visitor

Am trying to purchase a ticket with more favourable cancellation/change fees than the default shown on the Air Canada website. Using Expertflyer, I know the exact fare basis that would work. When I called in and asked for that fare basis, agent had no idea what I was talking about. Is this a case of HUCA or is there some other way I should go about it?

Thanks in advance.

-visitor

mendy7511

You should be able to ask to book a specific fare class. Definitely HUCA.
Of course a travel agent can do it for you or you can try using ita matrix power tools.
Depending on the class you want, you can choose to display eupgrade credits on the AC booking page in the display options . This will give you an option to use fewer credits by booking some higher classes

yyznomad

@visitor

Basically what @mendy7511 says.

Just be aware of some web-only fares, if any.

jc94

yyznomad

Fare class yes, but not basis.

jc94

I was wondering how familiar with the term "fare basis" the AC call center was.

visitor

Thanks to all those who provided input. This is what happened:
1) I confirmed using ITA Matrix website that the fare basis I wanted exists
2) Phoned AC again. This time the agent knew exactly what I meant with fare basis. Questioned me for rationale for wanting higher fare (he initially thought it was for upgrade, I explained it was cancellation flexibility). He went to resource desk, came back, and pointed out that there was a fare, at the same price as AC website, which was cancellable. Tickets issued, all very smooth and effiicient.
3) Received tickets. Of course, tickets do not give fare basis, nor a proper link to fare rules!!! There was however a notation that fare could be changed (clearly something agent had inserted). So frustrating!
4) I use Saudia website to find ticket, print out copy, showing fare basis
5) I printed out ITA Matrix and Experflyer fare rules for that fare basis

So, I got what I wanted, but boy AC is ever so inconsistent in website, issued tickets, ...

-thanks all!

visitor

Gets better... I went back and checked the website pricing again, since the price quoted to me on the phone was the same as the web fare, yet agent, ITA Matrix and Expertflyer all indicated it was refundable with $200 penalty.

I did a dummy booking on the website, clicked on fare rules, and saw the fare summary telling me, indeed, that no cancellation/non-refundable:





I then clicked through to detailed fare rules, and now we see:



!!!!!!

yyznomad

The website generic description is... generic. The detailed fare rules are king.

Stranger

The generic description is often inconsistent with the detailed rules.

At one point they had latitude fares ex-FRA for which the generic rule said the standard latitude stuff. But detailed rules included a change fee. I had to change one of these at least once, maybe a couple of times. When pointing out the web site said "change fre" somewhere I would get away with no change fee.

I nce had a similar issue in a restaurant, same dish at two different places on the menu with different prices. The waiter got very upset, stated running after me with a empty wine bottle when I told him if he did not want my money it was OK with me and I started moving out. He finally let the bottle down when I faced him... And I paid the lowest price and no tip.

yyznomad

Were you talking to a call centre agent for this?

I guess I should have included YMMV.

But the fare details are king!

Stranger

Yes. And that was a number of years back. Five, ten?

visitor

This I did not know - not what you would expect, but...