J class RTW reward ticket: some AC segments in Y
Mar 24, 2012, 9:03 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,298
and YVR-PEK-FRA-... to YVR-PEK-SIN-BKK-FRA-... x2
May 2, 2012, 9:38 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
.. but only maximum 2 out of four were able to get J class on AC flight segments, was told to call back AP every week as Air Canada apparently only release 2 J class reward seats at the start, and then slowly trickle more.. at least that's what I was told by the AP agent.
Was also told that even if we were unable to get the J class for all remaining family members before the journey begins, we will be placed on standby and there is a good chance of an upgrade when we check-in, since our reward ticket is J class.. not sure what the chances are?
Is calling every week (every day?) the best chance to get the remaining J class seats?, the trip doesn't begin until the 8th of August.
Was also told that even if we were unable to get the J class for all remaining family members before the journey begins, we will be placed on standby and there is a good chance of an upgrade when we check-in, since our reward ticket is J class.. not sure what the chances are?
Is calling every week (every day?) the best chance to get the remaining J class seats?, the trip doesn't begin until the 8th of August.
Not wanting to disappoint you, but I have been doing my checks almost daily, since December 2011, for a flight sched for Nov 2012. A few weeks ago, after 3 months of checking, finally a J seat opened up at the Classic level (yes, I booked during the promo glitch in Dec), but it was for a flight on a different carrier, so I was not allowed to make the change without paying the $90 change fee...was told it has to be the exact same flight on my itinerary to be el-cheapo free. 
It will depend on your segments/routes, but for me, after nearly 4 months of daily checking, I'm not not seeing any seats 'trickle' in for J availability...and no, I did not miss any offerings, as no one else other than my wife and I are still booked in J (as per the seat map, if you can trust it to be 'somewhat' reliable).
It will depend on your segments/routes, but for me, after nearly 4 months of daily checking, I'm not not seeing any seats 'trickle' in for J availability...and no, I did not miss any offerings, as no one else other than my wife and I are still booked in J (as per the seat map, if you can trust it to be 'somewhat' reliable).
So, syntron, though there were no J reward seats originally on this flight, AP did finally trickle in 2 J seats today, which is just over 6 months out from my travel date.
No, I did not get charged more miles (to negate the promo glitch)
No, I did not get charged $90 change fee (same flight, just going from Y to J)
Yes, they DID recalculate the taxes, but it wasn't much:
AS A RESULT OF THE ITINERARY CHANGES YOU REQUESTED,
ADDITIONAL TAXES WERE CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD IN THE
AMOUNT OF: CAD5.60
Broken down as:
Canada Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) $0.60
Canada Airport Improvement Fee (SQ) $5.00
I want to complain that it was not totally free, but $5.60 is small price to pay for the upgrade, versus trying to change it at the airport on day of travel...so, I will be good and stay quiet.
May 2, 2012, 9:57 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Programs: SPG Plat, Aeroplan 35k, Hyatt Gold, Hilton Diamond, TK Elite
Posts: 134
Finally, after doing nearly-DAILY (for past 5+ months) online checks at AP.com for reward J seats to open up for my mid-Nov SFO-YVR leg (J reward, but this one leg booked in Y), I finally found 2 J seats available at AP.com, for my same/exact flight, at the Classic points level...yes, I booked during the J for Y points promo glitch. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things...I'd been so conditioned to NOT seeing availability!
So, syntron, though there were no J reward seats originally on this flight, AP did finally trickle in 2 J seats today, which is just over 6 months out from my travel date.
No, I did not get charged more miles (to negate the promo glitch)
No, I did not get charged $90 change fee (same flight, just going from Y to J)
Yes, they DID recalculate the taxes, but it wasn't much:
AS A RESULT OF THE ITINERARY CHANGES YOU REQUESTED,
ADDITIONAL TAXES WERE CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD IN THE
AMOUNT OF: CAD5.60
Broken down as:
Canada Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) $0.60
Canada Airport Improvement Fee (SQ) $5.00
I want to complain that it was not totally free, but $5.60 is small price to pay for the upgrade, versus trying to change it at the airport on day of travel...so, I will be good and stay quiet.
So, syntron, though there were no J reward seats originally on this flight, AP did finally trickle in 2 J seats today, which is just over 6 months out from my travel date.
No, I did not get charged more miles (to negate the promo glitch)
No, I did not get charged $90 change fee (same flight, just going from Y to J)
Yes, they DID recalculate the taxes, but it wasn't much:
AS A RESULT OF THE ITINERARY CHANGES YOU REQUESTED,
ADDITIONAL TAXES WERE CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD IN THE
AMOUNT OF: CAD5.60
Broken down as:
Canada Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) $0.60
Canada Airport Improvement Fee (SQ) $5.00
I want to complain that it was not totally free, but $5.60 is small price to pay for the upgrade, versus trying to change it at the airport on day of travel...so, I will be good and stay quiet.
May 2, 2012, 10:05 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
It sounds like your flight-of-concern requires some J seats to be freed up by existing bookings? If so, good luck to you.
May 2, 2012, 11:30 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,298
Not on this flight. I'd been monitoring its J cabin since day 1. No one has booked reward or revenue seats on this flight, at least not according to the Seat Availability chart when doing trial bookings at AC.com (which I understand may not be 100% accurate/reflective, but whatever).
It sounds like your flight-of-concern requires some J seats to be freed up by existing bookings? If so, good luck to you.
It sounds like your flight-of-concern requires some J seats to be freed up by existing bookings? If so, good luck to you.
May 3, 2012, 5:54 am
#21
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Thanks for your note. You may very well be right, but I find it hard to believe that AP releases 2 J reward seats on EVERY flight, when they are initially released for each flight.
I started looking/booking almost a full year out, checking several times a day for those J seats, and there are at least 4 or more that would have fit my itinerary. So, I have to wonder...were there people who beat me to those +4 flights, almost a year in advance (beyond the 354 day period), within the small window of time that I was not online? I was checking between 10 and 15 times a day leading up to the moment when I finally did find availability for that leg, and only Y was available as the reward.
Again, you may be right, and I got lazy by not logging in to check EVERY hour and slipped up, missing the chance to book those 2 J reward seats, but on all 4+ applicable flights that were scheduled? I really don't know how to work this system, if that's the case.
May 3, 2012, 12:44 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,613
I've had difficulty getting 2 J seats on days where there are several frequencies, like YVR-LAX and SEA-YVR. After checking several days worth, I'd see patterns at the 310 day mark where 2 j seats would be available on the same 10 am flight 3-4 days in a row, with the other AC flights blacked out.
Seems not plausible that the patterns of all redemptions would be around a 10 flight on several days.