Jan 27, 2020, 3:42 pm
Last edit by: Adam Smith
Key points of AC COVID change/cancellation policy [as of December 10, 2021]:
(see this page under "Changes and cancellations")
Unlimited changes. No change fees. – Until December 31, 2021, if you want to change your flight, we'll waive the change fee. After December 31, 2021, you can make one change at no extra charge. If your new fare has a higher price, you only need to pay the difference from your original fare.
If Air Canada changes the time of your flight, you make a change for free.*
*Within 3 days for North American destinations and 7 days for international and sun destinations.
If your flight is cancelled, you get a refund – If your flight is cancelled for any reason and we don’t rebook you on another flight that departs or arrives within three hours of your original departure or arrival time, or if we add a connection to your itinerary, you can request a refund.
Need to cancel? Save the value for future travel – If you need to cancel a booking, the full value can be transferred to an Air Canada Travel Voucher, which never expires and is fully transferrable, or converted into Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus. Refundable tickets are always refundable.
Flexibility with Aeroplan bookings – Until December 31, 2021, if you want to change your Aeroplan flight reward, we'll waive all change fees. After December 31, 2021, you can still make one change without a fee.
(see this page under "Changes and cancellations")
Unlimited changes. No change fees. – Until December 31, 2021, if you want to change your flight, we'll waive the change fee. After December 31, 2021, you can make one change at no extra charge. If your new fare has a higher price, you only need to pay the difference from your original fare.
If Air Canada changes the time of your flight, you make a change for free.*
*Within 3 days for North American destinations and 7 days for international and sun destinations.
If your flight is cancelled, you get a refund – If your flight is cancelled for any reason and we don’t rebook you on another flight that departs or arrives within three hours of your original departure or arrival time, or if we add a connection to your itinerary, you can request a refund.
Need to cancel? Save the value for future travel – If you need to cancel a booking, the full value can be transferred to an Air Canada Travel Voucher, which never expires and is fully transferrable, or converted into Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus. Refundable tickets are always refundable.
Flexibility with Aeroplan bookings – Until December 31, 2021, if you want to change your Aeroplan flight reward, we'll waive all change fees. After December 31, 2021, you can still make one change without a fee.
Master thread COVID-19/Coronavirus; travel waivers, route changes, AC impacts
Mar 20, 2020, 2:35 pm
#961
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: 44,313
You need to wait until the segment goes from HK to UN.
Mar 20, 2020, 3:11 pm
#963
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: YQB
Programs: Aeroplan 75K, WoH Explorist
Posts: 127
Was supposed to travel to MCI with two friends at the end of April. YYZ - MCI is getting canceled and we won't be going. I paid for all three of us and if I cancel are we getting individual credits per person or does it get attached to my ticket as I paid for them all? Anyone been in this situation yet?
Mar 20, 2020, 3:19 pm
#964
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,203
Was supposed to travel to MCI with two friends at the end of April. YYZ - MCI is getting canceled and we won't be going. I paid for all three of us and if I cancel are we getting individual credits per person or does it get attached to my ticket as I paid for them all? Anyone been in this situation yet?
Mar 20, 2020, 3:23 pm
#965
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: YQB
Programs: Aeroplan 75K, WoH Explorist
Posts: 127
Thanks for the information. Real bummer for my friends because they're not frequent flyers by any means and don't even know if they would fly within the two year period that the credit is good for. Have a strong feeling AC aren't making any exceptions fo E50K customers even if I were to call them.
Mar 20, 2020, 3:30 pm
#966
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,925
Well I don't think AC is having your best interests either.
Look at the new rules. AC cancels your flight. Flight purchased is 2000$. AC tells you you can use that credit for future use. But if your future flight is 1300$, you lose 700$.
At least they should have made it as a travelfund. Where any residual amount could be used for another ticket. But no...
Look at the new rules. AC cancels your flight. Flight purchased is 2000$. AC tells you you can use that credit for future use. But if your future flight is 1300$, you lose 700$.
At least they should have made it as a travelfund. Where any residual amount could be used for another ticket. But no...
Regarding the forfeiture of fare difference if a lower priced ticket is booked, this is nothing new. Over and above what the tarrif may say, AFAIK the fare rules for every non-refundable ticket I've ever purchased with AC have stated that price difference would be forfeit if a lower priced fare was selected. The key is to always select a fare that has a higher price when you rebook so as not to lose the fare difference in case you need to change again in the future. For example, if you have a $2000 credit, and your options when you rebook are Standard for $1600, Flex for $1800, and Comfort for $2000, buy the Comfort ticket.
I too wish AC had a travel bank concept, but unfortunately that isn't the case.
