seawolf

IMO, it's not that DOT is holding AC to a lower standard (as it is questionable as to whether there is a binding standard in force to begin with); it's more that other airlines (especially US) know this is not a battle worth fighting US DoT over. Bad for business long term provoking DoT to lay down explicit regulations concerning refunding non-refundable over what essentially is a temporarily liquidity issue. Relatively easy to add regulations but difficult in getting it removed.

AA/DL never attempted to "reinterpret" their end of the CoC concerning refund on schedule changes for tickets already issued. UA did try to reinterpret (eg weasel their way out) the CoC retroactively for a couple of months but since backtracked. I can only speculate US airlines deciding to refund is not/no longer a concern after shoring up their liquidity positions via loans and assistance from Uncle Sam as well as adapting operations to the new normal.

Is Ottawa not providing assistance to AC? Just claim we'll lay off this many employees if you don't.

I don't see much you can do to force a refund because the ticket was essentially paid by Chase (thru your points) and not you so the chargeback route is not available.

mapleg

For anyone who has cancelled and elected to take Aeroplan points plus 65% bonus, could you advise if the points conversion shows up immediately or is it a long drawn out affair? Thanks

Adam Smith

Most people have gotten the points quickly, but some have had to wait a couple weeks. Lots of experiences posted in this thread...

iahphx

Mercifully, I'm only dealing with one sub-$400 ticket to Asia that I paid for with points, so my incentive to spend gobs of time fighting this is relatively low. Especially since the odds are high that I will eventually be able to use the voucher. I also figure there's a good chance AC will relent -- or, more accurately, be forced to relent -- once their finanaces are shored up.

Adam Smith

AC's finances are in excellent shape ($7.5 billion in cash and short-term investments at year end). It's not that they need the money (maybe $1 billion or so), it's that it's interest-free financing, and also leverage to blackmail the government in to giving them even more cheap financing.

zam

Took about 7 weeks for me when I did it a few months ago.

24left

For those of you following this thread. From AC's press release today "Air Canada and Government of Canada Conclude Agreements on Liquidity Program" (Thanks @Aselwyn)

QUOTE:

As part of the financial package, Air Canada has agreed to a number of commitments related to customer refunds, service to regional communities, restrictions on the use of the funds provided, employment and capital expenditures. These include:

• Beginning April 13, 2021, offering eligible customers who purchased non-refundable fares but did not travel due to COVID-19 since February 2020, the option of a refund to the original form of payment. In support of its travel agency partners, Air Canada will not retract agency sales commissions on refunded fares;

https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2021...uidity-Program
.

canadiancow

It'll be interesting to see how they handle people who already took the gift cards.

StarAlliance2005

Eligible Customers who want a refund can get one. Refunds available for people who purchased before or on March 22nd 2020 for flights cancelled by the passenger or the airline. Flights purchased after March 22, 2020 are eligible for a refund if the airline cancelled the flight.

rankourabu

And Aeroplan points.
Doubt the refunds will be proactive too. Or fast.

alchemista

AC's call center already has a message that refunds have to wait until 8AM tomorrow, April 13th.

I had a 3-hour schedule change on a flight that likely won't operate (late May US-YYC). I'd like a refund to original payment. I'm wondering what the best strategy is here - push on the 3-hour schedule change, or instead just say cannot travel due to COVID? I'm leaning towards the COVID explanation, since that is more explicitly mentioned in this government agreement, although it's not clear if it requires AC to cancel the flight? The flight number changed and also switched from United to UE/Skywest, so maybe I should push on that being an actual cancellation of my original flight?

I expect this thread and related threads to be busy, and hopefully we'll know soon some DPs on how this is going to work. The call agent late tonight still said no refunds, and no information about how refunds are going to work at this time.

mileageking

On this one, important to note for travel after Feb 1 2020.

TheCanuckian

AC has launched a refund portal here: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...on-refund.html

TheCanuckian

I just processed a bunch of refunds and AC has certainly made it pretty simple through the portal. We will see, of course, how long they take to actually be refunded.

I had a couple of flights booked through Air Canada for Business and for those I had to call in to the business desk. They answered on the first ring and processed the refunds quickly.

Adam Smith

I phoned in to process a refund this morning (not having seen the posts above about the online portal) and it was done quickly and without fuss.

The agent says that's all they're doing this morning.