montrealer

We al know AC is forcing people on flights they have cancelled to take a travel credit rather than a refund, if they were on non-refundable tickets.
What's happening these days with cancelled travel on discounted but refundable (with penalty) tickets, for instance certain N and P fares? If and when AC cancels the flight, do they a) force you to take a travel credit, b) refund completely, or c) let you choose between full travel credit or refund minus penalty?

I'm sitting on a couple such tickets for June/July, not yet covered by any AC special treatment, good or bad. Trying to decide whether to cancel pre-emptively and eat the (not insignificant!) penalty, or wait it out and see how the situation -- and AC's response -- evolves, at therefore perhaps save the penalty. What's happening to such already-affected tickets for travel in the coming weeks might be relevant intel....thanks!

(Not trying to launch yet another discussion of what *should* be appropriate behaviour by AC, merely to figure out best tactics given the slalom gates as they are...)

ABG

There is no change in policy.... if you voluntary cancel your trip you can refund, minus the penalty
this is already discussed in main thread about COVID IRROPS
The new policy is for involuntary cancels (from 18 March schd change notifications) that the penalty still applies and is not waived without some other rule superseding that (EC261 for example)

montrealer

Thank you. I'm interpreting this as: in event of a future involuntary cancel, you will hopefully continue to be able to choose whether to take the full credit (if within the travel window in which that policy applies at the time), or get a refund minus penalty; your opportunity to take refund-less-penalty should not be removed by an involuntary cancellation occurring.

ABG

Emphasis on *hopefully*
My crystal ball was sent out for repair back in early March, don't expect it back anytime soon

nmpls

I cancelled a P class trip to Japan yesterday. I was offered a card refund minus the usual cancellation fee plus some extra fees which seemed kind of BS. My $3600 fare would have netted a refund of $2500.
I was rescheduling the trip to fall so I took the credit and spent it immediately.
The AC rebooking feature is broken as hell though. It would not let me rebook in business class, only Y (and it seems full fare Y because the ticket was only $17 cheaper), so I had to cancel and rebook. What I am curious is if I'd booked full fare, full refundable Y with my change, could I have gotten a full refund? I assume not.

Adam Smith

No. The original rules re refund would still apply.

The website doesn't work well for so many things. If it wasn't giving you acceptable options, you could have called in.

emma69

Could you elaborate on what those extra fees were? I am about to do something similar, and was banking on it just being the $500 cancellation fee as stated on the ticket T&C

nmpls

It was some claimed fees that must have been bundled in the ticket because my receipt only showed $110 in taxes and fees.
If you hit cancel on the webpage, it gives you the choice (and I think gives you a way to back out), so you can preview before making a choice.

Asiana only charged me $300 total for a cash cancel, done on the same day, AC seems a bit cheap here.

Adam Smith

Penalties to cancel+refund are specified in the fare rules. If you cancelled and got a refund less a cancellation fee, that's not the same as the fees/taxes that were charged when you first booked.

beep88

N fare to Japan cancelled with 200 CAD cancellation fee

Refund back to credit card 2 days later = Total amount paid - $200

On the refund statement it states:

NON-REFUNDABLE FEES
Air transportation charges -0.00
Taxes, fees and charges -0.00
Total non-refundable fees -0.00

taupo

I'm booked P YLW-VER (Italy)-YLW early June.
Ticket is refundable subject to $600 cancellation fee.
Is it correct that EC261 does NOT apply because the ticketed flight originates outside of EU?

emma69

Thanks. Spoke to call centre person today (who was very calm and courteous, considering the pressure they must be under I was very impressed) and they confirmed $500 penalty, the rest refunded. Just trying to work out if my insurance covers me for the $500. Then I have the fun game of doing it all again with Alaska for the middle flight!

skybluesea

delete

taupo

Not cancelled.
Thank you for the link

canadiancow

EC 261 is much more than just compensation for flight cancellations.