Air Canada revises refund policy amid growing anger over cancelled flights

Air Canada is revising its cancellation policy amid mounting customer frustration, offering travellers the option of a voucher with no expiration date or Aeroplan points if the airline cancels their flight due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline says the new policy — the previous one capped travel vouchers at 24 months, with no Aeroplan option — applies to non-refundable tickets issued up to the end of June, with an original travel date between March 1 and June 30. Air Canada’s fresh tack comes as consumer advocates and thousands of passengers continue to demand their money back for services they paid for but have not received. Three petitions with more than 89,000 signatures are calling for full refunds to be implemented before financial aid is handed out to airlines, two of which were presented to the House of Commons over the past 11 days. Air Canada said it has refunded nearly $1b to customers since Jan. 1, largely to travellers who paid for refundable tickets. “While the world is making great progress against COVID-19, we know we must remain vigilant, which includes being flexible,” CCO Lucie Guillemette said Friday. The loyalty points option allows customers to convert their booking into Aeroplan miles “and get an additional 65% bonus miles,” she said.<br/>