Dec 10, 2020, 7:55 pm
Last edit by: Adam Smith
As of April 13, 2021 (in conjunction with the federal government bailout), AC is providing refunds for flights cancelled due to COVID, which applies to tickets with travel after February 1, 2020, and purchased before April 13, 2021. This includes flights cancelled by customers rather than AC.
Going forward (i.e. tickets purchased on or after April 13, 2021), cancelled flights will be refunded if AC does not offer a re-booking option with departure +/- 3 hours from the original time.
AC refund portal
Online refund request form
Press release on the bailout
Going forward (i.e. tickets purchased on or after April 13, 2021), cancelled flights will be refunded if AC does not offer a re-booking option with departure +/- 3 hours from the original time.
AC refund portal
Online refund request form
Press release on the bailout
Master thread Air Canada Refunds vs credits; Class action lawsuit filed
Jun 16, 2021, 1:13 am
#1606
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: YXE
Programs: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Fraggle Rock
Posts: 123
Looks like that shrewd policy of denying customers refunds is really paying off for shareholders.
Jun 16, 2021, 3:35 am
#1607
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,198
What duration of time does it take them to make $25 million in profit (pre covid)? Weeks? Days? Hours?
Jun 16, 2021, 6:26 am
#1608
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,310
More meaningful is the press this gets in the US. A bad impression will stick with people who next time they see AC in their Kayak search will think twice and go ---- oh thats the airline that will steal from us - next!
Jun 16, 2021, 1:18 pm
#1609
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: YXE
Programs: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Fraggle Rock
Posts: 123
This (potentially) legally-failed policy may negatively impact ACs growth strategy of funnelling Americans through Canada, and by digging in for a fight, AC may poison the well for future DOT interactions. .
Nonetheless, I guess we can also singularly look at the $25 million fine as some extraordinary item on the books - and not the broader implications of what has/is unfolding here.
Nonetheless, I guess we can also singularly look at the $25 million fine as some extraordinary item on the books - and not the broader implications of what has/is unfolding here.
Jun 16, 2021, 2:05 pm
#1610
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,639
Jun 16, 2021, 3:33 pm
#1611
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: 16,778
Not really a relevant metric. If you wanted to compare it to something, the more relevant figure(s) would be (a) how much cash AC conserved by not refunding US customers who should have received refunds based on US DOT rules (i.e. what was the cost of capital on this forced loan), and/or (b) how much of AC's profits on itineraries originating or terminating in the US (i.e. those within the US DOT's jurisdiction) this represented.
Jun 16, 2021, 5:04 pm
#1612
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,639
Not really a relevant metric. If you wanted to compare it to something, the more relevant figure(s) would be (a) how much cash AC conserved by not refunding US customers who should have received refunds based on US DOT rules (i.e. what was the cost of capital on this forced loan), and/or (b) how much of AC's profits on itineraries originating or terminating in the US (i.e. those within the US DOT's jurisdiction) this represented.
There is not enough publicly available data to go into that level of granularity. Maybe some of it will come out during discovery in the US class actions.
Jun 16, 2021, 5:24 pm
#1613
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: YEG
Programs: Table scraps from Aeroplan and AmEx Plat
Posts: 901
When I was young (well kinda) and stupid (perhaps still am), I booked Air Canada through Expedia (for TD). The 4.5% effective discount was hard to pass up.
Just got off the phone. Got to an agent after about 30 minutes on hold. He filled out a refund request form for me and sent off to Air Canada. I should be getting an email confirmation that the refund was approved by Air Canada in a couple of weeks, and the actual refund some time after that, but given the volume of requests all these timelines are up in the air.
One thing of note is that once the flight was cancelled back in December, each time I called they could not find them in their system by either their own Expedia itinerary number or the AC booking reference. I actually had to call Air Canada to get the ticket numbers (they were not provided in the booking confirmation email and the itinerary disappeared from Expedia's site) in order to allow Expedia to find my flights in their system. When I called this morning, the Expedia itinerary number was all they needed to be able to pull up the flight details. Weird.
Just got off the phone. Got to an agent after about 30 minutes on hold. He filled out a refund request form for me and sent off to Air Canada. I should be getting an email confirmation that the refund was approved by Air Canada in a couple of weeks, and the actual refund some time after that, but given the volume of requests all these timelines are up in the air.
