International Priority Numbers?
 

In the AC app it has an "International" toll free number, in the format 800-1234-5678. I've never seen an 11-digit number like this and I'm having a hard time trying to use it.

I'm in the Caribbean and have tried all of the international "exit codes" I can find (00, 011, 01, etc.) and nothing's working. Even called the operator and he said he'd never seen a phone number like that.

Has anyone else figured out how to get it to work?

In the AC app currently I see +1 800 XXX-XXXX number for Canada, USA, and the Caribbean, an 0800 XXX XXXX for the UK, and an +1 514 XXX-XXXX number for all other areas.

Where do you see the number you mentioned above?

From the Caribbean, I would call a North American number 1-833-xxx-xxxx. Caribbean region is grouped with US and Can for international dialling. Try dialling +1 833 etc from a mobile phone.

Adam Smith , is there a rule on posting actual numbers (they don't do anything if you don't have an appropriate Aeroplan number)?

Can I just post a screenshot here?

I tried this and the local operator played a message saying "the toll free number is not toll free from this region, you will be charged $2/minute."

It's Trinidad, not sure if that counts as Caribbean or South American from a phone perspective.

That recording suggests you are dialling correctly. Trinidad is part of the Caribbean. Do you have Skype or Ring Central?

That's when I tried with the "regular" North American toll free number number. The app shows a separate "international" toll free number, which is the one discussed in the OP, and which I assume should allow me to call toll free from other regions.

In the app, I now see, for both Reservations and concierge, inded an 800 xxx-xxxx number. In the past the 00 800 number worked not just from the UK but most places in Europe. Back when I bought fares which could only be upgraded within a narrow window I used it quite a bit.

Not clear if this 800 numbe is to be preceded by 00 though.

I second using Skype to call a north American toll free number for no charge, it's the only reliable way I can get AC Priority on the phone nowadays when abroad. If you have reliable internet where you are, of course

And there's no need to remember which international trunk codes precede the phone number based on the region you're in if you use the digital trunk code, i.e., the plus sign '+' preceding any number's country code

This is what I see. Not sure why I'm apparently the only person who sees this 11-digit number.

And yes, I've tried the "+" in front of this number too, no luck (just exits the call with no message).

[screenshot removed]
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I see the same. I suspect however other statuses show something else. Seems when I log on to aircanada.com using my wife's aeroplan number I see a 00-800 xxx- xxxx number. When you say the + in front does not work, that may depend upon the country where you are. The toll free number does not work from everywhere.


BTW I believe you should remove the actual numbers.

Didn't they unify the priority numbers sometime recently, and instead they just prioritise you somewhere in the queue based on status?

I wonder if this is just an error in the SE view. I'd be curious to try the one your wife sees to see if it will send me to the SE desk after entering my Aeroplan number.

I think that's Aeroplan

If you are in the Caribbean, I think neither will work anyway. (I would not mind giving the 50k number otherwise). One would need to try from Europe.

This said, I found that using my Rogers plan with roaming enabled, the regular North America numbers work. One probably would need to call from a pay [hone (do these still exist?) or a hotel.

I did some Googling and learned that this is called a "Universal International Freephone Number" (UIFN), and the "country code" is actually "800". So, it's supposed to be dialed as "+800-XXXX-XXXX".

That's what I tried the very first time, but it won't connect, won't give an error message or anything else. No idea why.

Also, confirmed, it is SE only.