Aeroplan Reward - Involuntary Schedule Change - What Are My Options?
Jun 19, 2019, 10:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto Canada
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 15
Aeroplan Reward - Involuntary Schedule Change - What Are My Options?
Hi,
In Dec 2018 I booked a mini-RTW (itinerary below) for Sep 2019 and I recently discovered that the flight from WAW-IST was cancelled and closest replacement flight was over 3 hours later which I understand qualifies it as an involuntary schedule change. As a result I have the option of picking any available flight from YYZ-IST without any increase in fees/taxes/surcharges. I've been checking if any AC flights out of YYZ could be taken (e.g. YYZ-CDG-IST) but nothing has come up so far for my desired departure date range.
My question is if I wait until close to the current departure date and nothing is available still, would Aeroplan open space or purchase a ticket so that I can still make my original arrival date? Note that no email notification was received by me and I only found out about the missing flight when doing my due diligence in checking the booked itinerary.
I am also considering available YYZ-ATL-IST flights but by my calculation it would exceed the MPM for YYZ-HKG.
YYZ-WAW LO
WAW-IST TK (stop)
IST-PEK TK
PEK-HKG CA (stop)
HKG-HND NH (stop)
NRT-ICN OZ
ICN-JFK OZ
LGA-YYZ AC
Thanks in advance for any advice provided.
Regards,
Michael
In Dec 2018 I booked a mini-RTW (itinerary below) for Sep 2019 and I recently discovered that the flight from WAW-IST was cancelled and closest replacement flight was over 3 hours later which I understand qualifies it as an involuntary schedule change. As a result I have the option of picking any available flight from YYZ-IST without any increase in fees/taxes/surcharges. I've been checking if any AC flights out of YYZ could be taken (e.g. YYZ-CDG-IST) but nothing has come up so far for my desired departure date range.
My question is if I wait until close to the current departure date and nothing is available still, would Aeroplan open space or purchase a ticket so that I can still make my original arrival date? Note that no email notification was received by me and I only found out about the missing flight when doing my due diligence in checking the booked itinerary.
I am also considering available YYZ-ATL-IST flights but by my calculation it would exceed the MPM for YYZ-HKG.
YYZ-WAW LO
WAW-IST TK (stop)
IST-PEK TK
PEK-HKG CA (stop)
HKG-HND NH (stop)
NRT-ICN OZ
ICN-JFK OZ
LGA-YYZ AC
Thanks in advance for any advice provided.
Regards,
Michael
Jun 19, 2019, 10:25 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: AC E50k, A3*G, UA*S, MR Titanium, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold, NEXUS
Posts: 3,671
I don't remember if AC operates YYZ or YUL to IST, but AP can generally open reward space on AC in the event of a schedule change. So if AC has a non-stop, you could get that, or if there's nothing on YYZ-CDG but there is space on CDG-IST, they could in theory open up space on YYZ-CDG, although I'm not sure they'd be more amenable to that than to opening space on YYZ-IST
Jun 19, 2019, 10:42 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,092
Jun 20, 2019, 7:23 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,443
You can go via ATL - MPM exceeding is not your problem. That way you can still get superior TK over the Atlantic and not have to fly AC.
Aeroplan can open up any AC flight for you - but the connector within Europe has to have award availability. They will not buy a revenue seat unless last resort.
If you see any other TK available from the US - they can easily open up the short AC connector.
Be prepared with options when you call in. Ideally try to get them to buy you YYZ-IST on TK, but if they refuse (most likely) - tell them to go via ATL, or any other US gateway that has TK available.
Aeroplan can open up any AC flight for you - but the connector within Europe has to have award availability. They will not buy a revenue seat unless last resort.
If you see any other TK available from the US - they can easily open up the short AC connector.
Be prepared with options when you call in. Ideally try to get them to buy you YYZ-IST on TK, but if they refuse (most likely) - tell them to go via ATL, or any other US gateway that has TK available.
Jun 20, 2019, 7:32 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC 50k 1MM, Marriott LT Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,415
I don't remember if AC operates YYZ or YUL to IST, but AP can generally open reward space on AC in the event of a schedule change. So if AC has a non-stop, you could get that, or if there's nothing on YYZ-CDG but there is space on CDG-IST, they could in theory open up space on YYZ-CDG, although I'm not sure they'd be more amenable to that than to opening space on YYZ-IST
Jun 23, 2019, 12:02 pm
#6
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: 4,614
I don't think they will move you into a revenue seat into TK; best to locate some TK reward availability that works for you, regardless of the MPM. They should open space on AC metal if necessary . . .
