Travel

AIr Canada tickets - Can we cancel or not ?

  • Last Updated:
  • Mar 31st, 2022 12:59 pm
Deal Addict
Jul 23, 2008
1245 posts
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Montréal

AIr Canada tickets - Can we cancel or not ?

Hi !
We are looking to buy tickets to go to France next summer. IT,s not clear if we can cancel those tickets (for a voucher) or not.
In a place it says :
''Need to cancel? Save the value for future travel – If you need to cancel a booking, the full value can be transferred to an Air Canada Travel Voucher, which never expires and is fully transferrable, or converted into Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus. Refundable tickets are always refundable.''

And in another '' You selected Economy Basic. This fare comes with a few restrictions. Compare it with our Economy Standard fare to be sure you’re making the right choice. Learn moreOpens in a new window
You've selected Basic Lowest fare – fewer options
No free bags - 1st bag: $ 70 (CAD)
No refund, no credit

Anyone know something about that ?
24 replies
Deal Addict
Oct 3, 2013
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West
Yes. The "no credit" T&Cs of the Basic fare are overridden by the current flexibility policy.
Deal Addict
Jul 23, 2008
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Montréal
Phonophoresis wrote: Yes. The "no credit" T&Cs of the Basic fare are overridden by the current flexibility policy.
Thanks ! And that flexibility is avaible only until January 31 ?
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Jan 12, 2017
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So if I upgrade my standard economy booking to latitude. 56k extra AP's needed... I can later cancel free of charge and no fees? I had originally booked in Oct 2021 for Jan2022 trip but then rebooked it to July 2022..say I can't make it in july... Tia
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Deal Addict
Mar 3, 2009
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mikka2017 wrote: So if I upgrade my standard economy booking to latitude. 56k extra AP's needed... I can later cancel free of charge and no fees? I had originally booked in Oct 2021 for Jan2022 trip but then rebooked it to July 2022..say I can't make it in july... Tia
The rules of the original booking apply even if you upfare.

Was the fare in October not refundable due to COVID rules? I can't remember when it changed.
Deal Addict
Oct 3, 2013
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dr_torch wrote: The rules of the original booking apply even if you upfare.

Was the fare in October not refundable due to COVID rules? I can't remember when it changed.
Some people have allegedly been reporting otherwise. I cannot confirm myself, as I've never done this... hopefully others with recent experience trying this can chime in.
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
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Unless the cancellation flexibility in post 4 above goes away, I suggest waiting until the very last possible minute to exercise the option. If you're lucky, the flight itself will either be cancelled or changed so much you can cancel for a refund.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
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Sep 1, 2005
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No matter what you do, take screenshots of terms for proof if needed to cover yourself.

I do this for all of my hotel bookings, flight bookings etc.
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...

Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
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Mar 30, 2004
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dr_torch wrote: The rules of the original booking apply even if you upfare.

Was the fare in October not refundable due to COVID rules? I can't remember when it changed.
If it was a points booking, I believe Aeroplan's free cancellation policy ended at the end of September, but could be wrong. They still have a change waiver but if you cancel you have to pay to get your points back.

If it was a cash booking, then the cancel for credit was definitely in place then.
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Mar 12, 2014
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Their flexible policy is kind of a joke...

I booked a YUL-CDG-YUL for March a week ago, and 3 days after I called to change the ticket (return +1 day).
Even if the total price on AC website is exactly the same as the one I booked (3$ for the roundtrip ticket, all the remaining in taxes....), they ask me for almost 47$ pretending there is a new international tax applicable (tax not showing if I book a new ticket, or wasn't charged a week ago...). They cannot explain or do anything but tell me that's what the system shoes when recalculating as original purchase days.
Of course, I could cancel the entire ticket and book again for the same price but new return date, but they say it takes 6 weeks to get the credit voucher, and no way to rush that either.

So not impressed, all they can tell is "hope there's a flight time change, even a minute, so we would change the date without recalculation..."
Deal Addict
Mar 3, 2009
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ben85deals wrote: Their flexible policy is kind of a joke...

I booked a YUL-CDG-YUL for March a week ago, and 3 days after I called to change the ticket (return +1 day).
Even if the total price on AC website is exactly the same as the one I booked (3$ for the roundtrip ticket, all the remaining in taxes....), they ask me for almost 47$ pretending there is a new international tax applicable (tax not showing if I book a new ticket, or wasn't charged a week ago...). They cannot explain or do anything but tell me that's what the system shoes when recalculating as original purchase days.
Of course, I could cancel the entire ticket and book again for the same price but new return date, but they say it takes 6 weeks to get the credit voucher, and no way to rush that either.

So not impressed, all they can tell is "hope there's a flight time change, even a minute, so we would change the date without recalculation..."
Did you try to make the change online? That way you don't need to speak to an agent.
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Mar 12, 2014
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dr_torch wrote: Did you try to make the change online? That way you don't need to speak to an agent.
I didn't even think about doing it online...!
It's +24$ online, way better than 47$, thanks a lot!!
Deal Addict
Mar 3, 2009
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ben85deals wrote: I didn't even think about doing it online...!
It's +24$ online, way better than 47$, thanks a lot!!
I've been flying with Air Canada for a long time but right now customer service is just the worst I have ever seen. I feel they are not training anybody and agents simply make up things as they go along.
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Mar 3, 2009
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ben85deals wrote: It's +24$ online, way better than 47$, thanks a lot!!
This could be a difference with EUR to CAD exchange rate. You would have to look at the fare breakdown to know for sure.
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Mar 12, 2014
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dr_torch wrote: This could be a difference with EUR to CAD exchange rate. You would have to look at the fare breakdown to know for sure.
You're so right, probably just the conversion rate like you say...
And I bet the difference with CSR is because they charge an extra fee over the phone they obviously don't mention

Anyways, big thank you!!
Deal Fanatic
Mar 21, 2010
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ben85deals wrote: You're so right, probably just the conversion rate like you say...
And I bet the difference with CSR is because they charge an extra fee over the phone they obviously don't mention

Anyways, big thank you!!
Yes, they do. I may be wrong about the amount but last year I seem to recall they charge $25 to do something with a person that you could ordinarily do yourself online. I had to ask them to waive it (which they did with no issues) because for some reason the online system didn't let me do what I wanted to.
Jr. Member
Sep 3, 2020
122 posts
139 upvotes
Sorry for reviving this thread.

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/hom ... id-19.html#/
Now it says 'Unlimited changes. No change fees. Only until April 30th.' and still has the below.

'Need to cancel? Save the value for future travel – If you need to cancel a booking, the full value can be transferred to an Air Canada Travel Voucher, which never expires and is fully transferrable, or converted into Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus. Refundable tickets are always refundable.'

Does anyone know if it means that if I made the cancellation or if I made the ticket purchase before April 30th I could get the full value to a voucher even for standard economy ticket that says 'non-refundable'?

Thanks!
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Oct 3, 2013
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ValeDecem wrote: Does anyone know if it means that if I made the cancellation or if I made the ticket purchase before April 30th I could get the full value to a voucher even for standard economy ticket that says 'non-refundable'?

Thanks!
Yes, you can. In this context, “refundability” is a word that has to do with return to original form of payment without penalty. All non-refundable tickets are still eligible for credit, currently.

The policy is the same as it was, just extended on a rolling basis.
Last edited by Phonophoresis on Mar 31st, 2022 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

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