANA's schedule, they have ended direct NRT-CTS flights.
Given that it is unlikely Japan will let me in in late August even with a Canadian passport (and even doing a 14d quarantine in Canada), it's probably time to let this one go.
Right now, AC is just giving me the two "not our fault" option of Aeroplan miles or a voucher for what i paid (265k mi or 4k USD). Seems to me that a flight cancellation of an AC flight numbered flight, even if operated by ANA, more than a month prior to the flight should be "within our control?"
I guess I'm not too pissed at the cert as it will last forever, AC seems unlikely to fail, and now seems to be able to be used for multiple flights, but principle (should) mean something, doesn't it?