Sep 2, 2019, 5:27 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
To hijack this thread... booked YUL-YVR-HNL a while back, and the YVR-HNL flight got pushed back by 10 hours or so, getting into HNL in the evening. That's the only flight of the day, so if I tell Aeroplan it doesn't work for me and I need to be in HNL by (say) noon that day, how likely is it that I'll be able to get them to book me on UA revenue business?
Sep 3, 2019, 8:08 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E50/MM, HH gold, Nat Exec Elite, Kimpton Karma
Posts: 2,405
I also have had a flight cancelled. No formal notification but discovered by due diligence. My outbound and return are separate tx due to when award space opened up.
AE, when I called, offered a comparable flight two days later. AE refused to change return (i.e., make it two days later to maintain the length of the trip) despite most of cabin being available because it’s a separate tx and no award space showing. In fact, despite current load, only full J available on this transborder route. Flying on my original date now means a connection that would involve UA. My tx was AC non-stop.
Is there any strategy that might convince AE to move the return which is also AC non-stop?
AE, when I called, offered a comparable flight two days later. AE refused to change return (i.e., make it two days later to maintain the length of the trip) despite most of cabin being available because it’s a separate tx and no award space showing. In fact, despite current load, only full J available on this transborder route. Flying on my original date now means a connection that would involve UA. My tx was AC non-stop.
Is there any strategy that might convince AE to move the return which is also AC non-stop?
Last edited by Bartolo; Sep 4, 2019 at 7:28 am
Sep 3, 2019, 10:27 am
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,835
I've had no issue getting change fees waived in the return (separate booking) when something happened to the outbound, so I'd just HUCA.
Sep 3, 2019, 11:07 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E50/MM, HH gold, Nat Exec Elite, Kimpton Karma
Posts: 2,405
Fascinating. I got an agent that seemed experienced and knowledgeable. I will try again. Thank you.
Sep 3, 2019, 11:18 am
#11
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 492
Sep 3, 2019, 11:30 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite. NEXUS
Posts: 4,615
HI also have had a flight cancelled. No formal notification but discovered by due diligence. My outbound and return are separate tx due to when award space opened up.
AE, when I called, offered a comparable flight two days later. AE refused to change return (i.e., make it two days later to maintain the length of the trip) despite most of cabin being available because it’s a separate tx and no award space showing. In fact, despite current load, only full J available on this transborder route. Flying on my original date now means a connection that would involve UA. My tx was AC non-stop.
Is there any strategy that might convince AE to move the return which is also AC non-stop?
AE, when I called, offered a comparable flight two days later. AE refused to change return (i.e., make it two days later to maintain the length of the trip) despite most of cabin being available because it’s a separate tx and no award space showing. In fact, despite current load, only full J available on this transborder route. Flying on my original date now means a connection that would involve UA. My tx was AC non-stop.
Is there any strategy that might convince AE to move the return which is also AC non-stop?
Sep 3, 2019, 12:00 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: Air Canada 50K, Marriott Gold,
Posts: 206
HI also have had a flight cancelled. No formal notification but discovered by due diligence. My outbound and return are separate tx due to when award space opened up.
AE, when I called, offered a comparable flight two days later. AE refused to change return (i.e., make it two days later to maintain the length of the trip) despite most of cabin being available because it’s a separate tx and no award space showing. In fact, despite current load, only full J available on this transborder route. Flying on my original date now means a connection that would involve UA. My tx was AC non-stop.
Is there any strategy that might convince AE to move the return which is also AC non-stop?
AE, when I called, offered a comparable flight two days later. AE refused to change return (i.e., make it two days later to maintain the length of the trip) despite most of cabin being available because it’s a separate tx and no award space showing. In fact, despite current load, only full J available on this transborder route. Flying on my original date now means a connection that would involve UA. My tx was AC non-stop.
Is there any strategy that might convince AE to move the return which is also AC non-stop?
Sep 3, 2019, 12:41 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,443
Sep 3, 2019, 2:42 pm
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,835
I thought it might happen to me this weekend because both my TG segments fell off the PNR at different times, but there was still O space available when I called to have it fixed.