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 21, 2020, 6:45 am
#991
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 1
This morning I got an email from Aeroplan, here’s the interesting part:
Do you think that the refunded fees will include things that are usually non-refundable like seat selections?
Cancel any Flight Reward free of charge, until March 31
If you'd like to cancel any Flight Reward, the fastest way to do so is at Aeroplan.com. Due to high call volumes, we are experiencing long hold times at our contact centres. Until March 31, you can cancel free of charge and receive all of your Aeroplan Miles back in your account, plus a full refund of any associated taxes, fees and surcharges on the unused value of your travel. Simply log-in and visit Manage your bookings.
If you'd like to cancel any Flight Reward, the fastest way to do so is at Aeroplan.com. Due to high call volumes, we are experiencing long hold times at our contact centres. Until March 31, you can cancel free of charge and receive all of your Aeroplan Miles back in your account, plus a full refund of any associated taxes, fees and surcharges on the unused value of your travel. Simply log-in and visit Manage your bookings.
Mar 21, 2020, 6:51 am
#992
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 1,506
Mar 21, 2020, 6:54 am
#993
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SEMM / HH Diamond
Posts: 3,168
Mar 21, 2020, 8:23 am
#994
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 102
Anyone tried doing credit card chargeback for cancelled flights? The 24 month credit is ludicrous and holding our money hostage for services not rendered. I have no intention of traveling on AC in the future so the credit is completely useless. Who knows if AC will still be around in the next 24 months...
Mar 21, 2020, 8:42 am
#995
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 319
I've got some good news for you all, finally.
After a week of trying to get through to AC via Facebook, Twitter, email, and phone (where I only ever got the message that there were too many callers, and didn't even get put on hold), I finally managed to get put on hold this afternoon.
After spending an hour and a half on hold, someone answered, and then almost immediately hung up on me, before I'd even explained why I was calling.
About an hour later I called again and got through after about 45 minutes.
This time, I asked the person to escalate due to the previous person hanging up on me, and he filled out the form for me and I'm expecting a call back in the next 24-48 hours.
Then, after we'd filled out that form, I asked if he could help with cancelling my flights.
He said sure, I gave him the three confirmation codes.
The codes were for two domestic flights (outbound 24/03, inbound 30/03) that have been cancelled, and one transborder US flight (outbound 02/04, inbound 07/04) that as of now has only had a minor schedule change.
These were all non-refundable bookings, in Economy Standard.
He put me on hold and came back to confirm that all four bookings will be refunded fully to my credit card, and I have received email confirmations of all four.
Only minor issue is he said the refund could take up to 50 (!) days to arrive, due to how busy they are.
That could be an issue if AC actually ends up going out of business, but in the end, a good result.
Looks like it could be a case of needing to be persistant, and hanging up and calling again to get a helpful customer service person might be good.
It could also be a case of needing to sound like you know your rights and expect a refund, not the credit being offered.
Having a story of how difficult it has been to reach them might be helpful too.
Ironically, AC got back to me on Twitter about 20 minutes after I hung up the phone - telling me that it looked like all my reservations were already cancelled (nice to have a second confirmation, but awful timing).
-Peter
TLDR:
Successfully got a refund for four non-refundable flights.
Two domestic had been cancelled.
Two transborder had only had minor changes.
Don't take the credit - show them you expect a refund.
After a week of trying to get through to AC via Facebook, Twitter, email, and phone (where I only ever got the message that there were too many callers, and didn't even get put on hold), I finally managed to get put on hold this afternoon.
After spending an hour and a half on hold, someone answered, and then almost immediately hung up on me, before I'd even explained why I was calling.
About an hour later I called again and got through after about 45 minutes.
This time, I asked the person to escalate due to the previous person hanging up on me, and he filled out the form for me and I'm expecting a call back in the next 24-48 hours.
Then, after we'd filled out that form, I asked if he could help with cancelling my flights.
He said sure, I gave him the three confirmation codes.
The codes were for two domestic flights (outbound 24/03, inbound 30/03) that have been cancelled, and one transborder US flight (outbound 02/04, inbound 07/04) that as of now has only had a minor schedule change.
These were all non-refundable bookings, in Economy Standard.
He put me on hold and came back to confirm that all four bookings will be refunded fully to my credit card, and I have received email confirmations of all four.
Only minor issue is he said the refund could take up to 50 (!) days to arrive, due to how busy they are.
That could be an issue if AC actually ends up going out of business, but in the end, a good result.
Looks like it could be a case of needing to be persistant, and hanging up and calling again to get a helpful customer service person might be good.
It could also be a case of needing to sound like you know your rights and expect a refund, not the credit being offered.
Having a story of how difficult it has been to reach them might be helpful too.
