geordie

I just tried to book 2 FF economy tickets YYZ-LHR-YYZ for April (40K points each). There is only one CP flight per day each way and BA has an embargo after April 11th. There is virtually no chance for me to get on any of these flights as they have been bumping onto these from the other cancelled CP flights.
I did find out something interesting though! The gold desk agent told me that after March 7th I will be able to use CP points for AC flights. She thought this may only apply to domestic and transborder. Has anyone else heard this story yet? If AC allow international booking it will be interesting to see if it is 40K or 60K for the flights!

Shareholder

Interesting news which has been promised once computer system integration was achieved. And noted in a letter sent by CP to its members last week, and posted elsewhere.

This may now be closer than we think. I suspect domestic/transborder would come first since the skeds have been fully rationalized, while international poses problems not the least of which might be with the partner oneworld carriers. The BA embargo is also of interest, since we usually get more than a month's notice about any non-acceptance of redemptions by partner carriers. I'll check this out, since I will be flying BA tomorrow transat ex-YYZ. (I plan to also purchase a discounted BA flight in London for another trip in early April between LHR-BRU. If CP will not be a partner carrier as of April, then my lounge access will not be valid, and my points may not count as Q-miles on CP either. Would divert them to AA account in that case.)

Also, because AC does not have off-season international discounts like CP, it would unlikely accept a booking at 40K even if one could start redeeming CP points on AC flights. Sorry to hear of your predicament.

geordie

It just keeps getting worse! There no CP flights showing in April from YUL or YOW which would have been reasonable alternatives for me. This means CP only have one flight each way per day from Eastern Canada to LHR. What are they using all the aircraft for? Is this the result of retiring all those DC10's? or simply another way of driving away CP revenue to pressure the creditors?

AC*SE

I think some of the A/C capacity is being redirected over the pacific.

CP is operating the vast majority of transpacific service ex- YVR (except for the continuation of AC's YYZ-HKG, and YVR-KIX). CP are taking over SEL and TPE and restarding SYD. I think AC might be operating SHA, but I wouldn't swear to it.

This means the 767-300's are getting pulled from YYZ and sent west, while AC is pulling some 340's out of YVR and sending them East.

CPwingwalker

RE: the BA blackout in April. Quite some time ago I booked a YVR-LHR-LED (St. Petersburg) in First on BA (using CP FF points). When selecting dates the helpful CP agent pointed out that BA had blacked out all CP FF award travel for the two weeks around Easter. Let's hope it was only temporary. Although, at somepoint in late spring/early summer we will all have come to terms with CP's withdrawal from 1W.

KenHamer

The Easter blackout period on BA is standard procedure. I had to move my holidays up a couple of weeks in each of the two last years, to avoid them. No worries other than they might suddenly cancel the BA arrangements without warning.

But the BA/CP awards arrangement is also outside of the oneworld arrangements, so it's possible you might still be able to book on BA after CP pulls out.

In downloadable timetable CP, under Help | CPlus Info | Award Charts, it still shows a series of BE?1/2 and BM?1 awards, which used to be BA awards to Europe and the Middle East/Africa. However, they are now listed under awards available on Canadian Airlines.

American Airlines awards are still listed as they used to be.

geordie

That is exactly what I have ended up doing. I pulled my whole trip in and will return on April 10th NCL to YYZ on BA connecting to CP. Even for this the agent, who was extremely pleasant and helpful, had to request the release of an extra seat on the CP transatlantic flight. It will be worth it! 40K miles versus 60K after May 12th or on AC at any time.

PointWeasel

The reduction of YYZ-LHR service with CP is sort of temporary until June/July - 2 daily non-stops, plus CP takes on YHZ-LHR and YYT-LHR service replacing AC on these routes and the YOW non-stop service will be back for summer as well.

Anyone found other interesting sked changes?