travel agent

Air Canada has received a strike notice from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the airline’s 6,800 flight attendants, confirming the union’s intention to begin a strike at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, September 21, 2011.

Talks between the parties are ongoing and will continue prior to the strike deadline, assisted by federally-appointed mediators. However; in recognition of the uncertainty for customers this situation may cause, Air Canada has introduced a flexible rebooking policy to enable customers booked for travel over the next six days on a rolling window basis (September 16-21, 17-22, etc.) to change flights free of charge to a later date until December 9, 2011, subject to seat availability.

Customers wishing to change flights purchased directly through Air Canada are requested to use the on-line Self Service Rebooking Tool. Customers can also contact Air Canada Reservations; however wait times are longer than usual due to increased call volumes. Customers who booked travel through a travel agent must contact their agent directly.

In the event of a work disruption, Air Canada will implement a partial schedule including codeshare flights operated by its partner airlines.

rankourabu

In other news, Air Canada announces code-share services with Greyhound Canada
So need not worry domestic flyers

global happy traveller

they have reprotection with VIA.......... imagine calling your loved one from YYZ telling them you be arriving YVR 3 days later?

(Sorry reprotection with VIA only applies to Toronto-Montreal/Ottawa)

KathrynInCanada

My son-in-law is to come, YVR-YOW on Wednesday. I suggested he buy On My Way but he read the T&C and said it was for flights cancelled 48 hours before and since the strike would cancel flights 72 hours before, there was no point.

I didn't bother writing back that AC wouldn't necessarily cancel flights when the strike was announced. They might, they might not. Who knows.

I've sent him the notice above and told him he was welcome to arrive early.

Vader

I have an unlimited flight pass right now.. wonder if they would extend it due to these flight interruptions/delays... supposed to fly Thursday night YYZ back to YWG.

Sam_AE

I received an automatic email notice indicating I could take advantage of this ticketing policy change, anyone know if AC is allowing full refunds or just changes to tickets free of charge?

EDIT -->

FOUND a FAQ on AC.com and answered my own question:

"Our flexible rebooking policy permits changes free of charge, but not refunds at this time. Normal fare conditions apply with respect to refunds."

http://www.aircanada.com/en/news/tra...dates_faq.html

getaround

They should be offering refunds... I want to cancel and fly other options. I can not afford to be delayed as I have an RTW a day later from my booked AC flight.

Ancien Maestro

No need for booking On My Way for the reason of changes during the strike.. Changes are no charge, but seems there is a longer wait over the phone..

KathrynInCanada

Yes, but changes won't include another airline outside of Star Alliance, whereas On My Way should.

As this is for a job interview so delays aren't acceptable, and he can't leave a day early (due to his present job), he's opted to cancel his flight. No refund but he can use the credit in the next year and will have travel for sure so it won't go to waste. The new tickets cost more but are with West Jet.

I'll have him look into his credit card travel insurance if his original flights are cancelled and see if that will cover the difference.

Now to figure out the best plan of action for my current, unexpected, houseguests. (The unexpected part is their hotel room was unavailable for tonight and the replacement hotel was unacceptable so I brought them home with me.) Two adults and lap child flying YOW-YYZ-LHR leaving at 06:00 on the 23rd. I'm hoping that they can be switched to the YOW-LHR flight although with the lap child (at 22 months) that might not be a great plan in Y.

Off-Topic: AC (I'm assuming the London ticket office) refused to sell her an upgrade to J because 'children weren't allowed' in the cabin and they wouldn't sell her a seat for the child in Y because she didn't have an AC approved car seat (which, of course, can't be bought in Britain.) The mom, who is a pilot herself, was shocked when she discovered she wasn't even being offered a seat belt attachment for the baby (she has never flown a non-EU carrier before so had no idea NA standards.) She fully understands the danger of turbulence and spent a long flight holding on very tight to her daughter.

Ancien Maestro

I would concur only AC flights and connecting routes on tickets would be free changes..

I'm not sure how you would end up having airlines outside of *A booked on the itinerary? But I guess itineraries, booked on Expedia and other third party websites would result in itineraries with some legs outside of *A..

My assumption, you booked with AC, during the strike you get free changes per the announcement today..

exbayern

Very simple. *A doesn't provide significant coverage to many cities just around the world (just as other alliances do not always do so either)

My ticket this week includes a non *A carrier, and as I noted above, switching to *A is already limited as of Wednesday with limited fare classes available.

As I understand Kathryn's post, however, her son-in-law needs to get from YVR-YOW. To do so without AC requires booking on an alternative, non-*A carrier, and AC will not permit that through their flexible change policy.

KathrynInCanada

Flight was AC booked through AC. He needs an alternate carrier if AC isn't going to fly him. His dates aren't flexible enough to be put off for days (hours are fine.)

I had told my dsil to buy On My Way which would allow non-*A routing, but only if AC decides to cancel the flight in the window 48 hours before the flight (i.e. if they cancelled his 21st flight today and wanted to route him via the US to arrive on Thursday night, even On My Way wouldn't help him because the cancellation took place >48 hours.)

So, since timing wasn't flexible enough to allow for AC to make up their mind and because a refund isn't an option, he opted to cancel the flight and take the credit. He has a credit for the whole flight value (no reduction as per the terms of his ticket) but his alternate flight on WS cost more and is an additional out-of-pocket expense. Thankfully, he can afford that expense but to have AC hold $1K of your money for up to a year is a bit much when it is their policy (as opposed to his changing plans) that got him into this situation.


That's the short answer! Thanks!

NorOnt

Well now I don't give a fiddler's fart what Air Canada and it's grumpy attendants do...I called Aeroplan and changed my ticket to YAM to YYZ return since Jazz isn't supposed to be affected by strike action...then booked Airmiles on Westjet YYZ to YYC. I have nearly $600 invested in booked hotel rooms and venue tickets so burning a few aeroplan points (they wouldn't give me back the 20,000 points that make the difference, but did credit our visa with the difference in taxes) is worth it to us. Who knows, we might love Westjet so much that we become their loyal customers. Our new Aventura card will give us more choices.

airbus320

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bre...130009648.html

rankourabu

Look what a strike did to another national carrier


“We have started operations but we have not yet started the physical flying because there are no passengers. It is obviously because of the fact that we announced the resumption at short notice and we were expecting it.

“Hard work is really needed to restore customer confidence and we must take into account that it takes time to build (confidence in) the market. It’s like we are re-entering the market,” he said.