Air Canada seems to be jumping on the band wagon like some of the US and European carries and planning to introduce cheap new economy basic fares.
I am not a fan of no frills super cheap fares and you will see why below.
Air Canada claims that the new Economy Basic is a restricted fare that lets you enjoy the comfort and amenities of their Economy Class cabin at their lowest price. Hmmm…but at what cost?
Basic Economy Fares will be available on select routes and flights within Canada, and Economy Basic offers you:
- Complimentary carry-on baggage
- A personal 22.6 cm (8.9”) touch-screen TV
- Hundreds of hours of top rated entertainment
- In-seat power for your laptop and a single-pin audio jack for your headset
- Delicious snacks, drinks and meals for purchase
But if you compare with their current lowest Tango fares, the difference becomes clear below:
– No flight changes, no cancellations
– No refund after 24 hours, no credit for future travel
– No Aeroplan® Miles/Altitude Qualifying Miles
– No upgrades
If you dig a little deeper, here’s the terms and conditions:
Changes – No changes are permitted.
- Flights can only be used in sequence from the place of departure specified on the itinerary.
Cancellations – Tickets are non-refundable and are non-transferable
- Cancellations are not permitted.
- Customers who no-show for their flight will forfeit the fare paid.
- Air Canada will provide a full refund without penalty when you cancel a new ticket (i.e. when a new booking is made and you are assigned a bookingreference). Within 24 hours of purchase
Seat Selection
- Paid Advance Seat Selection is offered on Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, as well as on Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz, subject to availability.
- Taxes are included.
Aeroplan Miles/Altitude Qualifying Miles
- This fare does not allow for the accumulation of Aeroplan Miles, Altitude Qualifying Miles, Altitude Qualifying Segments or Altitude Qualifying Dollars, or for the accumulation of miles/points with other partner frequent flyer programs.
Upgrades
- eUpgrades, Last-Minute Upgrades and AC Bid Upgrades are not permitted on this fare.
So, the deal breaker for me is the inability to accumulate Aeroplan Miles, Altitude Qualifying Miles, Altitude Qualifying Segments or Altitude Qualifying Dollars, or for the accumulation of miles/points with other partner frequent flyer programs. If I am paying for a commercial flight, I want to earn points on it.
I tried a few routings but was unable to find the new economy basic fares to compare the price difference with Tango. So only time will tell if this is successful and they attempt to capture some of the market share they are worried they will lose to Swoop.
I will definitely not go for this. So? Are you likely to go for this option? Please comment below.