mrkenneth

I arrived at my Air Canada flight from San Diego to Vancouver just after the jetway closed and need your advice.

I arrived at the airport around 40 minutes before the flight departure time but going through security took around half an hour. By the time I arrived at the gate at 6:50 am, boarding for the 6:55 am flight had already ended and I was not allowed on. The plane was pushed back 15 minutes later.

The gate agents were ATS contractors and could not rebook me at the gate. They gave me the number to the Air Canada reservation line, who suggested I go to the check-in counter. I waited an hour or so for them to open, and the supervisor rebooked me for a flight departing 10 hours later. However, they would charge $150 (CAD or USD?) for the same-day change fee. The supervisor was not able to waive the fee even after mentioning

Is that the best option? I have a boarding pass with an assigned seat and with “COLL” in the remarks. She said I would have to pay the fee at check-in if I decide to take the flight. She said the fee is in USD but it shows CAD online; which is correct?

I checked other flights and they are in the $140 USD range or 12,500 SkyMiles.

Thank you for any advice or suggestions!

yyznomad

I'm not going to assume anything, so...

1. Do you have any status with AC, and if so, what?
2. If you were in business, what was your original fare class? If you were in Economy, what was your original fare class?
3. While waiting in the security line, did you ask people in front of you if you could go ahead of them? Did you advise any TSA personnel that you are in tight to get your flight? Did you do this once you started to realize that time was getting tight?
4. Your sentence was incomplete. What was mentioned by the supervisor?

ChrisA330

Same day airport change from the US is $150 USD for Tango fares.

https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/...to-the-us.html

Also - where are you finding flights from SAN-YVR for $140 for today? Cheapest I've seen is double that. Update: never mind, I was looking at tomorrow, not today.

canadiancow

You missed your flight on a restricted ticket. Technically, they'd be well within their right to make you buy an entirely new ticket.

I doubt you'll get anything better than just paying the SDC fee.

mrkenneth

Thanks for the quick responses! I guess a new flight on another carrier would be less expensive than the change fee...

I have no status with Air Canada and booked on the cheapest Tango Economy K fare.

The TSA agent checking boarding passes at the front (reached after lining up for 10-15 minutes) said he could not do anything without an escort. I did jump the security line a bit after explaining to the people in front of me.

The telephone agent suggested that the flat tire rule may be applicable, but even after mentioning it to the check-in agent, the best she could do was the same-day change for $150.

mrkenneth

Just checked the itinerary online and the rebooked flight is in the Economy Latitude Y fare. Does that open any options? I have not paid the $150 same-day change fee yet.

Symmetre

Arriving at a major airport only 40 minutes before departure time is shaving it VERY close, especially during high traffic periods like the early morning. Even with PreCheck (OP didn’t say if they have it) that’s still playing with fire. As GAs normally close flights off 10 to 15 minutes before departure, the reality is OP actually arrived with only 25 to maybe 30 minutes to make the gate.

OP is lucky they weren’t Declared a no-show and told to big a new ticket.

ChrisA330

The fee is the fee regardless of what fare class you were re-booked into.

yyznomad

The fee is subject to your orginal fare, so this is correct as per ChrisA330.

Now that you are booked in full blown Y, all you need is to find someone with status to eupgrade you for a small amount of credits.

arf04

One thing to watch for is if you decide to go with another carrier and you are on a return ticket that you call AC and make sure your return segment is protected--otherwise, it will be cancelled automatically if you are a no show.

mrkenneth

Where can I find someone with upgrade credits? How much is that worth?

I would not mind lounge access now since I still have 5 hours until the flight... 10,000 Aeroplan miles to upgrade a 3-hour flight seems to high...

I would accumulate Aeroplan at the new Y fare rather than the original K fare right?

yyznomad

You just need someone on the same flight with status and with eupgrade credits in their account, but preferably a super elite to do the upgrade at the check in Desk. I'm just a FOTSG when it comes to doing a companion upgrade, so the others can provide better insight.

So just stand at the priority check in lane with a sign saying "will sing and tap dance for 1 eupgrade credit SAN YVR".

It's 1 eupgrade credit.

And yes, you will get the full Y AQM plus 25% COS.

CZAMFlyer

I believe the OP was seeking helpful advice, not a scolding.

Yes! If I had an e-up to spare, that would certainly gain my attention, and that person would have said e-up right away.

YEG_SE4Life

Are you new here? There is a very gray distinction.

canadiancow

That has not been my experience for months.

A couple weeks ago I was rebooked onto YUL-YVR in full Y, from my original Flex G. It required 2 eUps. I was top of the onload list.

It credited as "FLEX" with no COS bonus.