Mar 20, 2020, 4:06 pm
#968
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 17
AC Refunds
Looking forward to seeing this. Somehow doesn’t feel right that if AC cancels my flight purchased in February for travel in April that I’m given a credit that has to be used by March 31, 2021. What other business gets to treat their customers like that. Who knows what the flight will cost after this is over. I’ll bet it won’t be less.
Mar 20, 2020, 4:14 pm
#969
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,759
Looking forward to seeing this. Somehow doesn’t feel right that if AC cancels my flight purchased in February for travel in April that I’m given a credit that has to be used by March 31, 2021. What other business gets to treat their customers like that. Who knows what the flight will cost after this is over. I’ll bet it won’t be less.
Mar 20, 2020, 4:28 pm
#970
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 17
AC Refund
I'm thinking I should just wait for AC’s notification since the flight is booked for April 25th and see what they say.
Mar 20, 2020, 5:40 pm
#971
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CEB - primary/YVR -secondary
Programs: AC*Super Elite (100K) / PR*Elite / AY*Platinum (OWE) / SPG*Bonvoy Titanium (LTT)
Posts: 2,272
Just to be clear.. If a flight is canceled and a ticket says refundable but with a penalty of 44$, that entire ticket price (less 44$) can still be refunded?
Or thats not an option anymore with the new rules set on March 19?
Coz I got an email just now from AC with the whole 24 months future travel credit. No mention of ability to refund. But my original e-ticket email says can be refunded but with a penalty of 44$
Or thats not an option anymore with the new rules set on March 19?
Coz I got an email just now from AC with the whole 24 months future travel credit. No mention of ability to refund. But my original e-ticket email says can be refunded but with a penalty of 44$
Mar 20, 2020, 5:50 pm
#972
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 6,360
Just to be clear.. If a flight is canceled and a ticket says refundable but with a penalty of 44$, that entire ticket price (less 44$) can still be refunded?
Or thats not an option anymore with the new rules set on March 19?
Coz I got an email just now from AC with the whole 24 months future travel credit. No mention of ability to refund. But my original e-ticket email says can be refunded but with a penalty of 44$
Or thats not an option anymore with the new rules set on March 19?
Coz I got an email just now from AC with the whole 24 months future travel credit. No mention of ability to refund. But my original e-ticket email says can be refunded but with a penalty of 44$
Don't assume emails that are being sent are specific to the fare rules of your booking.
Mar 20, 2020, 5:56 pm
#973
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,802
Just to be clear.. If a flight is canceled and a ticket says refundable but with a penalty of 44$, that entire ticket price (less 44$) can still be refunded?
Or thats not an option anymore with the new rules set on March 19?
Coz I got an email just now from AC with the whole 24 months future travel credit. No mention of ability to refund. But my original e-ticket email says can be refunded but with a penalty of 44$
Or thats not an option anymore with the new rules set on March 19?
Coz I got an email just now from AC with the whole 24 months future travel credit. No mention of ability to refund. But my original e-ticket email says can be refunded but with a penalty of 44$
From a legal standpoint, if they are not able to get you at destination within a reasonable timeframe, I doubt they can invoke force majeure not to give your money back, at least in court. And without penalty... With the CTA, who knows. But then it's not the CTA's job to enforce commercial law.
What I do find offensive is that if you exchange for a cheaper ticket the difference is forfeited. I would likely be able to consistently go for more expensive fares, but very occasional flier might not be able to. Of course they can argue based upon fare cnditions, but I suspect from a legal standpoint the above is much more dubious.
Mar 20, 2020, 6:08 pm
#974
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: 44,313
Another day, another SFO change:
Downgauge:
Old flight details: AC 738 SFO-YYZ 2020-04-10T11:50:00.000-07:00 - 2020-04-10T19:47:00.000-04:00 (333)
New flight details: AC 738 SFO-YYZ 2020-04-10T11:45:00.000-07:00 - 2020-04-10T19:49:00.000-04:00 (763)
Outright cancellation:
Old flight details: AC 757 YYZ-SFO 2020-04-12T12:00:00.000-04:00 - 2020-04-12T14:31:00.000-07:00 (320)
New flight details: Likely cancelled
Downgauge:
Old flight details: AC 738 SFO-YYZ 2020-04-10T11:50:00.000-07:00 - 2020-04-10T19:47:00.000-04:00 (333)
New flight details: AC 738 SFO-YYZ 2020-04-10T11:45:00.000-07:00 - 2020-04-10T19:49:00.000-04:00 (763)
Outright cancellation:
Old flight details: AC 757 YYZ-SFO 2020-04-12T12:00:00.000-04:00 - 2020-04-12T14:31:00.000-07:00 (320)
New flight details: Likely cancelled
Mar 20, 2020, 6:24 pm
#975
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,203
Class action lawsuit filed in Quebec against Air Transat and Air Canada. Go get them!
https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/500...jPqrB3RM2ltu3c
https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/500...jPqrB3RM2ltu3c