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
Sep 12, 2020, 9:11 am
#2071
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: 44,324
Until the government announces an extension of the quarantine requirements, I don't see AC being too proactive with canceling.
Give it a few weeks and I'm sure it will disappear.
Give it a few weeks and I'm sure it will disappear.
Sep 12, 2020, 9:36 am
#2072
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
Does anyone have any guidance on AC resuming service on the DEN-YYZ route soon?
I need to go to Toronto for training (essential infrastructure, whether I like it or not), and DEN-YYZ would be the ideal option.
But I see that their website is going from zero flights a day on the last day of September, to TWO flights a day Oct 1. That seems... unlikely.
Any thoughts?
I need to go to Toronto for training (essential infrastructure, whether I like it or not), and DEN-YYZ would be the ideal option.
But I see that their website is going from zero flights a day on the last day of September, to TWO flights a day Oct 1. That seems... unlikely.
Any thoughts?
UA published their October schedule updates and DEN-YYZ has been cut for October. UA is operating a DEN-YYC as a potential one-stop option if there aren't any direct DEN-YYZ flights.
Either way I'd suggest waiting until AC publishes the October transborder schedule, hopefully this week.
Sep 12, 2020, 10:12 am
#2074
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: 16,767
Sep 12, 2020, 10:54 am
#2075
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,301
Its not like the news that they are thieves hasnt gotten around.
I am sure there are still people who unsuspectedly expect a refund when their flight gets cancelled, and who are in for a nasty surprise, but one would expect that number to be dwindling every day.
Sep 12, 2020, 11:20 pm
#2076
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
Hi, I booked a ticket on AC a while back that routed SFO-YVR-YYZ with an overnight in YVR. About a week ago I got an email from AC and they had reissued my ticket to the SFO-YYZ non-stop the following day and in the Endorsements section it said "INVOL REROUTE". When I look at the schedule however, the flights are still operating and tickets are still being sold on them. Is this just AC preemptively rebooking me since they know they will be cancelling the flights I would have been on (even though they haven't yet)? Looking for the same flights this month shows they were cancelled or removed from the schedule.
I had originally wanted the layover in YVR to visit the city for a day, but that looks extremely unlikely to be possible. A secondary reason was that I wanted to route via YVR to increase the mileage (crediting to UA). Is it pointless to ask them to put me back on my original flights?
And I am pretty sure I know the answer, but is there any chance AC will allow me to get a refund if the country I am supposed to travel to (India in this case, and probably even Canada) doesn't allow me to travel there? I would rather not be stuck with an AC voucher if possible.
I had originally wanted the layover in YVR to visit the city for a day, but that looks extremely unlikely to be possible. A secondary reason was that I wanted to route via YVR to increase the mileage (crediting to UA). Is it pointless to ask them to put me back on my original flights?
And I am pretty sure I know the answer, but is there any chance AC will allow me to get a refund if the country I am supposed to travel to (India in this case, and probably even Canada) doesn't allow me to travel there? I would rather not be stuck with an AC voucher if possible.
Sep 12, 2020, 11:55 pm
#2077
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: AC E75K, WJ Gold, NEXUS, Marriott Gold
Posts: 316
Even if you get your connecting flight back you won't be coming into the city. Anyone arriving from international destinations are still subject to mandatory 14 day quarantine.
Sep 13, 2020, 3:16 am
#2078
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: 44,324
Different systems update at different times. If you were rebooked, it's likely the flights were cancelled. It may take a day or two before they stop selling the flight though.
You can certainly call and ask for anything reasonable, but as was mentioned, you're not visiting YVR, and if you're not Canadian, good luck even getting on a flight.
You can certainly call and ask for anything reasonable, but as was mentioned, you're not visiting YVR, and if you're not Canadian, good luck even getting on a flight.
Sep 13, 2020, 8:09 am
#2079
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,301
Looking at YYZ YOW in about 4 weeks.
Still a full 16 daily schedule incl mainline.
Obviously given that its only less than a handful of Express flights now, majority of these will get cancelled.
Amazing that only 4 weeks out they are selling flights they will never operate.
Still a full 16 daily schedule incl mainline.
Obviously given that its only less than a handful of Express flights now, majority of these will get cancelled.
Amazing that only 4 weeks out they are selling flights they will never operate.
Sep 13, 2020, 10:31 am
#2080
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,194
Government could put a rule in that any flight not cancelled 2-3 weeks out must be refunded in full with additional cash compensation due. (Sort of like, say, EU requirements)
AC could offer something like a Covid Flex fare as they try to put flight routes for sale to see if they stick. AC could put an asterisk next to the too-optimistic flight #s and a banner saying pay later, you will be charged $50 now to hold then the remainder of your fare when you click online checkin for your boarding pass.
Sep 13, 2020, 10:42 am
#2081
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
Looking at YYZ YOW in about 4 weeks.
Still a full 16 daily schedule incl mainline.
Obviously given that its only less than a handful of Express flights now, majority of these will get cancelled.
Amazing that only 4 weeks out they are selling flights they will never operate.
Still a full 16 daily schedule incl mainline.
Obviously given that its only less than a handful of Express flights now, majority of these will get cancelled.
Amazing that only 4 weeks out they are selling flights they will never operate.
It's very poor ethics IMO to be advertising flights that close to departure that are highly unlikely to operate, and then refusing refunds when AC cancels the flight. Unfortunately the CTA seems to be enabling AC's poor behaviour with Canada's toothless air passenger rights and a transport minister who seems to be asleep at the controls.
Sep 13, 2020, 10:43 am
#2082
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: 16,767
Sep 13, 2020, 11:14 am
#2083
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,301
Is it
a) Incompetence to plan ahead
b) Wishful thinking that the world will change in 18 days
c) a brilliant plan to steal more money from Canadians
d) all of the above
I ended up buying YYZ-YOW from united.com - a) its cheaper in USD b) I'll earn a handful more RDMs c) guaranteed refund if/when AC cancels and moves me >2 hours.
Who in their right mind would buy any tickets with AC right now?
a) Incompetence to plan ahead
b) Wishful thinking that the world will change in 18 days
c) a brilliant plan to steal more money from Canadians
d) all of the above
I ended up buying YYZ-YOW from united.com - a) its cheaper in USD b) I'll earn a handful more RDMs c) guaranteed refund if/when AC cancels and moves me >2 hours.
Who in their right mind would buy any tickets with AC right now?
Sep 13, 2020, 12:31 pm
#2084
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: AC 35K, Marriott Titanium/LT Gold, GHA Titanium, HH Gold, Centara Platinum
Posts: 494
Sep 14, 2020, 7:03 pm
#2085
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,002
https://aviationweek.com/air-transpo...revention-plan
IATA is urging the Canadian government to replace mandatory quarantines and other travel restrictions with more stringent testing protocols that could help revive travel demand without putting citizens at risk.
IATA is urging the Canadian government to replace mandatory quarantines and other travel restrictions with more stringent testing protocols that could help revive travel demand without putting citizens at risk.