Aug 21, 2021, 5:45 pm
Last edit by: Adam Smith
This thread originally contained any and all information relating to flying with AC in the times of COVID. As travel has picked up, much of the discussion has been moved to dedicated threads to make topics easier to follow. Threads that may be of particular interest to those travelling during COVID:
Meal threads:
Schedule changes/refunds - temporary COVID-related policies:
The above threads are in the process of winding down as AC moves away from temporary COVID-related policies. Most questions on schedule changes/refunds should be directed to the thread on AC's new permanent schedule change policies
Other AC-related threads:
Pre-travel e-mails:
Information on immigration rules and procedures, and other government requirements, from the Canada forum:
Airport-related threads containing information that may be relevant to AC passengers, but that are not specific to AC (there are many others in the Canada forum; these are a few that have come up frequently):
(Other threads with immigration/government-related questions not specific to AC can be found on the Canada forum, and experiences and questions on those topics should be posted there)
Meal threads:
- Air Canada Meals (Jul 2021 - ???) - Business Class - North America
- Air Canada Meals (Jul 2021 - ???) - Premium Economy - North America
- Air Canada Meals (Jul 2021 - ???) - Economy - North America
- Air Canada Meals (Jul 2021 - ???) - Business Class - International
Schedule changes/refunds - temporary COVID-related policies:
- Master thread COVID-19/Coronavirus; travel waivers, route changes, AC impacts
- Master thread Air Canada Refunds vs credits; Class action lawsuit filed
The above threads are in the process of winding down as AC moves away from temporary COVID-related policies. Most questions on schedule changes/refunds should be directed to the thread on AC's new permanent schedule change policies
Other AC-related threads:
- Air Canada Clean Care+ program
- MLLs in the time of COVID - re-openings, food, distancing, etc
- Upload your COVID documents online (trial)
Pre-travel e-mails:
Information on immigration rules and procedures, and other government requirements, from the Canada forum:
- Canada entry rules changing; fully vaccinated air travelers allowed
- Canada Will Require Negative COVID-19 Test 72 Hours Before Arrival
- Federal government to require vaccinations for all air and train passengers
Airport-related threads containing information that may be relevant to AC passengers, but that are not specific to AC (there are many others in the Canada forum; these are a few that have come up frequently):
- Flying through YYC 2021 Q3/Q4 (security, connections, construction impact, etc)
- YYZ International Arrivals
- Recent/Current YYZ-USA Preclearance Weekday morning times
(Other threads with immigration/government-related questions not specific to AC can be found on the Canada forum, and experiences and questions on those topics should be posted there)
Is anyone actually flying AC domestic or international in these Covid-filled days?
Jan 4, 2022, 2:25 pm
#1441
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
A data point I saw on a recent flight. Coming back from Cancun there was about a dozen or so passengers on our flight who had a connection on to England. IIRC our flight was delayed leaving Cancun and arrived about 40 mins late in YYZ. Of course upon landing the entire plane stood up in unison like they were at sunday mass. Here comes the England group panicked that they "only have 20 mins to make their connection", other passengers even began yelling "let these people through they have a connection. Move aside". Meanwhile I'm quietly mumbling to myself and my wife, if their connection is an Air Canada flight then it's Air Canada's problem and they will hold the flight (caveat unless the tickets were on different PnR's). If it's some other airline (BA) than no amount of screaching will likely get them to the gate in time to make that flight. At minimum they should have spoken to a FA and discussed the timing of their connection, rather than try to storm off the plane.
Anyway, point is we live not in a "me first" society, it has become a "me only" society. And crap like this is what results.
Anyway, point is we live not in a "me first" society, it has become a "me only" society. And crap like this is what results.
Really good SDs will manage the process, go get all of the delayed pax, and make sure that 50 additional people don't take advantage of it to get off earlier than they otherwise would. But most don't.
And if the cabin crew haven't somehow coordinated this process, how do I know these people really do have a tight connection?
Not true. They might or might not, depending on the cost of delaying the flight vs the cost of re-booking the passengers, including any potential compensation.
Jan 4, 2022, 3:57 pm
#1443
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: air miles
Posts: 283
My understanding is that if they miss their connecting flight due to an Air Canada delay, that AC is responsible to get them to their destination at AC's cost. Be it getting them on a later flight, on another (partner) airlines flight, or putting them up in a hotel for the night until the next days flight (in the case where there are only single daily flights). And I assumed based on this that AC would rather hold the flight until the passenger(s) board rather incur the costs in doing the above.
Am I wrong?
^This^
Am I wrong?
The problem with this sitting down until connecting passengers come through is that FAs usually do a terrible job of managing the process, even when they make an announcement. They often just make an announcement and then sit around. As someone sitting towards the front of the plane, how do I know when all the delayed pax have gone past? What do I do when the FA announces there are 8 delayed pax but 15 people have gone past me? It's possible a bunch of those people were just people who needed to move out of the way for the connecting pax to get out of their seats, and that there are still more connecting pax to come. But it's also possible all 8 connecting pax have gone past me and now it's just people from the back deciding they may as well enjoy the ability to not line up to get off.
Really good SDs will manage the process, go get all of the delayed pax, and make sure that 50 additional people don't take advantage of it to get off earlier than they otherwise would. But most don't.
And if the cabin crew haven't somehow coordinated this process, how do I know these people really do have a tight connection?
Not true. They might or might not, depending on the cost of delaying the flight vs the cost of re-booking the passengers, including any potential compensation.
Really good SDs will manage the process, go get all of the delayed pax, and make sure that 50 additional people don't take advantage of it to get off earlier than they otherwise would. But most don't.
