The federal government says it is taking continued action to advance the rights of air travellers in the wake of stories of passengers being given mats to wait out overnight flight delays.
"No traveller should have to sleep on the floor of an airport or feel unsafe as a result of a flight that is delayed or cancelled. This is unacceptable," the government said in a statement.
"The Government of Canada strongly encourages Canadians to know their rights when they travel by air under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations - these rules cover compensation requirements for all flight incidents that are considered within an air carrier's control, including flights delayed or cancelled as a result of crew shortages," the statement continued.
"Through each part of their travel journey, passengers should document any incidents that occur as they may be eligible for compensation."
The government statement pointed out that as of September 8, amendments to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations will come into force to ensure passengers are compensated for flight delays, cancellations, and other incidents that may be out of an air carrier's control.
"This will ensure Canadian travellers are protected in nearly every circumstance. Travellers have rights, and these must be respected by airlines and airports through each step of the travelling experience."
The government statement also included statistics that show the situation continues to improve over previous months:
-- For the week of August 1-7, 97% of flights planned for Canada's top four airports were not cancelled, compared to 88% over the same period in July.
-- From August 1-7, over 85% of flights from the top four airports left on time, or within one hour of their scheduled departure. This is an improvement from under 75% for the first week of July.
-- The number of aircraft being held on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International Airport has decreased dramatically since early May. Over the last week of July, only 1%, or 19 aircraft, were held on the tarmac, as compared to the peak of 373 the week of May 23- 29, 2022.
-- From August 1-7, 88% of passengers at the four largest airports were screened within 15 minutes by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), an improvement from 84% the previous week (July 25-31).
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