Speedy12

I will contact AC/Aeroplan in a month or so.
I don't normally book so early but after booking some wonderful flights (biz and 1st class with Etihad, Emirates and ANA) a few months ago for travel in early Dec, we found out my wife is pregnant with due date in late Jan.
Also have to contact Etihad, Emirates and ANA to see if they will let her fly when she is ~7.5 months pregnant.

As a goodwill gesture, I wonder if AC/Aeroplan will let us cancel and give us a full refund (points & $).

streetcircusdan

I've had a couple "humanitarian" instances like this (although not a pregnancy) where my travel had to be changed. Talk to someone live, wait the call centre out- and to their credit, in my experience AC/Aeroplan were very willing to adjust my travel.

p106_peppy

There's enough time between now and December that there will undoubtedly be a schedule change. And then you can leverage even a minor tweek to a schedule to get a refund.


Edit: Alternatively if there's a schedule change, see if you can leverage that to get your flights moved up a month or two, and then the trip becomes your babymoon.

expert7700

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congrats! Aeroplan has the right to impose standard change fee. Unless Aeroplan had anything to do with the pregnancy

my spouse was cleared to travel until just after 8 months and we travelled 4x a week till then. When researching airline policis, most that I saw had some guidelines but said bring medical clearance note if you don't want a hassle.

SkyLich

Get a letter confirming pregnancy and how far along from her doctor

PES_B1

Don't Aeroplan only charge 75USD anyways for a refund? If you failed to convince them to goodwill you?

Speedy12

Not sure. Never tried it before. I am waiting until 1st trimester is over before contacting them.

thibderoc

Otherwise, try to get a "no-fly permitted" letter from her doctor and check the insurance policy of your credit card.

For the points I can't tell. But Amex refunded me 5 k$ when I had to cancel for the same very happy reason...

bambinomartino

If she's a big gal you might be able to get away without a doctor's note.

Adam Smith

@rt23456p is wrong about the level of the fee - it's C$150 (or C$175 if you call in), unless it's Flex (C$75; C$125 if you phone in) - but that's your worst case scenario. They may or may not waive it as a goodwill gesture if you call in. As @p106_peppy pointed out, this itinerary is quite far out, so there's a decent chance of a schedule change that might allow you re-book, or to cancel with no fee.

Speedy12

I have never booked this far out so have never experienced a schedule change before, how common is a schedule change and what Aeroplan will allow as a result of schedule change.

Thanks for the advice. I will contact them in a month or so (late June/early July) once 1st trimester is over.

She is not a big gal. Not yet anyway.
Getting a doctor's note next month will not be a problem confirming she is pregnant.
Getting a note that she can't fly will likely have to be closer to due date (maybe 2-3 months before).

canadiancow

In the last two weeks, AC published major schedule changes for the rest of the year. All my Q3/Q4 bookings became eligible for free changes/refunds.

They're exceptionally common, and they will happen again before you fly (or don't fly).

Speedy12

Thank you.
These are AC schedule changes?
We will be flying Emirates, Lufthansa, Etihad and ANA. What are chances there will be schedule changes with those flights/airlines? I have never experienced a schedule change other than maybe 1-2 hr flight delay.
4 different bookings:
1) SGN to Paris (with layover in Dubai) via Emirates
2) Frankfurt to London via Lufthansa and then London to Abu Dhabi via Etihad
3) Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur via Etihad and than Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo via ANA
4) Tokyo to SGN via ANA
Would schedule change with one or more of the above entitle us for free cancellation of all flights?

By the way, I called Aeroplan about something else this morning and then I briefly asked about flying when pregnant. He was firm that it would be $150 cad change fee per person. Since there are 2 of us and 4 bookings, we are looking at $150 x 2 x 4 = $1,200 cad.

Or maybe just cancel her flights while I go it alone. LOL. Then only $600 cad cancellation fee.

From my brief research, it appears Air Canada, Emirates and ANA will allow pregnant ladies to fly up until 4 weeks before due date if no pregnancy complications. Within 4 weeks of due date, with complications or expected twins/triplets, medical certificate is required. Etihad will allow only up until 8-10 weeks before due date without medical certificate.
My wife will be 6 to 6.5 weeks before due date for the last flight (Tokyo to SGN).

The Lev

Divorce will cost you far more than $600.

anorg90

Depending on your doctor, you may not need to wait until closer to the due date. Most of us don’t recommend flying after 24 weeks and would happily write a letter saying something to that effect. I haven’t had anyone run into trouble with airline fees when I’ve done that in the past