ACV, Air Transat update flexible booking policies

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, Air Transat  and Air Canada Vacations have created flexible rebooking policies for travellers:

Air Transat

Air Transat has implemented a flexibility policy, valid on new bookings made by March 31, 2020, on flights to all of its destinations and South packages. 

Travellers can also change travel dates, hotel or destination—or all three—at no charge up to 24 hours before departure. Air Transat is also waiving the change fees on existing cruise package bookings so that travellers can change the dates or destination of their trip in accordance with each cruise line’s policies.

The airline has also implemented a series of preventive measures, both on board its aircraft and in its ground operations, in accordance with recommendations from Transport Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the International Air Transport Association.

In a statement, Air Transat says that infectious diseases protocol has been strengthened and is scrupulously being applied by the airline's cabin crew and airport partners.

"We already comply with a rigorous maintenance and cleaning process, which we will strengthen should the situation require," the statement read. "In addition, our whole fleet includes reliable HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) air filters, which eliminate very small particles, such as bacteria and viruses, at an efficiency level of 99.995%. Cabin air is always circulating with a flow rate of 20 air changes an hour."

Air Canada Vacations

Starting today, Air Canada Vacations is implementing a flexible rebooking policy for existing bookings. 

For all vacation packages including group bookings purchased before March 4, 2020, with original travel dates up to April 30, 2020, travellers can make one free change or cancel their booking to apply the value to a new trip with alternate travel dates. For existing group bookings, travellers may change the travel dates or cancel with an in-house travel credit up to 21 days before departure, with the credit to be used towards the same destination and hotel property. 

This group flexibility is valid for select destinations and resorts in Las Vegas, Mexico and the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe, for bookings made prior to March 4, 2020 with original travel dates up to April 30, 2020. For both existing individual and Group booking changes, travel must be completed by December 31, 2020.

When booking your clients’ group with Air Canada Vacations, travellers can also benefit from a reduced deposit of only $50 per person between now and March 31, 2020 for travel from today until April 30, 2021, for select destinations and resorts in Las Vegas, Mexico and the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe. 

For individual bookings to Mexico and the Caribbean, changes can be made up to three days prior to departure.

For individual bookings to all other destinations including Europe, changes can be made up to seven days prior to departure.

For Cruise bookings, Air Canada Vacations will adhere to the Cruise Line goodwill policy terms.

 “We understand that your customers may want to make alternate travel arrangements, so we’ve implemented flexible rebooking policies,” said Dana Gain, senior director of sales, groups and partnerships at Air Canada Vacations. “Air Canada Vacations will continue monitoring the situation to ensure that we can serve you reliably and with safety top of mind.”