Air Canada begins refunding passengers grounded by the pandemic

As a condition for Air Canada’s financial assistance package from the federal government, the airline said that customers who purchased a non-refundable ticket for travel on or after February 1, 2020 but did not fly can now obtain a refund by submitting a request online or with their travel agent.

The revised COVID-19 refund policy also covers tickets and Air Canada Vacations packages purchased before April 13, 2021 for flights cancelled either by the airline or by the customer for any reason.

Customers can request a refund online at www.aircanada.com/refund until June 12, 2021.

“Air Canada has revised its booking policies for all future travel,” added Lucie Guillemette, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada in a press release.

“In cases where a customer’s flight is cancelled or rescheduled by more than three hours, we will now offer all customers the choice of receiving a refund, an Air Canada Travel Voucher (ACTV) or the equivalent value in Aeroplan Points with a 65 per cent bonus,” she said.

In addition to the expanded refund policy announced Tuesday, Air Canada customers will continue to have the option of accepting a fully transferrable ACTV with no expiry date or converting the value of their ticket to Aeroplan points with a 65 per cent bonus. Customers who have already accepted an ACTV or Aeroplan points will have the option to exchange these for a refund to the original form of payment, including for the unused portion of any ACTV issued or in cases where a partial refund was provided.

For customers who make voluntary changes, normal fare rules will apply. Air Canada has also extended its existing goodwill policy so that customers can make a one-time change without a fee for all new or existing bookings made through May 31, 2021 for original travel until May 31, 2022.

Since March 2020, Air Canada has already refunded more than $1.2 billion to customers holding refundable tickets

Customers who booked through a travel agency must contact their agent directly. In support of its travel agency partners, Air Canada confirmed that it will not recall agency sales commissions on refunded tickets that they process.

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