And if the cabin crew haven't somehow coordinated this process, how do I know these people really do have a tight connection?
Not true. They might or might not, depending on the cost of delaying the flight vs the cost of re-booking the passengers, including any potential compensation.
Jan 5, 2022, 1:13 am
#1444
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: 44,353
They might or might not.
But I'm certainly not the only FTer who's appeared at an AC gate at T-14 only to be told they closed the door 2 minutes ago, with 20 other pax behind me from the same AC flight.
In fact, I've heard this over the radio a concierge was holding while trying to get multiple SEs to their destination. At T-14.
So I'd lean towards "might not".
And I don't even disagree in the general sense. Nothing like a 40 minute connection somewhere as they announce they're delaying to await connecting passengers.
Jan 5, 2022, 7:39 am
#1445
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,521
That's correct.
They might or might not.
But I'm certainly not the only FTer who's appeared at an AC gate at T-14 only to be told they closed the door 2 minutes ago, with 20 other pax behind me from the same AC flight.
In fact, I've heard this over the radio a concierge was holding while trying to get multiple SEs to their destination. At T-14.
So I'd lean towards "might not".
And I don't even disagree in the general sense. Nothing like a 40 minute connection somewhere as they announce they're delaying to await connecting passengers.
They might or might not.
But I'm certainly not the only FTer who's appeared at an AC gate at T-14 only to be told they closed the door 2 minutes ago, with 20 other pax behind me from the same AC flight.
In fact, I've heard this over the radio a concierge was holding while trying to get multiple SEs to their destination. At T-14.
So I'd lean towards "might not".
And I don't even disagree in the general sense. Nothing like a 40 minute connection somewhere as they announce they're delaying to await connecting passengers.
Jan 5, 2022, 11:49 pm
#1446
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: AC 75k
Posts: 704
Yeah, we had a similar multihousehold multiairport coordination go awry years ago when we were delayed. SIL was held up in YYZ bc they couldn't find her luggage. We landed at YOW and saw her bags sitting at the unclaimed spot on the downward escalator while she was still held at YYZ.
Particular ribbons on one's luggage are actually helpful.
Particular ribbons on one's luggage are actually helpful.
Jan 6, 2022, 9:29 am
#1447
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,732
You only have to be on the same flight as your luggage if you had any control over the situation.
So, for example, if I check my bags on the 12:00, I can't then standby onto the 11:00.
If I check bags onto the 12:00 and no-show / IDB / VDB, they can't let the flight take off with my bags and not me.
...but if I check bags onto the 11:00, the bag handlers lose them and send them on the 12:00 to fix the problem, I don't need to be removed from the flight.
Similarly, during IRROPS, it's possible that they'll send the bag on an earlier flight and not tell me. I hate it when they do this - at least, when they do it and then leave my bag sitting out in a stack in the terminal for several hours - but it's not considered a security risk to the flight.
So, for example, if I check my bags on the 12:00, I can't then standby onto the 11:00.
If I check bags onto the 12:00 and no-show / IDB / VDB, they can't let the flight take off with my bags and not me.
...but if I check bags onto the 11:00, the bag handlers lose them and send them on the 12:00 to fix the problem, I don't need to be removed from the flight.
Similarly, during IRROPS, it's possible that they'll send the bag on an earlier flight and not tell me. I hate it when they do this - at least, when they do it and then leave my bag sitting out in a stack in the terminal for several hours - but it's not considered a security risk to the flight.
Jan 6, 2022, 10:49 am
#1448
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,521
You only have to be on the same flight as your luggage if you had any control over the situation.
So, for example, if I check my bags on the 12:00, I can't then standby onto the 11:00.
If I check bags onto the 12:00 and no-show / IDB / VDB, they can't let the flight take off with my bags and not me.
...but if I check bags onto the 11:00, the bag handlers lose them and send them on the 12:00 to fix the problem, I don't need to be removed from the flight.
Similarly, during IRROPS, it's possible that they'll send the bag on an earlier flight and not tell me. I hate it when they do this - at least, when they do it and then leave my bag sitting out in a stack in the terminal for several hours - but it's not considered a security risk to the flight.
So, for example, if I check my bags on the 12:00, I can't then standby onto the 11:00.
If I check bags onto the 12:00 and no-show / IDB / VDB, they can't let the flight take off with my bags and not me.
...but if I check bags onto the 11:00, the bag handlers lose them and send them on the 12:00 to fix the problem, I don't need to be removed from the flight.
Similarly, during IRROPS, it's possible that they'll send the bag on an earlier flight and not tell me. I hate it when they do this - at least, when they do it and then leave my bag sitting out in a stack in the terminal for several hours - but it's not considered a security risk to the flight.
Jan 16, 2022, 6:50 pm
#1449
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: 44,353
So I've been trying to figure out why most or my BPs say SIXF lately.
Apparently there's a special keyword (SIXF) added to most of my PNRs. Glad we sorted that out.
But what it really means is that I'm taking a sixth freedom flight.
DEL-SFO, LHR-SFO, etc.
And they actually print this on the BP now. I do not think they did this 8 months ago. So I'm not sure if it has anyone to do with COVID.
Apparently there's a special keyword (SIXF) added to most of my PNRs. Glad we sorted that out.
But what it really means is that I'm taking a sixth freedom flight.
DEL-SFO, LHR-SFO, etc.
And they actually print this on the BP now. I do not think they did this 8 months ago. So I'm not sure if it has anyone to do with COVID.
Jan 30, 2022, 4:37 pm
#1454
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: 44,353
Jan 30, 2022, 5:22 pm
#1455
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171