travel smarts
89 percent of those polled felt it was
important to develop a national airline consumer code. And 76 percent
thought there should be set rates
of compensation to passengers for
delayed or cancelled flights.
The good news is the federal
government has put its seat in the
upright position and is starting to
listen. In 2014, the previous federal
government began a review of the
Canada Transportation Act, the legal
code overseeing the airline industry.
CAA has been involved throughout the
review process, presenting research to
support our three key recommendations:
1) Canada has fallen behind other
advanced countries and we need
clear industry rules.
A Fair Flight
How canada is getting its head out of the clouds
when it comes to air passenger rights
By BonnIe starIng
just hustled
through the airport to catch your
connecting flight home. Out of breath
and exhausted, you arrive at the gate
only to discover the word dreaded by
passengers worldwide: cancelled. So,
what’s next? Scramble to rebook for
the next day? Start calling around for a
hotel? And all the time you’re thinking,
will the airline cover this?
The short answer: It depends where
the airline is based. American and
European carriers must follow clear
regulations and compensation guidelines when it comes to cancelled or
delayed flights, overbooking, wait
times while on the tarmac and other
air travel issues. In Europe, for example, if your flight is cancelled, you’re
entitled to up to 600 EUR as compensation. And in the U.S., airlines can’t
keep you waiting on the tarmac longer
than three hours.
But things aren’t so clear cut if your
airline is based out of Canada. There
are no easily enforceable rules that
airlines must follow and no easy-to-
Julia Breckenreid
It’s mIdnIght and you’ve
2) We need a simpler, easy-toaccess complaint system, as ours
is too complex, hidden and timeconsuming.
3) Canada needs more efficient
screening and security processes at
our airports.
access complaint system if travel plans
go awry. Canadian carriers have indiThe government review’s findings,
vidual policies, but they are usually
released earlier this year, reflect these
hard to find—often buried in the fine
recommendations by recognizing the
print of your ticket terms (a.k.a. conneed for clearly defined air passenger
ditions of carriage), and the rules vary
rights and an easy way to file a comgreatly from airline to airline. If you do
plaint if travel plans go awry.
have a beef, the Canadian
While the report promIn a recent survey ises to be a big step forTransportation Agency
conducted by
manages complaints—
ward, there is still a
but only on a case-by-case
short-haul journey ahead.
CAA, 89 percent
basis and they can take
of those polled felt The government is now
many months to resolve.
reviewing all the recit was important
While most travel goes
ommendations and a
to develop a
off without a hitch, CAA
response, including a
national airline
believes there should be a
package of reforms, is
consumer code
simple channel for conexpected to be presented
sumer assistance and
later this fall.
complaints. “We’ve been at the foreIn the meantime, CAA Manitoba
front advocating to make sure clear
and our travel division, CAA Travel,
rules are e