I just tried to book a reward trip in business class for my partner, but the Aeroplan agents told me that I can only book business class for someone else if I am flying in full paid business class on exactly the same itinerary on the same file.

So in other words, they claim that I cannot book business class tickets for someone else unless:
- I pay for full business class far
- I fly on the same flight
which seems completely unreasonable and illogical to me.

Of course I checked the terms and conditions and could not find any reference to such a rule. So I asked for proof and was directed to this page:
https://www.aeroplan.com/your_aeropl...s_2008/home.do
>> click on Super Elite
>> expand the fourth item, "special access to Aeroplan Reward seats"

I included the text below. Note the sub-section "new for 2008".
However, the way I read this is that this rule governs special access to upgrade inventory where no regular reward seats are available, but I don not read this as applying to booking business class travel within the regular reward inventory.

Can someone please help clarify the rules and advise what to do?


Special access to Aeroplan Reward seats
Air Canada Super Elite members have exclusive access to unsold seats in Executive Class® and Executive First® as well access to unsold seats in Economy Class.

Reserve an Aeroplan Reward seat for yourself and your travel companion(s) whenever you want— even when seats allocated for Aeroplan ClassicFlightTM Rewards are already completely booked. Whenever possible, your Aeroplan Reward reservation will be confirmed immediately.

This applies on all scheduled flights operated by:
Air Canada
Air Canada Jazz
Air Canada flights operated by:
Air Georgian Limited (doing business as Air Alliance)
Exploits Valley Air Services LTD
Central Mountain Air
International Destinations – Executive Class/Executive First

For international destinations, your travel companion(s) must travel with you in order to have access to unsold seats in Executive Class/Executive First and must travel:
on the same reward reservation
on the same itinerary
on the same dates
This applies to the following international destinations:
Europe
Israel
Asia
Australia
South America
Central America
Caribbean (including Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas)
Mexico
Hawaii
New for 2008:

When you are travelling with a purchased ticket in Executive Class/Executive First (J, C or Z booking class) your travel companion(s) can also access unsold seats for international destinations for Executive Class/Executive First seats.

Your travel companion(s) must always travel with you on the same Air Canada operated flights on the same dates.
Reservations where you have been upgraded to Executive Class/Executive First are not eligible.
Call the Aeroplan Contact Centre using Air Canada Super Elite Priority Contacts to verify eligibility, availability and book your rewards.

The 2008 Special Access to Aeroplan Reward Seats Privilege is applicable to reward bookings made during the 2008 Privilege period: from March 1, 2008, to February 28, 2009.
Eligible changes made to reward bookings using the 2008 Special Access to Aeroplan Reward Seats Privilege are only permitted until February 28, 2009.
A CA$30 booking fee applies per Aeroplan Reward ticket booked through the Aeroplan Contact Centre.