Air Canada?

[ChisJo]

Ok - maybe this has been mentioned, I just couldn't find it....does anyone else have airline tickets booked with Air Canada and are wondering what happens if they claim bankruptcy?

We paid $1800+ for tickets, and 2 weeks later, we hear the news that air canada is in some serious financial problems....what to do....what to do????

Does anyone know how we would get that money back??? These are tickets for our Honeymoon....

 

[mkmommy]

They will still fly even if they go into bankruptcy, they did last time.

 

[chasbos]

This is nothing new - Air Canada is always in financial trouble. The will restructure and no one will notice a thing - funny way to do business, but I guess this is turning into the norm for big companies who can properly run a business.

 

[disneynuts777]

This is nothing new - Air Canada is always in financial trouble. The will restructure and no one will notice a thing - funny way to do business, but I guess this is turning into the norm for big companies who can properly run a business.

The government would never let them fold. They may cut back and your flight times may change but I would not lose sleep over A/C not flying.
They have restructured and filed so many times it just seems to be the way the operate.
At the moment I have $4000.00 worth of flights booked with them for our Grand gathering in August.

 

[dancin Disney style]

The government would never let them fold. They may cut back and your flight times may change but I would not lose sleep over A/C not flying.
They have restructured and filed so many times it just seems to be the way the operate.
At the moment I have $4000.00 worth of flights booked with them for our Grand gathering in August.

Exactly....It's the only national airline that this country has and the govn't will never let them go under.

But....if they did and you booked it yourself online you are covered by your credit card. If you booked through a TA you are covered by TICO and your cc. The only catch is that you will not be refunded until the time that the flight was scheduled to go.

 

[tgropp]

THere are 32 of us leaving for my sons wedding in Jamaica on May 9'th but I am not really worried. These things with our national airline usually have ways of sorting their problems out. From what I understand isn't AC's problem much the same as the Big 3's problem which is pension and legacy costs?

 

[Mickey1Fan]

Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) only protects trips bought in Ontario.

Do you have travel insurance? I don't know if bankruptcy is covered so I would check with an expert such as your travel agent.

 

[kid@heart2]

Funny that you would mention that..I heard "skeptical comments" on the radio this mornng..we leave May 1st. I called our travel agent to enquire about the uneasyness of bankruptcy what would happen to our trip..

The agent said not to worry...things will be ok and to go an enjoy ourselves.

 

[katscradle]

Were leaving on May 6th. However we are not too concerned at the moment as they are not supposed to file for B Protection till the summer.
However if I currantly had tickets for a flight in the summer or fall I think I would be finding out as much as possiable and putting some money asside just incase I needed to purchase new tickets on another airline. I know for a fact as a PP stated if something happens even if you are covered you won't get your money back until after the flight was scheduled to go.

 

[TheZue]

I don't think the feds will let it fail. Air Canada has stepped into a lot of areas that nobody else would touch. I honestly think it would hurt us as a country if we didn't have a reliable fully national airline. Westjet is good, just doesn't have the coverage and sometimes has bizzarre routes. We are going to New York in May so hopefully nothing weird happens, but I'm not too concerned

 

[Susan2771]

Didn't you get travel insurance?

 

[TheZue]

We're using my MIL's points so we didn't buy, but I'm not even sure if you can get insurance on points can you?

 

[drag n' fly]

Found this article today....good info

Five Things You Should Know About Air Canada 09/APR/2009
There is light at the end of the fuselage

With financial pressures on the airline industry garnering top billing in the media of late, consumers may wish to make note of some practical advice regarding the current situation at Air Canada. Here are five points to consider:

1. While some low cost carriers which became insolvent were unable to meet their obligations to passengers, it is almost without precedence that a major carrier seeking bankruptcy protection has left passengers without trip completion or failed to provide air services for which payment had already been made.

2. Air Canada Jazz (a distinctly separate airline affiliated with Air Canada) and Air Canada’s Star Alliance partners would be obligated to honour all ticket sales for services paid via Air Canada and contractually operated by these carriers.

3. Even though the likelihood of a disruption to travel plans is nearly non-existent, it is always wise for consumers to increase confidence and comfort levels as to their travel purchases by paying for their air services on a credit card. Most credit card companies will stand behind their "delivery of service guarantee" and would refund customers in the unlikely event travel services were not provided.

4. In provinces with travel legislation and regulations: British Columbia (BPCPA), Ontario (TICO), and Québec (OPC), purchase your travel through a registered travel agency. Provincially-regulated travel agencies have mechanisms in place to afford consumers added protection in the event of an airline failure and where the consumer did not receive the air travel service purchased. Consumers who meet the provincial requirements and who purchase their travel through a registered travel agency are protected by compensation funds. Ask your travel agency about these regulations, where applicable, including any limitations and restrictions which these travel compensation funds may have

5. Recent senior management changes at Air Canada have strengthened the carrier’s ability to deal with its financial pressures. A team of experienced financial managers is now at the helm of Air Canada, which indicates the airline is better prepared to weather these tough times.

While each traveller must make his own decision regarding which airlines they choose to fly, there appears to be no relevant reason to change any plan to choose Air Canada.

Association of Retail Travel Agents - Canada (ARTA Canada)
Bruce Bishins, CTC, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Valjean13]

FWIW, Back when Jetsgo went bankrupt I had two tickets booked with them. My credit card refunded the money on my next statement. By the time I saw it on the news and called Amex, they had already made the decision to refund all Jetsgo customers right away. We did not have to wait for the date of the trip, so I would doubt you'd have to if Air Canada does indeed end up going bankrupt (although I am sure the govt will help them out).

 

[xipetotec]

Ok - maybe this has been mentioned, I just couldn't find it....does anyone else have airline tickets booked with Air Canada and are wondering what happens if they claim bankruptcy?

We paid $1800+ for tickets, and 2 weeks later, we hear the news that air canada is in some serious financial problems....what to do....what to do????

Does anyone know how we would get that money back??? These are tickets for our Honeymoon....

Well we're booked on Aeroplan points, but still with Air Canada. so it IS a concern! Especially that we're booked so far in advance ( we're going March 2010 ) for both our airline and our resort ( DVC ). It would really suck to have the airline fall through!

 

[minnie56]

Air Canada is our National Carrier...the Gov't will never let them fall! It's all creative restructuring..trying to improve their companies health and viability. I would not be panicking.