YULforever

Not sure the official rules but last year I successfully changed YUL-FRA-DEL, with the FRA-DEL on LH, to YUL-YYZ-DEL, all AC. It was a codeshare on 014 stock. Well worth the SDC fee.

marke190

I think the rules are moreso that you can SDC from a AC + non AC routing (014 stock) to a fully AC routing but not vice versa. I have tried to do the latter a number of times to no avail.

canadiancow

Being able to break the rules once does not mean you haven't broken the rules.

I've also SDC'd YYC-YVR to YYC-SFO and many other clearly illegal things. A willing and competent agent can rebook Standard K YYZ-YOW into Business J YYZ-SYD. The system will warn against it, but it's relatively easy to override if they want to.

The rules are all AC metal to all AC metal. Ticket stock is irrelevant.

yyznomad

@YULforever

What was the fare (fare class/family/basis) and how much was the SDC?

der_saeufer

Pardon the ignorance, but I can't seem to find a definitive answer. I've got an upcoming DCA-YUL-BRU flight all on AC metal. AC's website says I can request SDC with online checkin at T-24h, but upthread indicates that it only opens at midnight local. When can I actually try to SDC to the earlier DCA-YUL flight? My office's travel agent is, er, not very good at their job and can't or won't just book me on the earlier flight, but it's a Y fare so free SDC.

yyznomad

If you're on a Y fare you can change it any time.

SDC is meant for literally changing on day X to another flight/time on day X, and at check-in.

So get your TA to do this ASAP rather than wait until the day of. This would no longer be considered a SDC, but rather, a generic change with a fully flexible fare.

==================
The above you already kind of know.

If your TA is that incompetent/lazy (?) and you need to resort to doing this at check-in, then yes, it's after midnight (in general).

But holy moly... this is literally a Y fare meaning (in general) free, unlimited changes and your TA can't or is unwilling to do this for you?

Where on AC's website does it say you can SDC at OLCI?

der_saeufer

Thanks.

Yeah, the TA is a long story. The short version is that they bill my employer an extra fee for everything their worthless web-based booking system can't do on its own (including this, despite it being a completely legal connection.. but they'll happily sell me DCA-BOS-EWR-BRU on UA, or sell me tickets that directly violate travel policy) and since the long stop is for smoked meat and poutine, not for work, I can't charge the man. A few years ago, all the airlines I ever flew would just take over the ticket after it was issued and fix whatever I wanted, but I've had zero success with that in the past couple years.

If AC will take over the ticket halfway through the trip (this is the return leg) I'll fix it that way, but I ask here because I may have to resort to SDC.

As for the website, SDC is on the page for mobile check-in, but it doesn't specifically say you can SDC at T-24, just that you can SDC with the mobile check-in which is available at T-24: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...-check-in.html

YEG USER

You might want to try calling AC. AFAIK they're much more willing to modify/take over tickets once travel has already begun. in such cases the TA loses access to the ticket (I believe), but it sounds to me like you won't be too concerned about that.

canadiancow

SDC opens at midnight local time.

YULforever

Sorry for the delay - was off for a bit

It was a cheap P. I don't recall the fee for certain, but I think it was 75 bucks. I recall being surprised I could change such a low bucket for so little money but didn't look a gift horse in the mouth.....

YULforever

No argument that the rules are the rules. That said I still find that knowing what has worked in the past is helpful and if it isn't strictly within the rules view it as karmic payback for the times when staff don't follow the rules to my disadvantage....

hydrogen

I assume the answer is no, but I will throw it out and ask anyways...

Can you SDC an AC codeshare in booking class Y (underlying fare basis P)? If yes, what can it be SDC'ed to?

canadiancow

So this is something like UA 1234 operated by AC?

If so, you definitely can SDC, but I'm not sure if AC could rebook you into J if that's what you're getting at, or if you'd need the ticketing airline to process that change.

hydrogen

No, CA metal under AC codeshare.
Booked on a 014 P ticket but AC ticketed the CA segment as AC codeshare in Y.

Is there a way I can use AC SDC to:
Open up AC JCDZP/CA J on the CA segment I am currently ticketed for
OR
SDC to an earlier CA segment (which AC does not codeshare)

canadiancow

SDC is based on operating airline, so anything involving that would be a question for the CA forum.

You could try calling AC to ask if they can get you P space on the CA segment.