tobiashenry

I was told once by an AC phone agent that if a flight has more than 60% capacity, AC could kindly rebook you to another flight free of charge because of COVID. Does anyone have similar experiences? I thought it was only a thing back in the inception of the COVID crisis, but seems like it's still running now.

gcashin

I'm not sure of the exact threshold, but I'd be surprised if it was as low as 60%. My understanding is that AC does send customers an e-mail around T-24 hours if the flight is expected to be above a certain threshold. I received one email for a flight that was 100% full at boarding, and another that went out about 95% full after the e-mail offer to change flights. So I think the current policy is that you're only eligible to change if you receive the "your flight is fairly full" e-mail the day before your flight.

tobiashenry

I was told by the agent that it's like 60%, 70% -80% or sth. I can't remember the %. She told me if I don't receive an email, I can always call and ask. The thing is that I prefer to travel a day earlier! I will report later if it's possible to change my flight!

YOWgary

I have been told 70% by multiple agents.

Adam Smith

I did receive an e-mail as recently as October 22nd, for travel on the 23rd, but it's unclear to me exactly what triggers the e-mail. I've been on close to 70 flights since they initiated this policy, and I think I've only ever received it once for a mainline flight. On many of those, loads were light, but a few days ago, I was on a mainline flight that was 90% full and no e-mail was received.

I have more consistently received these e-mails on Jazz-operated flights, but even then, I think I've been on a couple that were fairly full and yet no e-mail.

They've also done a couple of last-minute downgauges (~24 hours out, 788 -> 321, 320 ->319, DH4 -> DH3) that resulted in much fuller flights and did not result in an e-mail.

If you're really interested in trying to change your flight, the advice to call in is probably best.

gcashin

Adam, perhaps the e-mails with "your flight is fairly full" may only go out to pax traveling in Y, so if you're usually in J on mainline, you wouldn't the e-mails? I guess the logic is that the seat spacing in J already allows for better distancing vs. a packed row of Y seats.

Adam Smith

An interesting theory, but I did receive at least one notification for a mainline flight where I was confirmed in J, so I'm not sure that's the explanation.

gcashin

I'll revert to my original theory of AC just being consistently inconsistent then ;-)

tobiashenry

Just asking if such email to offer to rebook on other AC flights also applies with flights redeemed by Star Alliance Award by non-AC.

Adam Smith

The policy, as posted to the AC website, does not distinguish between tickets booked directly with AC vs other channels. The description is quite brief (see this page, under FAQ), but nothing to indicate that you wouldn't be eligible.

The first thing to do would be to make sure AC has your e-mail - use your booking reference on the AC website to check the contact info on the booking and make sure that it has transferred over from the carrier you booked with; they definitely can't send you an e-mail if they don't have your address

expert7700

did the agent refer to this as red zone?
reminds me of EYW trips with AC Red Alerts during lightning

/there is no parking in the red zone
//the white zone is for immediate loading and unloading only
​

tobiashenry

In fact the agent told me back in November that there are three classification: green, yellow and red.

In order to qualify as red, it must be reaching 70% of the capacity.

I will have one flight with a layover in YVR - let's see what will happen in couple of days.

tobiashenry

Just called AC and they said the flight is full but as the flight is on award booking they can’t do it.

Adam Smith

Because it's an award booking, or because it's an award booking from another airline's program?

I got the e-mail offering to change several times this summer on Aeroplan tickets.

tobiashenry

They told me to call Aeroplan - but it was redeemed by Turkish Airlines and they cant do anything.

Of course, I called Turkish, they are unable to help and ask me to call AC and write a feedback form.