Air travel policy updates

[22Tink]

My experience is with Air Canada, but they did not agree with that in a similar situation that I was entitled to a refund. They cancelled my flight to Orlando earlier this year, and had me flying to Fort Lauderdale. Didn't change my return flight. When I called to cancel and get a refund, they said I wasn't entitled to a refund because I bought a nonrefundable ticket and I was the one canceling the trip. I eventually gave up on trying to argue with them and just took the credit.

How frustrating. I'm still deciding if I want to bother calling and sitting on hold again. Even if they do issue a refund it could take awhile to process and then we can't even use the flight credit if we want to book anything in the meantime. We'll use the credit, I'm just angry at how the whole situation went down.

The difference in policy here has to do with the federal loan given to Air Canada in March. One of the conditions was that they had to issue refunds instead of credits for flight disruptions. WestJet didn’t take a similar loan and has no compulsion to change their policies. Now what I’m not clear on is whether the AC rule change applies retroactively or only going forward. I just booked a bunch of different flights this week on WJ; finally using up all my credits from last year. They are cancel or change with no penalty but there is no refund option on the economy class tickets.

I was booked premium economy because that was the cheapest fare available but that probably doesn't matter in this case. I'm just frustrated because the new flights they offered to replace the ones they cancelled aren't even to the same airport and they had DD and I returning a day later than originally scheduled which means the cost of another night's hotel. I feel like since they can't offer me what I'd paid for they should be giving my money back. That said, I also am scared to have it tied up while waiting for credit so I can't use it to book anything new.

 

[2Lunds]

*cough* That's almost the same cost as DAH event tickets!

LOL - I'd rather let WDW rip me off, at least I'd be having overpriced FUN!

 

[accm]

The difference in policy here has to do with the federal loan given to Air Canada in March. One of the conditions was that they had to issue refunds instead of credits for flight disruptions. WestJet didn’t take a similar loan and has no compulsion to change their policies. Now what I’m not clear on is whether the AC rule change applies retroactively or only going forward. I just booked a bunch of different flights this week on WJ; finally using up all my credits from last year. They are cancel or change with no penalty but there is no refund option on the economy class tickets.

This was before the federal loan, so that condition didn't apply. I was able to retroactively apply for the refund, which has already been processed, but at the time, their agent wouldn't budge that I was canceling my trip, even though I had received an email saying my flight had been canceled and I was booked on a different one

How frustrating. I'm still deciding if I want to bother calling and sitting on hold again. Even if they do issue a refund it could take awhile to process and then we can't even use the flight credit if we want to book anything in the meantime. We'll use the credit, I'm just angry at how the whole situation went down.

I hope you have better luck than I did with WestJet. I feel like both WJ and AC have been screwing around with showing more flights than they'll know they'll operate to get people's money, cancelling them at the last minute, and giving people credits while keeping their money.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I'm in Ontario so it looks like any Shoppers test will suffice. And for anyone else interested I found this for the return to Canada; it's about a $15 Uber:
https://covidtestingllc.com/Beside old town
Prices vary depending on speed. They can do it in half a day.

My question is would I have to return for the results, or will they email them to me. The government websites say that electronic copies of results are valid

Thank you, saved for September just in case.

 

[KNovacovschi]

My DH and I have Nexus and am wondering if anyone knows if Nexus lines are open?

 

[22Tink]

I hope you have better luck than I did with WestJet. I feel like both WJ and AC have been screwing around with showing more flights than they'll know they'll operate to get people's money, cancelling them at the last minute, and giving people credits while keeping their money.

That's just wrong! I don't know if I'm even going to bother calling to argue with them. The hold times are astronomical right now and I'm not even really sure who to call, RBC rewards or WestJet? The thing that really concerns me is if I rebook with this credit and WestJet does this to me again are they going to charge me a cancellation fee next time? So frustrating!!

 

[ronandannette]

This was before the federal loan, so that condition didn't apply. I was able to retroactively apply for the refund, which has already been processed, but at the time, their agent wouldn't budge that I was canceling my trip, even though I had received an email saying my flight had been canceled and I was booked on a different one

I hope you have better luck than I did with WestJet. I feel like both WJ and AC have been screwing around with showing more flights than they'll know they'll operate to get people's money, cancelling them at the last minute, and giving people credits while keeping their money.

You raise a very reasonable suspicion but I sure hope you're wrong. I just booked a whole bunch of domestic flights and I absolutely NEED everything to go as arranged. I guess we'll see.

