Billionare

I have a Spring Getaway Pass for the West. All the flights to TX, IN, MN & KS hub out of YYZ from YYC, YVR & YEG. Do you think AC would care if I stayed in Toronto and picked up the return hub in YYZ instead of continuing to my US destination?

fly-yul

On the way there I see no problem with your plan except that the pass has a no show fee that may apply for the missed outbound YYZ segment as well.

On the way back it won't work as you will have missed the first segment of that flight and therefore won't be able to use the second segment.

Billionare

What If I use the check-in online and print the boarding pass? Or inform AC that I accidentally missed the connection?

fly-yul

Try it. I think it should work for the outbound. If you are prepared to accept the consequences then go for it.

pitz

You do realize that you are committing fraud (and other offenses) against AC if you deliberately obtain transportation under false pretenses, right?

Seriously, the $570 Western Pass barely covers fuel expenses if you use it more than 4 or 5 times, and the $200 upgrade to the North America pass was made available. Why does everyone and their cousin think its their god-given right to rip off Air Canada?

Stranger

Hmm... I don't think he has been found guilty in a court of law yet.

Perhaps because of a perception that AC thinks they have the god-given right to rip off everyone and their cousin? Right or wrong.

snace

+1 ^


man, some posters get bent out of shape so quickly, and defend "everything AC" to the death.


Billionaire, that is a good idea. This would save me a tonne of money... good luck. I am interested in seeing if this would work.

YOWkid

Do you really think AC is that stupid?

I wouldn't risk it. But then again, knock yourself out and let us know when AC sends you a debit note.

Stranger

He is not a TA. AC can send him all the debit notes they want. Before they can get them to be executed, they'll have to take him to court. Which they likely won't.

And incidentally, talking to my favorite TA about throwing away the last leg, I asked him whether, given that I have done that on occasion, if would want me as a customer, answer was, sure why not, never saw a debit note for that sort of things, happens everyday.

On the other hand, if there are still credits left on the pass, they might freeze these. In which case, our friend would have to take them to court...

Bottom line, it's all an intimidation game. Whether the airlines can charge you less for more or not (i.e. less for a trip with extra legs) has never been tested in court, and I submit the airlines have no interest in having it tested. Better live with the current uncertainty than risking to lose, I guess.

pitz

Notwithstanding all the other comments -- if people start abusing AC's services through loopholes -- AC has a history of simply closing the loopholes.

AC could simply prohibit *all* travel outside a flight pass zone, including connections. This would render your YYZ connections (on the Western pass), or YYC/YVR connections (on the Eastern pass) unavailable, which would diminish the value of the flight passes.

Bottom line is that it only takes a few bad apples misbehaving to spoil it for everyone.

As for AC ripping its customers off, I think you'd be hard pressed to come up with any evidence of that in the current pricing environment. JetA has gone from 80 cents to $3.20 in just a few years, but miraculously, airfares have mostly gone down.

ChrisA330

I believe this is a "prohibited practice" according to AC's filed tariffs. You can conveniently find the tariffs online...page 37 is of note:

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...r%20Canada.pdf

PROHIBITED PRACTICES - 73
A (G) PROHIBITED PRACTICES
AC SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS THE PRACTICES COMMONLY KNOWN
AS:
"BACK TO BACK TICKETING" - THE COMBINATION OF TWO OR
MORE ROUND-TRIP EXCURSION FARES END TO END FOR THE
PURPOSE OF CIRCUMVENTING MINIMUM STAY REQUIREMENTS;
"DUPLICATE BOOKINGS" - CARRIER DOES NOT PERMIT A
PASSENGER TO HOLD MORE THAN ONE CONFIRMED
RESERVATION/TICKET ON THE SAME DEPARTURE FLIGHT/ORIGIN
AND DESTINATION FOR THE SAME TRAVEL DATE.
"THROWAWAY TICKETING" - THE USAGE OF ROUND-TRIP
EXCURSION FARES FOR ONE WAY TRAVEL;
"HIDDEN CITY/POINT BEYOND TICKETING" - THE PURCHASE OF
A FARE FROM A POINT BEFORE THE PASSENGER'S ACTUAL
ORIGIN OR TO A POINT BEYOND THE PASSENGER'S ACTUAL
DESTINATION.ACCORDINGLY, PASSENGER SHALL NOT PURCHASE ONE OR MORE
TICKETS OR USE FLIGHT COUPONS IN ONE OR MORE TICKETS IN
ORDER TO OBTAIN A LOWER FARE THAN WOULD OTHERWISE BE
APPLICABLE.