Adam Smith

So they're offering VRN-FRA-EWR? But you'd prefer VIE-FRA-YYZ-BDL? AC offers the ability to re-book to another airport within 200 miles of the original origin/destination, as long as they're both served by AC. It looks like EWR/BDL are well within that range. That being said, based on my past experience, AC agents are generally not familiar with this policy, and the reservations system doesn't allow it by default. They're trained, and the computer system will give them options, to re-book people to sister cities (e.g. EWR and LGA), but not within the 200-mile limit.

A two-month date shift, not going to happen. Up to a month, maybe. What appears to be the latest version of AC's schedule change policy says you can re-book +/- 30 days, if you've had a schedule change of more than 3 hours. If it's under 3 hours, you can only shift +/- 7 days.

But keep in mind the policy should also dictate that you fly AC on the TATL leg, so if you ask to shift to BDL, they may not let you keep LH on the TATL leg, they may force you to take AC through YYZ, i.e. VRN-FRA-YYZ-BDL.

It's not uncommon for AC to contradict itself.

newfbc

Booked a flight this week for a friend to go to a wedding in August.. YVR-YYZ return.. being a good friend I booked the lowest point cost flights.

The return was via YOW, 2.5hr layover. Got an email from Air Canada today to let me know there was a change in the arrival of the YYZ-YOW flight by 3 minutes. This allowed me to change all flights to any scheduled flights on or around days booked. Thanks Air Canada! He's now on a direct YYZ-YVR.

Ron.

Seanish

Guess I will have to call after all. I picked a streamlined itinerary with LH and SIN for the transatlantic legs and the system told me it could not be confirmed and that I had to call the 1888 number. Tried multiple times and just LH too. Yuck.

The Ivory Actuary

Booked directly with aircanada.com return flights YEG-YYZ in August. A few minor schedule changes so far (departure 5 minutes earlier on the outbound, arrival 15 minutes later on the return) and I don't believe I was required to accept the changes.

Today I get an email saying ACTION REQUIRED and I notice there have been two more minor changes as described above. Completely inconsequential to me and I'm happy to accept them - except there appears to be no way to acknowledge and accept the changes online. When I access my booking online, I get the message: "There has been a change in schedule, and not all your flights have been rebooked. Please contact your original booking source for assistance."

Slightly unnerving - are my confirmed tickets no longer confirmed? Is Air Canada really going to make me spend hours on hold to confirm that I'll be at the airport 5 minutes earlier???

StuMcIlwain

Check the Cowtool and see what it says: https://api.ft.canadiancow.com/pnr/pnr . Everything is probably fine. The same thing just happened to me.

loganre17

What's the potential outcome on confirmed eUps with schedule changes? Have the sub $200-BKK fare booked and just received a schedule change (it's nothing, just a change of the codeshare number, still TG operated).

Want to ensure my eUp is still confirmed. I can't see as I can't accept the changes online and must call in...oddly.

The Ivory Actuary

Thank you! It says status is TK (confirmed, timechange) so I assume I dont need to do anything. Your help is much appreciated.

jix

Between my ticket date (May 5) and flight date this week, there's a time change of 10 minutes and equipment swap from 220 to 320, but these were not reflected on ac.com or the tool (showing HK) and never any email notification. Granted I don't care much for this particular change but is it possible that AC can make these changes without notifying passenger?

I separately had a change on another AC flight, with no time change and just flight number change instead, and it was promptly notified thru email and also showing on booking online and tracked by EF.

Marty McFly

Got it, but I'm concerned about further cuts or just general AC incompetence of the type that has been ruining people's plans.

There's a suitable WestJet itinerary available at a comparable price. Should I buy that one and cancel AC?

Denguin

I really don't think you need to worry about an early AM YVR-YYZ type route being cut much more. It's such a high yield route, and during a peak travel time nonetheless. Delays are another story...

It's your call, but even if there were further cuts to happen, I'd rather be with the airline that has much greater frequency and capacity, and therefore greater ability to provide alternative options.

YYCCL3

I have had a few schedule changes on this fare and the eUp has held steady. Unlikely that would change with the TG flight number changing (I have the same change and the AC operated segments are still HK in R). Agree its idiotic to have to call in just to accept a codeshare number changing when nothing else has changed. Personally I'm not going to call in until I have something else meaningful to call about and just tack this one on to the end of the call.

Marty McFly

Excellent points. Thank you.

pmblinn

High-level DP: I recently received notice of what I considered to be a minor (<2hr.) schedule change on an upcoming return J itinerary from EUR-LAX via YVR. For kicks, I used the "search for alternative flights" link to see what was being offered. Among alternative flights was a EUR-LAX non-stop on partner metal, getting us in to LAX a full 5 hrs. earlier than the original itinerary and at no additional cost.

I repeatedly got an error when I selected the flight, but figured I'd call in and see if it was actually a legal change*. (After reading about AC IT, I really thought it was too good to be true, so was not expecting anything.) Sure enough, after about an hour on hold, the agent was able to make the change to the partner non-stop.

I consider this to be a truly generous itinerary change by AC and will continue to grow my loyalty with the airline.

* Disclaimer: I actually outsourced the call to my wife who works in the industry and is much more patient than me.

canadiancow

That is in strict contradiction to the last schedule change policy I read, which was very clear that the over-water segment had to be on AC metal.

pmblinn

And yet...

Also, as so often happens during reticketing, we were rebooked into a more generous-earning fare class on the partner. So yes, I'm driving straight to Vegas, and yes, I'm stopping at every liquor store on the way to buy lotto tickets.