My AC-VIA Rail Protection Experience
Apr 4, 2015, 9:41 am
#16
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
This is interesting, didn't know it existed either. It's probably not gonna help many people but it's a great way for AC to be able to calm things down after a cancellation or two. I would've loved if we could've gotten our employees from YQY/YHZ to YQM via train perhaps, not sure if it exists though.
Also, this is useless for those of us out west I'd think.
Also, this is useless for those of us out west I'd think.
Apr 4, 2015, 9:48 am
#17
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 581
This is interesting, didn't know it existed either. It's probably not gonna help many people but it's a great way for AC to be able to calm things down after a cancellation or two. I would've loved if we could've gotten our employees from YQY/YHZ to YQM via train perhaps, not sure if it exists though.
Also, this is useless for those of us out west I'd think.
Also, this is useless for those of us out west I'd think.
Apr 4, 2015, 12:32 pm
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,153
The only time I tried to use it a couple of years ago, VIA was 100 Percent booked for at least 36 hrs. So I rented a car which wasn't covered by AC but the cc covered the expense.
Last edited by FlyerTalker683455; Apr 4, 2015 at 1:51 pm
Apr 4, 2015, 1:44 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to use VIA if your YVR-YKA QK trip gets cancelled. But good luck actually finding a train -- they only run twice a week in the winter, and three times a week in summer!
The Corridor is probably only where it would actually make any sense whatsoever.
The Corridor is probably only where it would actually make any sense whatsoever.
Apr 4, 2015, 4:12 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, Bonvoy Gold, HHonors Diamond, VIA Premier, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 816
Thank you OP for sharing your experience. ^
I knew the AC-VIA Rail service/agreement existed but I did not know it was that easy. I'll keep that in mind from now on.
I knew the AC-VIA Rail service/agreement existed but I did not know it was that easy. I'll keep that in mind from now on.
Last edited by DNAwizard; Apr 4, 2015 at 4:12 pm Reason: Typo
Apr 5, 2015, 6:26 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 132
Via never discontinued its Ocean service east of Truro. You can still book a sleeper from Montreal through to Halifax. Unfortunately a few years ago the Ocean was cut back from six days a week to its current three days a week. As for Sydney, there hasn't been a passenger train to that city for many years.
Apr 5, 2015, 7:32 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,585
Nice option, thanks for sharing. No AP segments/miles on VIA, correct?
FYI, MP does provide mileage credit ZFV-EWR.
Speaking of UA, all 3 of their SYR-ORD flights yesterday operated on time/early i.e. another option is to drive 2 hours south. Lots more cnx. to LAS. Double bonus - no ROUGE!
FYI, MP does provide mileage credit ZFV-EWR.
Speaking of UA, all 3 of their SYR-ORD flights yesterday operated on time/early i.e. another option is to drive 2 hours south. Lots more cnx. to LAS. Double bonus - no ROUGE!
Last edited by Antonio8069; Apr 5, 2015 at 7:33 am Reason: addition
Apr 5, 2015, 8:00 am
#24
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: AC E50k, A3*G, UA*S, MR Titanium, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 3,669
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BB10; Touch) AppleWebKit/537.35+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/10.2.1.3442 Mobile Safari/537.35+)
If you're reaccommodated for irrops on a non *A carrier, you should get original routing credit.
Originally Posted by Antonio8069
Nice option, thanks for sharing. No AP segments/miles on VIA, correct?
FYI, MP does provide mileage credit ZFV-EWR.
Speaking of UA, all 3 of their SYR-ORD flights yesterday operated on time/early i.e. another option is to drive 2 hours south. Lots more cnx. to LAS. Double bonus - no ROUGE!
FYI, MP does provide mileage credit ZFV-EWR.
Speaking of UA, all 3 of their SYR-ORD flights yesterday operated on time/early i.e. another option is to drive 2 hours south. Lots more cnx. to LAS. Double bonus - no ROUGE!
Apr 5, 2015, 8:12 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
Any idea if the opposite exists, ie: a long-haul VIA trip is cancelled (say, Edmonton to Prince Rupert -- a trip that I hold a reservation on for the summer) -- can a VIA ticket be taken to AC for the trip? Or even more recently, with the Toronto-Winnipeg trains being cancelled -- can those tickets be taken to AC for a flight?
