sophiagymgall

I flew BUD-YYZ-YQB yesterday, booked in Premium Rouge (respectively fare classes N and P). Due to a last-minute technical issue on the YYZ-YQB leg, we had to deplane and wait for a replacement aircraft. Unfortunately, there was no Premium class on the new aircraft so I was reattributed a random seat at the back of the new plane.

I'm not too fussed about the change as I originally picked Premium only because it happened to be $30 cheaper than economy when I booked. The equipment swap was impressively quick and I got a full row to myself on the new plane, so besides the disappointment of deplaning after settling in and ordering drinks, and it being late at night, it really wasn't all that bad.

However, out of principle, I figure I'm entitled to/should seek compensation for the downgrade.. Before I call, I wanted to see what sort of compensation I should suggest or whether I should expect anything from AC? Since I paid so little to start with, I figure the difference between economy and premium on the shortest leg of my itinerary probably isn't worth much anyway, but I just want to make sure AC offers whatever this situation usually calls for - I'm just not sure what that is. If it makes a difference, I already got a $25 meal voucher at the airport (which I couldn't use since it was past 11pm and we were going to reboard straight away, but I'll be able to use it on my next trip).

Thanks for any advice you can provide!

The Lev

Yo should write in and ask. You will get something for it.

Also your $25 meal voucher should be usable at a future date.

sophiagymgall

Thanks, I have sent in the form and will see what they say. Should I expect miles or a monetary compensation? Is it a standardized calculation? Just trying to make sure they don't shortchange me based on my ignorance and my "Aeroplan Basic" status

The Lev

Not sure what they will offer. Good chance it will be a choice of money or a credit against future travel (typically valid for one year).

sophiagymgall

Follow-up in case someone else is in a similar situation: they gave me a refund for the fare difference (a whopping $23!), a $100 credit as well as 500 Aeroplan miles, in addition to the meal voucher. I did not have to push for any of it and the process was quite efficient. The 500 miles are pretty useless but as a whole, it feels like a decent deal!

warakorn

EC261/2004 applies, because the whole flight started in the EU; any connection beyond EU is covered as well; hence, a 75% downgrade refund has to be paid out.

expert7700

If so, I hope OP claims and receives this refund. I believe it would be for the entire return journey (not just the short hop), paid out on via check, not funny money or points.

I have another EC261 question but didn't want to make a whole thread for it:

I am a little confused because if an AC connection affer a TATL is delayed >3 hours or cancelled, I thought I had read that EC261 does not apply.

(our situation was last week) BCN-YUL-YYZ-LAX with first leg AC operated by Qatar the remainder all operated by AC. Maint delays in YUL led us to be delivered to YYZ one minute after US CBP pre clearance closes nightly. Thus we had a forced overnight. Two of the three of us had to fly mixed cabin (UA J/Y) for the last 2 legs due to availability.

Besides a few dozen miles that Aeroplan will return for the economy legs, what else do we claim?

MSPeconomist

sophiagymgall

Thanks for the additional comments. I've found jurisprudence on the downgrade compensation, but I'm having trouble confirming that the connection is indeed covered by EU261. The regulation itself is silent on the matter, and the information I'm seeing online suggests that onward connections are only covered if the final delay (I haven't found anything on downgrades specifically) can be attributed to the EU-originating leg of the itinerary, which is not my case. Is there jurisprudence or additional information on this topic? I haven't accepted AC's offer yet so I could still request the compensation if it indeed applies (and if the difference in compensation justifies the effort). Thanks!

Sam_AE

I'm on a Latitude AP fare that I upgraded to J at the time of booking -- FLL-YYZ AC917 Jan 31st. The original equipment was an A330. They actually swapped it for the 787-9 -- that should mean more J seats. But I woke up this morning to find that I had been re-seated in Y. I'm not even on the eupgrade list. Online I see a note that says that my boarding pass cannot be issued online -- must be done at the airport. I called AC but they can't do anything since the flight is now under airport control. The agent on the phone claims that she still sees I'm in biz class -- but I think she was just saying that to get me off the phone since I did get a text showing a new seat in Y.

It's odd that they got more J seats on the 787-9 than the 333, yet I was downgraded.....

ChrisA330

No, they don't. The reconfigured A333s are 32J.

painintheuk

You took my 787! 😀. Just boarded AC304 Yvr-yul and the 787 that i expected is now a 330. Ages since I've been on this plane and very different. Fortunately didn't get moved back to Y. After all upgrades done, J is mostly full, but lots of PY.

The Lev

What was the outcome?

Sam_AE

So, I was a bit ignorant about the various displacement rules. I was looking to see my name on the "eupgrade" list since I was bumped off the A330. BUT, in fact, they put me on the "Standby" list. I saw my name (on the app) on the "Standby List" but had assumed that was a mistake because there was already a green check mark next to my name. When I checked in, the agent said that I had the highest priority for biz if there was an empty seat in J because I was now considered to be "standby J". There were 5 names on the eupgrade J list. No clue if the agent's comment is true about priority???

I tried to see if she could also put me on the eupgrade for PE but she claimed that because I was considered "standby", I was only eligible for a J seat and she couldn't make changes to my eupgrade request. The interesting aspect of this is that I had also ordered a special meal at the time I booked and was initially put in J -- that special meal was still noted in the remarks section on my boarding pass even though I was now seated in Y and Y has no meal service. Eventually, 45 min before the flight, my "standby" cleared and I was put in J. My name (on the app) moved from the "standby" list to the business Eupgrade list (with a check next to it). They also had my special meal on the flight which would have had to have been loaded on the incoming flight.

It's hard for me to know for sure what priority 'standby' displaced J passengers have because I was on a latitude fare and I'm 50K status. I also don't know if it makes any difference that I had already checked in online prior to the equipment change being made.

canadiancow

Basically, priority is cabin, status, fare.

J standby is J cabin.
eUpgrade, by definition, is never going to be from J cabin.