After a difficult year for both airlines and airlines passengers in Canada, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told the CBC this weekend that his ministry is looking to adjust air passenger protection regulations so that many complaints against airlines are settled before reaching the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA).
"Last summer and this winter, we've seen certain examples where passengers felt they were not communicated with, their rights were not upheld," Alghabra told CBC 'The House' host Catherine Cullen. "So we need to strengthen the rules."
Current regulations require airlines to compensate passengers when flights are delayed or cancelled for a reason within the airline's control. When weather causes delays, airlines are required to keep passengers informed and rebook them. If they can't be rebooked within 48 hours, a refund must be offered.
The CTA has been dealing with a growing backlog of complaints from passengers who say airlines have denied them compensation. As of November, the backlog totalled more than 30,000 complaints.
"Currently, it feels to many passengers that the burden is on them," Alghabra said. "We want to make sure we put rules in place to ensure that the burden is on the airline."
Critics say that the backlog could be much larger, but many passengers don't even engage with the process, because they aren't sure if they're owed compensation or don't feel they would receive the money they're owed. They say many cases are clear-cut, and airlines should abide by the regulations without complaints reaching the CTA level.
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