Airlines cannot deny passengers compensation for poor service in situations they “knew about, or should have known about,” says a federal transport regulator in changes proposed under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR). Compensation for flight delays must be paid “except in exceptional circumstances” which the APPR will identify, wrote the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA)…

Under proposed legislation recently introduced by the Liberal government, airlines will be required to address passenger complaints about poor service quality within 30 days of receiving them, says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. The legislation also adds other regulations to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) that the minister says will close “loopholes” for airlines and make…

MPs on a House of Commons committee are urging Transport Minister Omar Alghabra to introduce stricter air passenger protection regulations to make it easier for Canadians to receive compensation for poor airline service. In a report titled “Strengthening Air Passenger Rights in Canada,” the Commons Standing Committee on Transport advised that cabinet quickly revisit its Air Passenger…

A growing number of Canadians are dissatisfied with the time it takes to resolve air passenger complaints, according to four internal surveys conducted by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). The CTA is responsible for enforcing rules that require an airline to compensate passengers when a flight is delayed or cancelled for a reason within the airline’s control….

Ottawa says it will give the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) nearly $76 million in additional funding over the next three years in a bid to help clear a large passenger complaint backlog. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced the new funding worth a total of $75.9 million on March 14 during a press conference at the Toronto Pearson…

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) doesn’t keep track of 97 percent of passenger complaint outcomes filed against airline companies, but instead uses “informal” resolution techniques for nearly almost all complaints, according to a report. “We have no way of compelling airlines or passengers to tell us if they’ve settled a dispute between themselves without us,” said…

New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh says the holiday travel woes that left thousands of passengers stranded at airports or struggling to find flights home show why there should be more competition in Canada’s airspace. He says the lack of choice for passengers is also making flying less affordable, and he’s calling on the Liberal government…

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has a backlog of 30,000 passenger complaints concerning issues such as delayed or cancelled flights or damaged luggage, said the CTA’s dispute resolution general director while testifying before a parliamentary committee on Nov. 28. “While we have been receiving an average of 1,500 complaints per month in April, May, and June of…

Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau is directing the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to strengthen rules that require airlines to refund passengers for cancelled flights. In a statement Monday, Garneau said the pandemic has highlighted a gap in Canada’s protections for airline passengers, which weren’t designed to cover such lengthy delays. “In the event of a…