Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
National

Air Canada Announces New Schedule Offering Customers Wide Choice of Destinations for Safe Travel this Summer and Expands Goodwill Policy

Darpan News Desk Air Canada, 23 May, 2020 04:28 AM
  • Air Canada Announces New Schedule Offering Customers Wide Choice of Destinations for Safe Travel this Summer and Expands Goodwill Policy

Air Canada is offering customers a choice of nearly 100 destinations in Canada, the U.S. and around the world with an abridged schedule this summer. To ensure customers can book with confidence, the airline has implemented the Air Canada CleanCare+ biosecurity program and is introducing new cancellation options retroactive to March 1, 2020, to give customers greater flexibility and choice should their travel plans change for any reason. "Air Canada has put in place an abridged summer schedule offering a choice of nearly 100 destinations across Canada, in the U.S. and internationally.

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, during which as much as 95 per cent of our flights stopped operating and which has left us flying to less than half last year's destinations, our customers are expressing their eagerness to travel, where it is safe to do so. We are accordingly gradually opening for sale flights for the summer and beyond as we rebuild our network, leveraging our strong position as a global airline. Air Canada is ready for take-off, and we look forward to welcoming our customers onboard," said Lucie Guillemette, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada. "While the world is making great progress against COVID-19, we know we must remain vigilant, which includes being flexible. This is why we are introducing two new solutions for customers should their travel plans change. In addition to our regular goodwill policies, starting June 1 we will offer customers the choice of a travel voucher with no expiry date that is fully transferable or to convert their booking into Aeroplan Miles and get an additional 65% bonus miles. Both options, retroactive to March 1, give customers greater confidence and flexibility to plan and book travel with Air Canada," said Ms. Guillemette. "Finally, to further ensure the safety of our customers and employees, we have introduced Air Canada CleanCare+, a comprehensive biosecurity program to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19. Air Canada CleanCare+ works through multi-layered measures that limit unnecessary interactions, require the use of personal protective equipment and employ state-of-the-art cleaning techniques onboard our aircraft. We have further committed to adopt new strategies and technologies as they become available."

Summer Schedule Due to COVID-19, Air Canada has had to abridge its selling schedule for summer 2020, with 97 destinations down from 220 last year, which nonetheless offers wide opportunities for travel and connectivity. Within Canada, the schedule will increase from 34 routes in May to 58 routes in June, with more routes added in August and September.

Air Canada has also updated its schedule until the end of July with resumption of some services to the U.S., Caribbean, South American, European and Pacific markets. As part of the new schedule, in accordance with provisions for air travel to the U.S. for Canadians, Air Canada will resume service to the U.S. on May 22, with six destinations being served by May 25, including New York-LaGuardia, Washington-Dulles, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and Chicago. This is a reduction from 53 U.S. destinations served last year. There are tentative plans to resume more U.S. service as of June 22, pending regulatory changes and demand.

For information on travel to the U.S. please see https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1596?language=en_US Internationally, Air Canada will continue to operate from its major hubs to key global destinations in June. This includes service from Toronto to Frankfurt, London, Zurich, Tokyo and Tel Aviv; from Montreal to Frankfurt, London, Paris and Brussels; and from Vancouver to London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Seoul. International services will expand further starting in June and early July, including: Montreal to Athens, Rome, Geneva; Toronto to Munich, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Rome and Athens; Calgary to Frankfurt; and, subject to government approval, Vancouver to Shanghai. Flexible Booking and Cancellation Policies Under a revised goodwill policy, new bookings made up to June 30, 2020 can be changed without fees for original travel between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. In cases where Air Canada cancels flights due to COVID-19, customers with refundable tickets will continue to have the option of refunds.

Since January 1, 2020, Air Canada has refunded nearly $1 billion to customers. Both customers with refundable and non-refundable tickets will have two new options to choose from: An Air Canada Travel Voucher for the remaining value of their ticket that has no expiry date, is fully transferable and retains any residual value or; The ability to convert the remaining value of their ticket into Aeroplan Miles, with 65 per cent more value versus the normal rate for buying Miles.

For voluntary changes, customers with refundable tickets will continue to have the option of refunds or the above new options. For Air Canada customers with non-refundable tickets making voluntary changes on tickets issued up to June 30, 2020, with an original travel date between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 inclusive, they have the option to choose from the two above new options of an Air Canada Travel Voucher or Aeroplan Miles. The new goodwill policies and cancellation options are retroactive for customers with original travel between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

Customers whose flights have been cancelled due to the impacts of COVID-19 and who have already received travel credit valid for 24 months, will be able to select one of the applicable options depending on their fare at aircanada.com beginning June 15, 2020. Customers with Aeroplan Flight Rewards can continue to cancel their redemption bookings free of charge through June 30, 2020. For more information on Air Canada's pandemic response, including information about Air Canada ClearCare+ and its revised summer schedule and goodwill policies, please see aircanada.com/readyfortakeoff.

MORE National ARTICLES

The federal government has made another multimillion-dollar investment into the development of the F-35 stealth fighter despite no guarantee it will buy the aircraft.

The federal government has made another multimillion-dollar investment into the development of the F-35 stealth fighter despite no guarantee it will buy the aircraft.
The federal government has extended the $19-billion competition to replace Canada's aging CF-18s by another month because of COVID-19 — one week after it made another multimillion-dollar investment into the development of the F-35 stealth fighter jet.

The federal government has made another multimillion-dollar investment into the development of the F-35 stealth fighter despite no guarantee it will buy the aircraft.

B.C. to hold consultations on the 2021 budget but all gatherings will be virtual

B.C. to hold consultations on the 2021 budget but all gatherings will be virtual
British Columbia's all-party legislative committee will hold public consultations on the upcoming provincial budget despite restrictions by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services says in a statement the consultation process for the 2021 budget will get underway June 1.    

B.C. to hold consultations on the 2021 budget but all gatherings will be virtual

A quick look at British Columbia's COVID-19 reopening plan

A quick look at British Columbia's COVID-19 reopening plan
The B.C. government has outlined its plan to reopen the BC economy Mid May during the COVID-19 pandemic under guidelines aimed at controlling the spread of the virus. 

A quick look at British Columbia's COVID-19 reopening plan

Vancouver Police make substantial drugs & weapons seizure

Vancouver Police make substantial drugs & weapons seizure
Vancouver Police have seized nearly $3 million worth of street drugs and eight handguns after a four-month investigation into the flow of illicit opioids into Metro Vancouver. Early in 2020, the VPD’s Organized Crime Section launched Project Transit to target offenders engaged in the distribution of illegal opioids.           

Vancouver Police make substantial drugs & weapons seizure

No school-made gifts for mom this year. Dads, get to work

No school-made gifts for mom this year. Dads, get to work
At first, the Facebook meme made me laugh: “What are dads going to do when they realize their kids aren’t bringing home any Mother’s Day gifts from school?” Then it hit me: What AM I going to do?! This Mother’s Day, of course, is different.

No school-made gifts for mom this year. Dads, get to work

Canada to do millionth COVID-19 test but numbers still falling short

Canada to do millionth COVID-19 test but numbers still falling short
Canada is on track to complete its millionth test for COVID-19 sometime in the next 24 hours even as the country's biggest province continues to struggle to hit its own testing target. Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer of Canada, reported that as of Wednesday morning, more than 970,000 tests had been completed nationwide since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.    

Canada to do millionth COVID-19 test but numbers still falling short