MONTREAL — Transat has cancelled all flights from Western Canada to south and USA destinations for winter 2020-2021.
In an email correspondence sent to travel agents, the company confirmed that impacted gateways include Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.
Domestic flights from Vancouver to Toronto and Montreal will continue to operate, plus there will be some available Europe flights using these connectors, the details of which will be shared when Transat launches its full winter program.
In a statement sent to Travelweek, Transat said: “Since the current situation does not allow us to foresee resuming these routes in the near future and there will therefore be no practical option to use vouchers with Air Transat from their location, customers impacted by these cancellations will receive a refund in the amount received on file.”
Travel agents do not need to contact Transat as the process is automatic. Clients will receive a refund to the form of payment on file equal to the amount paid to Transat.
Policies and procedures for travel from Nov. 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021 from Western Canada are as follows:
Individual Bookings
All ABC, ITC and FIT bookings will automatically be cancelled except:
- Domestic flights originating in Vancouver
- Europe flights connecting in YUL or YYZ originating in Vancouver
- Land only reservations
Group Bookings
Group files including passengers exclusively travelling from Western Canada gateways will be cancelled automatically except:
- Domestic flights originating in Vancouver
- Europe flights connecting in YUL or YYZ originating in Vancouver
- Land only reservations
Travel agents with group files including passengers travelling from gateways in Western Canada and from gateways still operating will be contacted by a Transat group agent. Passengers in the group travelling from Western Canada gateways will receive a refund (except as noted above0. Passengers in the group travelling from other gateways may choose to travel as booked or receive a Future Travel Credit.
Bookings previously cancelled for travel March 21, 2020-Oct. 31, 2020 from Western Canada
All passengers (individual files and group bookings) who were booked to travel from a Western Canada gateway who were previously issued a Future Travel Credit due to COVID-19 will receive a full refund except:
- Domestic flights originating in Vancouver
- Europe flights connecting in YUL or YYZ originating in Vancouver
- Land only reservations
Any commission paid on these files will be recalled.
In other Transat news, the company has confirmed to Travelweek that it has postponed the outside date of the Air Canada acquisition by another month, until Aug. 27.
“Had we not done it, it would have meant that the transaction was over,” said Christophe Hennebelle, Vice-President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs. “For the record, the EU’s decision is expected between Sept. 30 and Nov. 19, and we had said earlier that we expected the transaction to close during the fourth quarter of the 2020 calendar year, if the required approvals are obtained and the conditions are met.”
The proposed Air Canada-Transat deal was first announced in May 2019. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, both Canada’s Competition Bureau and European regulators have raised their concerns about reduced competition and higher prices.