 

[22Tink]

You raise a very reasonable suspicion but I sure hope you're wrong. I just booked a whole bunch of domestic flights and I absolutely NEED everything to go as arranged. I guess we'll see.

That's how I feel. I can't come home a day later and LAX is much more inconvenient than John Wayne. I booked what I booked because that's what I needed!

 

[accm]

That's just wrong! I don't know if I'm even going to bother calling to argue with them. The hold times are astronomical right now and I'm not even really sure who to call, RBC rewards or WestJet? The thing that really concerns me is if I rebook with this credit and WestJet does this to me again are they going to charge me a cancellation fee next time? So frustrating!!

So, before I booked the AC flight, I had a WestJet flight booked for the same trip. I had cancelled it previously because of a lower price, and rebooked it with the credit. When they changed my flight to having a stop, I was still able to cancel it without a fee. I assume it would be the same for you.

The fact that you booked through rewards I think makes the refund a bit more complicated. I'd probably try calling whoever you booked it through. I'm not sure what you do for work, but generally when I have to make a call that I know will have a long wait *cough* DVC *cough*, I'll do it first thing in the morning and try to get some work while listening to hold music.

 

[22Tink]

So, before I booked the AC flight, I had a WestJet flight booked for the same trip. I had cancelled it previously because of a lower price, and rebooked it with the credit. When they changed my flight to having a stop, I was still able to cancel it without a fee. I assume it would be the same for you.

The fact that you booked through rewards I think makes the refund a bit more complicated. I'd probably try calling whoever you booked it through. I'm not sure what you do for work, but generally when I have to make a call that I know will have a long wait *cough* DVC *cough*, I'll do it first thing in the morning and try to get some work while listening to hold music.

I think you're right, we should be entitled to a refund. My concern with fighting for the refund is will it tie up our points for a long time, preventing us from booking something else? Our covid WestJet refund took 3 months! Our hope is to go in August, which is what I had booked originally. October is our backup plan but if the points are tied up in a refund, I can't use them to rebook. I'm not currently working, so am able to sit on hold at home but the waits have been so long I've had to hang up before talking to anyone because I've had other things to get done. I've probably had 2.5 hours or more of unsuccessfully waiting on hold. Maybe I'll try again first thing tomorrow morning and see if that's better than weekend or evening calls.

 

[Sue M]

I think you're right, we should be entitled to a refund. My concern with fighting for the refund is will it tie up our points for a long time, preventing us from booking something else? Our covid WestJet refund took 3 months! Our hope is to go in August, which is what I had booked originally. October is our backup plan but if the points are tied up in a refund, I can't use them to rebook. I'm not currently working, so am able to sit on hold at home but the waits have been so long I've had to hang up before talking to anyone because I've had other things to get done. I've probably had 2.5 hours or more of unsuccessfully waiting on hold. Maybe I'll try again first thing tomorrow morning and see if that's better than weekend or evening calls.

I don’t understand why Canadian airlines are so problematic. AC one of the worst. I don’t use them anymore after several awful flights. The last one was the straw that broke the camels back. Landed in Toronto, supposed to be 1.5 hr layover, but because of broke plane I didn’t get home till after midnight. Was supposed to be home at 2pm. Not so much as a meal voucher from them.

Alaska flies from YVR and Kelowna. They have good flights to both MCO & Orange (SNL). It’s now my preferred airline. From YVR they have a propeller commuter flight to SeaTac, from there it’s a direct flight to MCO or California DL area. And with their Mastercard you get companion fare, and depending on card, free bag. The customer service is the best I’ve experienced. Just a thought.

 

[22Tink]

I don’t understand why Canadian airlines are so problematic. AC one of the worst. I don’t use them anymore after several awful flights. The last one was the straw that broke the camels back. Landed in Toronto, supposed to be 1.5 hr layover, but because of broke plane I didn’t get home till after midnight. Was supposed to be home at 2pm. Not so much as a meal voucher from them.

Alaska flies from YVR and Kelowna. They have good flights to both MCO & Orange (SNL). It’s now my preferred airline. From YVR they have a propeller commuter flight to SeaTac, from there it’s a direct flight to MCO or California DL area. And with their Mastercard you get companion fare, and depending on card, free bag. The customer service is the best I’ve experienced. Just a thought.

