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
Feb 22, 2020, 2:13 pm
#361
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AC, KL
Posts: 52
Feb 23, 2020, 6:30 am
#362
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 43
I'm getting nervous for my trip.
First ever mini-RTW, booked on the last day of 2 stopover itineraries.
I have a layover at ICN and a stopover at NRT in mid April (ICN April 13, NRT April 14-22)
CDC just elevated the risk level for these destinations to "Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions" due to "sustained community transmission" of the virus. Hopefully (fingers crossed) they can contain the outbreak, but I'm beginning to think about what my contingency plan is if they do not. My destination on the ticket is PER, so if Australia were to extend the quarantine to Japan or South Korea, it'd be game over.
I'd be willing to swap my Japan stopover for somewhere else - say, New Zealand - but J award availability to make that work.. yeah, I'm not optimistic on that (may I dream that they book me on a revenue J flight to make that possible?).
Cancelling - even if they waive the cancellation fee - is the last resort.. as this was the first and only opportunity I had to book a 2 stopover mini RTW. Also, unique circumstances allowed me the time to go on such a lengthy trip.
Ugh. I hope this all resolves itself. Fingers crossed.
First ever mini-RTW, booked on the last day of 2 stopover itineraries.
I have a layover at ICN and a stopover at NRT in mid April (ICN April 13, NRT April 14-22)
CDC just elevated the risk level for these destinations to "Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions" due to "sustained community transmission" of the virus. Hopefully (fingers crossed) they can contain the outbreak, but I'm beginning to think about what my contingency plan is if they do not. My destination on the ticket is PER, so if Australia were to extend the quarantine to Japan or South Korea, it'd be game over.
I'd be willing to swap my Japan stopover for somewhere else - say, New Zealand - but J award availability to make that work.. yeah, I'm not optimistic on that (may I dream that they book me on a revenue J flight to make that possible?).
Cancelling - even if they waive the cancellation fee - is the last resort.. as this was the first and only opportunity I had to book a 2 stopover mini RTW. Also, unique circumstances allowed me the time to go on such a lengthy trip.
Ugh. I hope this all resolves itself. Fingers crossed.
Feb 23, 2020, 8:19 am
#363
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
So, for instance, if a problem develops with ICN or NRT (flights cancelled, or waiver issued due to quarantine, etc), they may use revenue space to get you to PER. But they're not going to buy you a revenue ticket to change your itinerary to go to NZ.
I hope it all works out
Feb 23, 2020, 9:33 am
#364
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: SE 100K
Posts: 935
A question for all the Aeroplan experts.
1) Can I cancel and get a refund - not my preferred choice.
2) Can I rebook with the old RTW rules for early next year.... or would I have to start the journey by August 31 - one year after booking.
Any advise would be very helpful as my departure is less than two weeks away!
Thanks in advance
1) Can I cancel and get a refund - not my preferred choice.
2) Can I rebook with the old RTW rules for early next year.... or would I have to start the journey by August 31 - one year after booking.
Any advise would be very helpful as my departure is less than two weeks away!
Thanks in advance
Feb 23, 2020, 9:41 am
#365
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 43
Aeroplan will potentially buy you a revenue ticket (or force open revenue space on AC) to get you somewhere you were already supposed to go when a flight cancellation/schedule change creates a problem in your itinerary.
So, for instance, if a problem develops with ICN or NRT (flights cancelled, or waiver issued due to quarantine, etc), they may use revenue space to get you to PER. But they're not going to buy you a revenue ticket to change your itinerary to go to NZ.
I hope it all works out
So, for instance, if a problem develops with ICN or NRT (flights cancelled, or waiver issued due to quarantine, etc), they may use revenue space to get you to PER. But they're not going to buy you a revenue ticket to change your itinerary to go to NZ.
I hope it all works out
Feb 23, 2020, 9:53 am
#366
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,921
CDC just elevated the risk level for these destinations to "Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions" due to "sustained community transmission" of the virus. Hopefully (fingers crossed) they can contain the outbreak, but I'm beginning to think about what my contingency plan is if they do not. My destination on the ticket is PER, so if Australia were to extend the quarantine to Japan or South Korea, it'd be game over.
Feb 23, 2020, 11:22 am
#368
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: SE 100K
Posts: 935
Feb 23, 2020, 11:33 am
#369
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
For those with flights to/through ICN, might be worth waiting a bit to see what AC and their partners do given this.
