FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - [>48 HRS FROM DEPARTURE] AC changed/cancelled my flight. What are my options? (2025+)

Mar 19, 2025 | 3:17 pm

#82

Moderator2

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Moderator2

I have business class tickets in mid-June from LAX-YYZ-ATH, that was bought through United as a code share. About 3 weeks ago the LAX-YYZ segment (AC786) dropped off AC's schedule, but so far I haven't gotten a formal notice of a flight change, from either UA or AC. United indicated they can't initiate a flight change without word from AC. Talking to AC they acknowledge the flight is not showing on the schedule, but they can't do anything about the stalemate, until AC formally pushes a change out to my AC or UA reservation record locators.

The two potential alternative flights to connect to the ATH plane unfortunately are not optimal, but not much I can do about that (the earlier flight causes a 5.5 hour layover, and the later one is 90 minutes, but that flight consistently runs late about 40% of the time).

Is there a way to accelerate resolution of this purgatory? And for curiosity sake is this something that semi-regularly happens to AC schedules 4 months out? Previous similar European business class codeshares I've bought through UA on AC metal have been trouble-free.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lev

I can't comment on the specifics of the LAX-YYZ route because I don't fly it frequently but would offer the following thoughts:

I would wait 1-2 months to see where the schedule settles out. the flight you are on (or a similar one may suddenly reappear on the schedule
While not ideal, there are worse things to do than spend 5.5 hours in the Signature Suite (assuming these are revenue Business Class tickets)
You might want to also look at LAX-YUL-ATH as an alternative in case it has better connection times but no Signature Suite in Montreal

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moderator2

Much appreciate the feedback:
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I am certainly not used to seeing a mainline US carrier modify its summer schedule 30-60 days before a schedule flight, but I have limited experience with AC.
Agree, and one of the reasons I like booking revenue business tickets with AC is the YYZ Signature Suite. Mrs. Moderator2 (who doesn't travel near as much as me) still recalls fondly her visit to the Suite from five years ago.
The connection via Montreal is 1hr:40m so is not out of the question as doable. And it is on an A330, versus the A321 on the flight we are currently reserved on to YYZ. However another reason for wanting to go through Toronto is we have a friend coming in from Chicago meeting us at the Signature Suite, and he is traveling with us throughout our Greece visit. While he certainly would manage to get to the Athens hotel on his own, he hasn't traveled to Europe in about 17 years, and never before revenue business class. He lost his wife about five years ago at age 70, and this is his first true vacation without her since. As I travel overseas generally twice a year for decades, he welcomed the idea of having someone who is a frequent traveler stress over the logistics.

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Update on this purgatory. I decided to send a DM to United's Twitter Customer Service unit this morning, which has a fairly positive reputation here on Flyertalk. While I got an initial response within 10 minutes, it took about a dozen message exchanges over about 60 minutes before the CSR really understood what was going on. I had to essentially repeat previous DM's content to the Rep with slight changes in the context, before a figurative light went on and the person handed it off to another CSR that I assume had greater knowledge and/or empowerment. Ultimately UA agreed to gratis change the outbound business class reservation to being entirely on United equipment, via ORD. While I can't link up in YYZ with my friend, we will be actually be able to meet-up in ORD for about an hour. He'll be fine on his own partaking in AC's booze and chow at the Signature Suite! I miss out on the Suite, and unfortunately the next best alternative - United's Polaris Lounge, is closed for the 2025 year in ORD.

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