Airline travellers can look forward to some better rights, and just in time for the holiday season.
On Dec. 15, the second phase of the new Air Passenger Protection Regulations from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) are coming into place.
Passengers can now be eligible for up to $1,000 in compensation for flight delays and cancellations outside of an airline’s control that are not safety-related.
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“The Air Passenger Protection Regulations establish a clear, consistent set of minimum airline obligations towards passengers if, for example, their flight is delayed or cancelled, they’re bumped from an overbooked flight, they sit on a plane during a tarmac delay, or their bag is lost or damaged,” said Scott Streiner, Chair and CEO of the CTA. “Thousands of Canadians participated in the consultations that helped shape these new rules. We’re grateful for their input and confident that these groundbreaking regulations will help ensure passengers are treated fairly if their air travel doesn’t go smoothly.”
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Airlines will also be responsible for re-booking or refunding passengers when flights are delayed, including using a competing airline. During this delay, airlines are to provide food, drink and accommodations. Lastly, airlines are supposed to accommodate children aged 14 and under to sit near an accompanying adult at no extra charge.
Passengers would receive different levels of compensation, depending on the size of the airline and the length of the delay.
| New compensation rules under the Canada Transport Act (screenshot/ gazette.gc.ca) |
If a passenger is denied boarding due to overbooking, they are also eligible for up to $2,400 if delays are nine hours or more.
Additionally, compensation must also be applied for damaged baggage or baggage lost for 21 days or more. This could include reimbursement of the fees paid for that baggage, and compensation in cases where the Carriage By Air act is applied.
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