That sounds like an awful experience. It is unfortunate how problematic they are. And expensive! It seems like compared to the US they are anyway. Maybe lack of competition?

Thanks for that suggestion on trying a different airline. WestJet and AC are the only major airlines that fly out of Prince George so that's why we typically use them. I worry about switching airlines at YVR in case of delays and missed flights, but it may give us more flight options in the future. I have an online chat going with WJ, just waiting to hear back, and I will try RBC Rewards yet again today to try to get through to someone. After all this I hope we get some good news soon about border restrictions being lessened!

 

[Sue M]

That sounds like an awful experience. It is unfortunate how problematic they are. And expensive! It seems like compared to the US they are anyway. Maybe lack of competition?

Thanks for that suggestion on trying a different airline. WestJet and AC are the only major airlines that fly out of Prince George so that's why we typically use them. I worry about switching airlines at YVR in case of delays and missed flights, but it may give us more flight options in the future. I have an online chat going with WJ, just waiting to hear back, and I will try RBC Rewards yet again today to try to get through to someone. After all this I hope we get some good news soon about border restrictions being lessened!

Fingers crossed for good travel news soon. This thread has been incredibly helpful about finding Covid tests both coming and leaving. Getting less stressed knowing where I can get this done.
Hope you get some good news from WJ! Just thought I’d throw out option of Alaska Airline. It may mean you’d have to fly in the night before to Yvr & find a cheap airport hotel with shuttle.

 

[OkanaganAmanda]

I'm still confused on what happens to the under 12's.

Say we go away in August. DH and I fully vaxxed by then and let's assume our 12yr old is too (she *should* get second shot before end of July). That leaves our 10 yr old. We ALL get neg tests to get back on the plane, we ALL get tested again at the airport and then.....what? Can we leave, go home, isolate for 1-3 days til our tests come back neg, but our 10yr old stays in quarantine at home? We are not expected to get a hotel for her (and us) are we? My head hurts thinking about all this Is a late August trip even possible?Will our Aulani trip be possible?

This is my exact question, too. My husband and I will be fully vaxxed by end of July. But our 5 and 7 year olds obviously won't. We are currently booked thru Dreams to go to WDW at the end of August. At this point we are ready to officially cancel because there are too many unanswered questions, and everything is so up-in-the-air about time & cost for quarantining. This is already the trip we had had booked from pre-Covid for summer 2020, rebooked it once for a year later.....and still no idea if we can go.

 

[Sue M]

This is my exact question, too. My husband and I will be fully vaxxed by end of July. But our 5 and 7 year olds obviously won't. We are currently booked thru Dreams to go to WDW at the end of August. At this point we are ready to officially cancel because there are too many unanswered questions, and everything is so up-in-the-air about time & cost for quarantining. This is already the trip we had had booked from pre-Covid for summer 2020, rebooked it once for a year later.....and still no idea if we can go.

I’d hold onto your reservation up until the date you can cancel at no cost. I think in the next 2 weeks something should come out. I am fairly sure we won’t have to quarantine

 

[Juventus]

How certain do people feel about the end of the hotel and 14 day quarantine some time in July? Should I feel confident enough to book for the week of August 15 for my wife and I (both fully vaccinated). We want to use airmiles for room and flight out of Toronto. The room would be nonrefundable, the flights may be too.

Making dining reservations starting tomorrow...

 

[wdwmom3]

How certain do people feel about the end of the hotel and 14 day quarantine some time in July? Should I feel confident enough to book for the week of August 15 for my wife and I (both fully vaccinated). We want to use airmiles for room and flight out of Toronto. The room would be nonrefundable, the flights may be too.

Making dining reservations starting tomorrow...

I don’t think anything is certain. I would be fairly confident that fully vaccinated travellers would only need to quarantine while waiting for test results. But you may have to be tested before flying home still.

 

[Juventus]

We're fine with the tests before we leave both ways as things are, and isolating at home until test results. It's the hotel and 2 weeks that we can't do.

 

[bookbabe626]

Yes. The US is accepting antigen (rapid) tests, while Canada will only allow PCR tests (for now).

Technically, Canada accepts more than just PCR tests for entry…there’s a whole list. For example, the Walgreens Rapid ID Now test is an NAAT test that’s acceptable.

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Posted this in the Land Border thread as well:

Next steps on easing travel restrictions will be revealed by Monday: Minister LeBlanc

https://news.paxeditions.com/news/b...ions-will-be-revealed-monday-minister-leblanc