Ironically, AC got back to me on Twitter about 20 minutes after I hung up the phone - telling me that it looked like all my reservations were already cancelled (nice to have a second confirmation, but awful timing).
-Peter
TLDR:
Successfully got a refund for four non-refundable flights.
Two domestic had been cancelled.
Two transborder had only had minor changes.
Don't take the credit - show them you expect a refund.
Mar 21, 2020, 8:53 am
#996
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AMEX AC CX UA AA DL
Posts: 3,008
BTW according to AMEX credit card insurance wording,
"Any credits provided by the airline or travel supplier for travel on another date, are considered transferable amounts and shall not be payable under this insurance"
"Any credits provided by the airline or travel supplier for travel on another date, are considered transferable amounts and shall not be payable under this insurance"
Mar 21, 2020, 9:37 am
#997
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,204
The wiki in this thread is misleading. It should add that getting a travel credit for cancelled flights is not the only option, and that clients may be able to get a refund back to initial payment method as well.
if there are numerous people who insist on getting a refund, AC may give up on trying to shove inflexible travel credits on us.
if there are numerous people who insist on getting a refund, AC may give up on trying to shove inflexible travel credits on us.
Mar 21, 2020, 9:55 am
#998
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt,Marriott,BA,AS
Posts: 4,428
I have a reservation booked through Expedia for DEN-YYZ-VIE for this coming Thursday. YYZ-VIE (flight 898) is not on AC's list of route suspensions, but I have been checking every day to see if the flight has been operating. Each day it shows the flight as operating until the day of departure and then it shows canceled, Expedia won't reroute me until the flight is showing canceled. Am I going to have to wait until Thursday morning until I can be rerouted ? (YYZ-MUC would be an acceptable alternative and it has been operating every day so far). Checking availability it shows flight is sold out/not available, but not canceled.
Mar 21, 2020, 10:02 am
#999
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: 16,779
I never said I was going to do a chargeback with AC. In fact I have no plans to (unless they decide to not give me my refund owed and decide to give me a travel credit instead)
But regardless, the 24 month credit doesn't sit well with me if an airline initiated the cancelation. Refundable ticket or not.
But regardless, the 24 month credit doesn't sit well with me if an airline initiated the cancelation. Refundable ticket or not.
But do you think you'll go through the hassle of fighting AC to get free cancellation, or will you just eat the $44 and DIY online?
The wiki in this thread is misleading. It should add that getting a travel credit for cancelled flights is not the only option, and that clients may be able to get a refund back to initial payment method as well.
if there are numerous people who insist on getting a refund, AC may give up on trying to shove inflexible travel credits on us.
if there are numerous people who insist on getting a refund, AC may give up on trying to shove inflexible travel credits on us.
The wiki is factual. If the situation changes, e.g. the threat of the class action makes AC change its policy, or the CTA forces AC to resolve it, etc, then someone will update the wiki.
Mar 21, 2020, 11:36 am
#1001
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Ottawa
Programs: Altitude E50K / *G
Posts: 924
Mar 21, 2020, 12:47 pm
#1002
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 282
I called in today and was told very firmly that no refunds are being offered, that a credit is the only option. No matter what I said, he would not budge. Decided to wait for a bit and possibly try again another day.
(90 minutes on hold)
(90 minutes on hold)
Mar 21, 2020, 12:55 pm
#1003
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Mileage plus
Posts: 106
Hello,
i saw the new waiver policy. I have a flight fir Brazil booked in august 2020. Air Canada is offering a credit (700$) - can this credit be used towards any flight? I mean let’s say I travel to Colombia instead of Brazil - will I lose the taxes that were initially paid for travel to Brazil?
thanks!
i saw the new waiver policy. I have a flight fir Brazil booked in august 2020. Air Canada is offering a credit (700$) - can this credit be used towards any flight? I mean let’s say I travel to Colombia instead of Brazil - will I lose the taxes that were initially paid for travel to Brazil?
thanks!
Mar 21, 2020, 3:01 pm
#1004
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,737
I have a reservation booked through Expedia for DEN-YYZ-VIE for this coming Thursday. YYZ-VIE (flight 898) is not on AC's list of route suspensions, but I have been checking every day to see if the flight has been operating. Each day it shows the flight as operating until the day of departure and then it shows canceled, Expedia won't reroute me until the flight is showing canceled. Am I going to have to wait until Thursday morning until I can be rerouted ? (YYZ-MUC would be an acceptable alternative and it has been operating every day so far). Checking availability it shows flight is sold out/not available, but not canceled.
Mar 21, 2020, 3:40 pm
#1005
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,932
I hope you enjoy the Air Canada hold music and very nice lady telling you about specials to various destinations!