Booked a LAX-YUL flight yesterday, had to cancel a couple of hours before the flight.
Tried via "manage my booking" (about two and a half hours before the flight) - "cancel" was greyed out. Could only cancel my check-in, nothing else.
Tried the call center. Got disconnected a couple of times, then was kept on hold for close to an hour before having to hang up. No response.
Tried via twitter - no response.
Managed to get in touch with the AC ground supervisor for the flight (was in LAX) - he could remove me from the flight but nothing else.
SO is it going to be a pain to get a refund on this ticket ? (comfort fare - also within 24-hour free cancelation window)
- since technically I was a no-show, due to the fact that AC was unavailable via every channel I could try....
(+am trying to contact AC now - "due to high call volume" not even accepting calls...)

Did you try cancelling your checkin, then cancelling the flight?

I am assuming your flight was purchased directly from Air Canada.

There is some user error here so you may have a tougher time getting a refund.

I understand the 24 hour cancelation window does not apply when the fare is purchased so close before departure. However, fare class can still override this.

By checking-in - you have contracted with Air Canada your intention to take the flight and, therefore, not make a same day change or cancel the flight. You checking in caused the flight change options to grey-out.

Canceling your check-in may have re-opened cancelation options unique to your fare class.

You'll have to go through the tariff but I don't think Comfort Fares are refundable up to the moment of departure. I thought it was around -120 or -180 minutes.

You may be able to still request a refund by presenting Air Canada with evidence they made it impossible to speak to an agent. It sounds like you only started this process around -150 minutes which is not a lot of time.

I "had to hang up" after nearly an hour on hold may not be enough effort on your part. During COVID-19 I was able to get more accommodation from Air Canada after showing them I was on hold for 7 or 8 hours and then disconnected.

So, yes, you will be asking Air Canada for a favour combined with the fact it is sometimes difficult to get them to answer the phone.

yes. cancel still greyed out.

Comfort Fare advertises -

• Cancellations can be made up to 45 minutes prior to departure. Exception: Aeroplan flight rewards must be cancelled no later than 2 hours before departure.

Ron.

It is supposed to be possible to cancel up to 45 minutes before departure, per Air Canada.(can't find it now but am sure it's in the website somewhere)

The 24 hour cancellation has been limited by some airlines - I don't recall seeing it on the Air Canada website anywhere or during the booking process.
I'm not sure why there is user error here - I had to cancel my flight shortly before departure - if Air Canada does not offer any practical way to contact them for cancellation within a reasonable amount of time, then I cannot see how they can claim tickets can be cancelled up to 45 minutes before the flight,
Should I have called AC three hours before the flight (before I knew I had to cancel) in anticipation of a long wait ?

So I would definitely write in to AC about this, but for a Comfort fare, I would just change to a different flight on a future date. Then cancel it.

There's some indication elsewhere in the board from Adam Smith that,

"I believe I was the one who pointed that out and the cow just confirmed it. But it's 2 hours before departure to cancel via the app or website. Cancellation can still be done after that, but requires human intervention from AC Reservations, Concierge, or an airport agent."

I did a mock booking and you are correct the 24 hour refundability option is indicated. However, Air Canada requires you to call in to access this so it is the same problem.

You are going to need to convince Air Canada that you actually tried to contact them within the window. They will have internal records about hold times at the relevant time. Having information about you contacting the LAX agent will help your position.

I wonder if the OP is running into the same bug I am with one of my bookings. I can't cancel it online -- the option is grayed out. This happened after I changed one of the flights in the itinerary from PE to J and changed the start city from Toronto to Montreal.

After holding for only 2 hours I reached CS again, and they again advised me to fill in an online refund request.
The refund request link points me back towards my booking, which can no longer be accessed.
So.... all I can do now is send Customer Relations a general note about "Ticketing and Fares" and hope for the best...

If that goes nowhere, worst case, dispute the charge with your credit card. AC cannot deny it can virtually be impossible to reach reservations on the phone in a timely manner.

AC will, I expect, take forever to reply - will have to see up until when I can dispute the charge (have never done so on a US credit card).

Try calling a different times, leave it on hold with speaker on. You can try via facebook also. I had similar exp trying to contact them, it was hard and frustrating

Twitter - 6 days with no reply and counting. Facebook - 3 days....