One thing of note is that once the flight was cancelled back in December, each time I called they could not find them in their system by either their own Expedia itinerary number or the AC booking reference. I actually had to call Air Canada to get the ticket numbers (they were not provided in the booking confirmation email and the itinerary disappeared from Expedia's site) in order to allow Expedia to find my flights in their system. When I called this morning, the Expedia itinerary number was all they needed to be able to pull up the flight details. Weird.
Dear Expedia For TD Customer,
Air Canada recently changed its policy for refunds related to COVID-19 and we are happy to share that your previously cancelled flight booking that resulted in a flight credit is now eligible for a refund.
The Air Canada credit you received has been cancelled and the refund amount will be credited to your original form of payment. No further action is required. Please note due to the large volume of refunds, it may take Air Canada up to 10 days to process your refund, so please allow 1-2 statement cycles for your refund to be received.
Air Canada recently changed its policy for refunds related to COVID-19 and we are happy to share that your previously cancelled flight booking that resulted in a flight credit is now eligible for a refund.
The Air Canada credit you received has been cancelled and the refund amount will be credited to your original form of payment. No further action is required. Please note due to the large volume of refunds, it may take Air Canada up to 10 days to process your refund, so please allow 1-2 statement cycles for your refund to be received.
Jun 17, 2021, 7:25 am
#1614
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 44
I submitted a refund request on April 29, 2021. For a flight that was not supposed to be until February 6, 2021. Currently saying they are processing refunds up to May 10, 2020.
Going to be awhile until they get to mine it looks like.
Is there any value in calling?
Going to be awhile until they get to mine it looks like.
Is there any value in calling?
Jun 17, 2021, 8:48 am
#1615
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: 16,778
Is there any value in calling?
Jun 17, 2021, 9:05 am
#1616
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,585
call AC
Adam is bang on! I called AC about 2 of my cancelled PNRs and the agent processed the refund while I waited.
Saved me the time and effort of completing the claim form - which looks like it was designed by in house legal counsel.
Saved me the time and effort of completing the claim form - which looks like it was designed by in house legal counsel.
Jun 22, 2021, 11:57 am
#1617
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SYR
Posts: 17
$25M is a drop in the bucket for AC.
The suffering this airline put many of us was much more.
I for one will not travel with AC in the future.
The suffering this airline put many of us was much more.
I for one will not travel with AC in the future.
Jun 22, 2021, 2:51 pm
#1618
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DTW
Programs: Alaska, Delta, Southwest
Posts: 1,663
Me neither, for sure. I might consider WestJet (on a Delta ticket) for my flight to Vancouver next Spring, but more likely I'll stick with a U.S. airline.
Jun 23, 2021, 3:19 pm
#1619
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM
Posts: 605
I phoned in regarding 3 bookings which were not getting refunded. Two of them before this mythical May date. Got told a significant problem is bookings which were changed with additional payment, or pre-Amadeus bookings which had been converted. Gift card on the first purchase also sometimes breaks the automation. Those are processed manually. And I guess not prioritized. Assuming there is any priority at all... anyways 2 were resolved by the agent, and the 3rd had a complication but was put into a priority queue for someone with the ability to handle that complication.
Jun 29, 2021, 8:37 pm
#1620
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
Programs: IHG Gold
Posts: 4,820
Refund E Mail for a trip that is still valid?
Received this e mail tonight:
This is not a trip I have cancelled and as far as I know it is still on the go. It shows up as a confirmed booking in my AC/Aeroplan account and in the app (This is a paid fare, not reward)
May give them a call to see what's going on, but if anyone has any experience with similar e mails, I would appreciate their advice. Thanks
Booking Reference Number: xxxxx3
Air Canada is issuing refunds for all tickets with travel dates on or after February 1, 2020 and purchased before April 13, 2021 for flights cancelled either by Air Canada or by you for any reason. Our records indicate that your booking reference number xxxx3 is eligible for a refund.
Air Canada is issuing refunds for all tickets with travel dates on or after February 1, 2020 and purchased before April 13, 2021 for flights cancelled either by Air Canada or by you for any reason. Our records indicate that your booking reference number xxxx3 is eligible for a refund.
May give them a call to see what's going on, but if anyone has any experience with similar e mails, I would appreciate their advice. Thanks