The online literature makes most of its references to taking the train if the plane is unavailable, but what if it is the train that is unavailable? I haven't been able to find any details of the "agreement" that works in reverse.
The online literature makes most of its references to taking the train if the plane is unavailable, but what if it is the train that is unavailable? I haven't been able to find any details of the "agreement" that works in reverse.
Apr 5, 2015, 8:14 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
Nice option, thanks for sharing. No AP segments/miles on VIA, correct?
FYI, MP does provide mileage credit ZFV-EWR.
Speaking of UA, all 3 of their SYR-ORD flights yesterday operated on time/early i.e. another option is to drive 2 hours south. Lots more cnx. to LAS. Double bonus - no ROUGE!
FYI, MP does provide mileage credit ZFV-EWR.
Speaking of UA, all 3 of their SYR-ORD flights yesterday operated on time/early i.e. another option is to drive 2 hours south. Lots more cnx. to LAS. Double bonus - no ROUGE!
Apr 5, 2015, 8:48 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Programs: VIA Rail - Premier, Fairmont, Cunard - Diamond, AC - Mere mortal
Posts: 212
There may be a loose agreement with Air Canada helping out stranded VIA passengers. A few years ago a work colleague had a VIA ticket Toronto to Ottawa when there was a blockage of the rail line. When she phoned AC she was told to go to the airport with her rail ticket. The check-in agent told her that VIA had been very helpful to Air Canada in the past and they were happy to reciprocate.
I doubt there is anything official now. When VIA has had problems with derailments or other blockages passengers have been put on buses. The portion of theCanadian between Toronto and Winnipeg has been suspended for a month even though the derailment was cleared and a new bridge installed a while back. There has been no assistance to passengers who have been given full or partial refunds and left on their own. Given how expensive some sleeping car fares are, it is probably cheaper for passengers to take the refund and buy their own air ticket to or from Winnipeg.
I doubt there is anything official now. When VIA has had problems with derailments or other blockages passengers have been put on buses. The portion of theCanadian between Toronto and Winnipeg has been suspended for a month even though the derailment was cleared and a new bridge installed a while back. There has been no assistance to passengers who have been given full or partial refunds and left on their own. Given how expensive some sleeping car fares are, it is probably cheaper for passengers to take the refund and buy their own air ticket to or from Winnipeg.
Apr 5, 2015, 10:03 am
#28
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, SFO
Programs: AS 100K, UA*S, IHG Plat, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond | Formerly: AC Super Elite
Posts: 2,476
VIA RAIL
Without prior notice from Air Canada, VIA Rail will accept Air Canada’s tickets issued for travel on
matching routes, as long as passengers have an Air Canada Flight Interruption Manifest (FIM) or
Air Canada ticket.
Without prior notice from Air Canada, VIA Rail will accept Air Canada’s tickets issued for travel on
matching routes, as long as passengers have an Air Canada Flight Interruption Manifest (FIM) or
Air Canada ticket.
Apr 5, 2015, 3:55 pm
#29
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
There may be a loose agreement with Air Canada helping out stranded VIA passengers. A few years ago a work colleague had a VIA ticket Toronto to Ottawa when there was a blockage of the rail line. When she phoned AC she was told to go to the airport with her rail ticket. The check-in agent told her that VIA had been very helpful to Air Canada in the past and they were happy to reciprocate.
I doubt there is anything official now. When VIA has had problems with derailments or other blockages passengers have been put on buses. The portion of theCanadian between Toronto and Winnipeg has been suspended for a month even though the derailment was cleared and a new bridge installed a while back. There has been no assistance to passengers who have been given full or partial refunds and left on their own. Given how expensive some sleeping car fares are, it is probably cheaper for passengers to take the refund and buy their own air ticket to or from Winnipeg.
I doubt there is anything official now. When VIA has had problems with derailments or other blockages passengers have been put on buses. The portion of theCanadian between Toronto and Winnipeg has been suspended for a month even though the derailment was cleared and a new bridge installed a while back. There has been no assistance to passengers who have been given full or partial refunds and left on their own. Given how expensive some sleeping car fares are, it is probably cheaper for passengers to take the refund and buy their own air ticket to or from Winnipeg.
