Originally Posted by
capedreamer
AC cancelled one of my flights and booked me on an alternate 2 hours 40 minutes earlier. I didn't like the new time but also wasn't ready to pick an alternate yet, so I called in and the Concierge agent I spoke to at the time said he'll leave a note that I can choose a different flight at a later date once I'm ready.
A couple days later, the system apparently took my silence as acceptance of the automatic rebooked flight. Now I just called back in to try to change the flight to one day later, and the agent I'm speaking to now is saying that involuntary schedule changes under 3 hours in different does not entitle passengers to a date change free of charge. She does not care for the note by her colleague.
Is this a new rule?
EDIT: The agent ultimately allowed me to make the change but made it a point to let me know she was making an exception and doing me a huge favour.
The
international tariff was revised effective June 3, 2021 and sets a 3-hour limit as the threshold for
refunds, in the event of a schedule change outside the airline's control (which is every single change since COVID started, as far as AC is concerned
). For re-booking (whether within or outside of the airline's control) or refunds for changes within the airline's control, it only says re-booking must be done in accordance with APPR. The
domestic tariff (revised effective April 29, 2021) doesn't even have the 3-hour threshold, it's just APPR all around.
Because APPR is a frigging joke that was meant to cover day-of-travel delays and cancellations, it offers very little protection in this area.
Here is the
relevant page from the APPR website. I've excerpted the key text below within the spoiler feature to keep the size manageable. All bold is from the original. I have added the italics to distinguish the text from the APPR site, but not used the quote feature so that it will be included in quotes when others reply to this post.
For situations within the airline's control (including safety related situations):
Large airlines must rebook you on the next available flight operated by them, or an airline with which they have a commercial agreement, on any reasonable route from the same airport.- If that flight would depart more than 9 hours after your original departure time, the airline must rebook you on a flight of any airline on any reasonable route from the same airport.
- If the airline cannot rebook you on a flight from the same airport within 48 hours of the original departure time, they will have to book you on a flight operated by any airline leaving another airport, if there is one nearby, and transport you to that airport.
Small airlines must rebook you on the next available flight operated by them, or an airline with which they have a commercial agreement, on a reasonable route from the same airport.
If an airline (large or small) offers rebooking arrangements that do not meet your needs, you can refuse the arrangements and receive a refund for the part of the ticket that you have not used instead.- If your trip no longer serves its purpose because of the disruption, the airline must return you to your point of departure and refund your entire ticket (as if no part of the trip had been made).
If you have chosen to receive a ticket refund instead of being rebooked on another flight, for situations within the airline's control and not safety-related, you are entitled to the following compensation: $400 for large airlines, and $125 for small airlines.
For situations outside the airline's control:
Large airlines must rebook you on the next available flight operated by them, or an airline with which they have a commercial agreement, on a reasonable route from the same airport.- If that flight would not depart within 48 hours of the end of the event that caused the delay or cancellation, the airline must rebook you on a flight operated by any airline travelling on a reasonable route from the same airport.
- If the airline cannot rebook you on a flight leaving from the same airport within 48 hours after the end of event that caused the delay or cancellation, they will have to book you on a flight on any airline leaving another airport, if there is a reasonable option nearby, and transport you there.
Small airlines must rebook you on the next available flight operated by them, or an airline with which they have a commercial agreement, on a reasonable route from the same airport.
In all cases, routing of the new flight(s) must be reasonable.
There is no refund requirement for flight delays or cancellations outside the airline's control, unless one is included in an airline's tariff.
The bottom line, in your case, is that you could try to refuse the new routing and request a new one because the one they've offered is not "reasonable", but APPR does not define what's reasonable. This is a
huge downgrade from the old AC tariffs.
As for whether she was doing you a favour, not necessarily, but it's unclear what internal guidelines AC has set to allow agents to determine what will be "reasonable" under APPR. If they have set a 3-hour limit, that's bloody awful.