Air Canada says customers who changed flights in anticipation of a strike can change them back to their original dates for free. 

Canada’s flag carrier said it reached a tentative, four-year collective agreement with its pilots’ union on Sunday, Sept. 15. The terms of the agreement remain confidential pending a membership vote, with an expected completion date over the next month, and approval by the Air Canada Board of Directors. 

Before the agreement, Air Canada informed passengers it would commence a “three-day wind-down plan,” including flight cancellations ahead of the job action. 

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Canada, the union representing Air Canada’s pilots, could have legally issued a 72-hour strike notice as early as Sunday. Air Canada implemented a Goodwill Rebooking Policy several weeks before the strike deadline, providing time for customers to change their travel dates to avoid possible disruptions. 

Many concerned travellers took advantage of the deal, re-booking their travel outside of the period immediately following the strike deadline. Others expressed concern because they booked codeshare tickets that didn’t meet the policy’s parameters. 

What to do if you re-booked your flights using Air Canada’s Goodwill Rebooking Policy 

Air Canada says customers who changed their scheduled flight between Sept. 15 and Sept. 23 to another date before Nov. 30 can change it back to their original flight in the “same cabin at no extra cost,” space permitting. 

Since Air Canada’s pilots did not strike, any flight disruptions resulting from the proposed job action will be treated as within the carrier’s control. 

Air Passenger Rights founder and president Gabor Lukacs told V.I.A. in a previous interview that any cancellations done preemptively would be considered a “lock out” rather than a strike. This means the carrier has made an economic decision to cancel the flight, rather than being forced to because its employees walked off the job. 

If the customer chooses to travel and Air Canada cancels their flight, it must book them on a competitor airline irrespective of interline agreement. The airline must also provide meals and overnight accommodation, as well as compensation of up to $1,000 per person depending on the length of the delay, as per the rules in the Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

Alternatively, if the traveller chooses not to travel, Air Canada must refund passengers within 14 days to their original form of payment. It must also provide compensation of up to $400 per passenger, Lukacs explained.

Air Canada says its flights are operating normally and passengers shouldn’t be affected. 

Air Canada offers sale on flights 

Travellers can enjoy reduced prices on flights to all destinations as part of Air Canada’s latest sale.

Customers can get 25 per cent off new bookings with 2,500 bonus Aeroplan points until Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 11:59 p.m. The sale is valid on travel until May 31, 2024. 

To search for sale fares, a prospective traveller adds their departing city into the “origin” box and several flights appear with the discount fares. For example, folks from Vancouver can enter Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Air Canada reveals multiple flights to key destinations.

Air Canada also plans to surprise customers at select airports with “tokens of appreciation including Aeroplan points, lounge vouchers, snacks, swag and more.” 

Travellers flying to or from YVR or any other city the airline services can make changes online, through Air Canad’s mobile app, through a travel agent, or by calling an Air Canada Contact Centre (the airline warns that “wait times may be elevated”).

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