by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 7:45 AM ET, Tue August 26, 2025
Air Canada passengers affected by the recent flight attendants’ strike may be waiting years for their complaints to be resolved, as the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) grapples with a growing backlog.
The regulator said its complaint queue stood at about 85,000 as of August 14, two days before the strike began.
According to The Canadian Press, nearly 13,500 complaints had been filed so far this year, not including those tied to the Air Canada work stoppage.
The number of complaints has risen steadily since 2019, when new federal rules set compensation amounts for flight delays, cancellations and other disruptions.
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The CTA introduced a new processing system in 2023, but the volume of complaints has continued to grow, CTV reports.
In the 2024–25 fiscal year, the agency said it received nearly 47,000 complaints, up from 43,500 in 2023–24 and 42,000 in 2022–23. This marked a sharp increase from about 12,000 complaints in 2021–22.
“This unpredictability in complaint volumes poses challenges in planning for case processing times and delivering accurate information to the public,” CTA spokesperson Jadrino Huot told CTV.
“To mitigate this risk, the CTA continually reviews and streamlines its business processes and procedures, while also adopting new technologies and tools to enhance efficiency.”
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Huot said the agency closed more than 33,600 complaints last year, a significant increase from previous years, but not enough to reduce the backlog.
Under the Canada Transportation Act, passengers must first file a written complaint with the airline. If the airline fails to respond within 30 days, they may then submit a complaint to the CTA.
Air Canada has said customers whose flights were cancelled due to the strike can receive a full refund or travel credit if they could not be rebooked on a competitor’s flight.
The airline has also announced reimbursement for alternative transportation, hotel stays, meals, and other expenses for flights scheduled between August 15 and August 23.
Reimbursement requests can be submitted through a form on Air Canada’s website, though the airline has cautioned it may take four to six weeks to process claims “due to the anticipated volume.”
ICYMI: TravelPulse Canada sat down with Lisa Pierce, vice president of Global Sales for Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, to chat about the disruptions caused by the recent labour dispute with its flight attendants, and how the airline is rebuilding trust as it restarts operations. Read the full story here.
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