As per a post on the CBC from
The Associated Press · Posted: Feb 23, 2020 5:54 AM ET | Last Updated: 22 minutes ago
South Korea raises disease alert to highest level as coronavirus cases soar
QUOTE:
"South Korea's president said Sunday that he was putting his country on its highest alert for infectious diseases and ordered officials to take "unprecedented, powerful" steps to fight a soaring viral outbreak that has infected more than 600 people in the country, mostly in the last few days."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/corona...hina-1.5473011
As per a post on the CBC from
The Associated Press · Posted: Feb 23, 2020 5:54 AM ET | Last Updated: 22 minutes ago
South Korea raises disease alert to highest level as coronavirus cases soar
QUOTE:
"South Korea's president said Sunday that he was putting his country on its highest alert for infectious diseases and ordered officials to take "unprecedented, powerful" steps to fight a soaring viral outbreak that has infected more than 600 people in the country, mostly in the last few days."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/corona...hina-1.5473011
Feb 23, 2020, 12:55 pm
#371
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
Things getting worse fast in Italy, with some strong measures being taken up north. I wonder whether MXP might see a travel waiver from AC soon, although it's interesting there's still nothing posted for Taiwan/Korea/Japan.
Feb 23, 2020, 1:33 pm
#372
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,900
Feb 23, 2020, 1:37 pm
#373
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,900
I flew AC 15 and 16 this week.
EF numbers and all 9s only give part of the picture of what it was like at the AC departure gates in YYZ and HKG, onboard flights with 200 empty seats, at HKIA in particular, and the type and quality of the AC crews I had on both flights.
Getting the thermometer gun pointed at my head / face had to be one of the weirdest experiences. There were a few others, not the least of which was AC 15 delayed while waiting for the masks to be delivered. Cabin crew on AC 15 did not wear masks, some were wearing gloves. Almost all AC 16 cabin crew were wearing masks.
It was immensely sad to see HKIA empty, both of aircraft and pax. And of course, many lounges were closed as well, not just 3 CX if you are connecting on a AC codeshare, but also UA is closed and TG looked empty and dark. I wrote a trip report about it all.
EF numbers and all 9s only give part of the picture of what it was like at the AC departure gates in YYZ and HKG, onboard flights with 200 empty seats, at HKIA in particular, and the type and quality of the AC crews I had on both flights.
Getting the thermometer gun pointed at my head / face had to be one of the weirdest experiences. There were a few others, not the least of which was AC 15 delayed while waiting for the masks to be delivered. Cabin crew on AC 15 did not wear masks, some were wearing gloves. Almost all AC 16 cabin crew were wearing masks.
It was immensely sad to see HKIA empty, both of aircraft and pax. And of course, many lounges were closed as well, not just 3 CX if you are connecting on a AC codeshare, but also UA is closed and TG looked empty and dark. I wrote a trip report about it all.
Yes, I agree, HKIA is sort of "dead" late at night. I can't recalled the last time I saw HKIA this slow before.
Feb 23, 2020, 1:43 pm
#374
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
Have you read the news about Taiwan and their entry restrictions?
Upthread, someone posted the IATA Travel Info https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/int...1580226297.htm
Taiwan has one of the longest and most detailed restrictions in place. Do the math and think about all the possible travellers who can no longer go to TPE. AC doesn't just carry Canadian citizens and residents to and from.
QUOTE:
CHINESE TAIPEI - published 11.02.2020
1. Nationals of China (People's Rep.) are not allowed to transit or enter Chinese Taipei.
- This does not apply if their spouse is from Chinese Taipei.
2. Passengers who have been in China (People's Rep.), Hong Kong (SAR China) or Macao (SAR China) in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter Chinese Taipei.
- This does not apply to passengers with a Chinese Taipei (on the cover: Republic of China Taiwan) passport.
- This does not apply to residents of Chinese Taipei with a ROC (Taiwan) Resident Certificate, type APRC or ARC.
- This does not apply to passengers with a Hong Kong (SAR China) passport.
- This does not apply to passengers with a Macao (SAR China) passport.
- This does not apply to passengers who have transited through China (People's Rep.), Hong Kong (SAR China) or Macao (SAR China) in the past 14 days but not leaving the transit areas. They will be under home quarantine for 14 days.
- This does not apply to airline crew who have transited through China (People's Rep.), Hong Kong (SAR China) or Macao (SAR China) but not leaving the transit areas. They can enter with a guarantee letter proving that they have not entered China (People's Rep.), Hong Kong (SAR China) or Macao (SAR China) in the past 14 days.
3. Passengers residing in China (People's Rep.), Hong Kong (SAR China) or Macao (SAR China) are not allowed to enter Chinese Taipei.
- This does not apply to passengers with a Chinese Taipei (on the cover: Republic of China Taiwan) passport.
- This does not apply to passengers with a Hong Kong (SAR China) passport.
- This does not apply to passengers with a Macao (SAR China) passport.
Feb 23, 2020, 3:01 pm
#375
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,002