‘No timeline’ for updating air passenger bill of rights, regulator says
Canada’s transportation regulator, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), has been facing delays in releasing updates to the air passenger bill of rights. The agency concluded consultations on proposed changes over a year ago but has yet to provide a finalized draft of the regulations.
The proposed updates to the air passenger protection regulations aim to improve compensation for passengers in cases of flight delays or cancellations within the airline’s control. The CTA has been dealing with a backlog of complaints from passengers who have been denied compensation unfairly, especially as travel restrictions eased during the pandemic.
The Liberal government has promised improvements to the compensation rules, with the CTA proposing that airlines must compensate passengers for flight disruptions unless they can prove “exceptional circumstances” caused the delay or cancellation. These exceptional circumstances include weather concerns, airport operational issues, and hidden manufacturing defects in an aircraft.
Ian Jack from the Canadian Automobile Association emphasized the need for the new regulations to be released promptly to address issues with the current system. He mentioned that stakeholders would need time to provide feedback on the draft regulations before they are enforced, potentially taking months or even years.
Despite the urgency to release the updated regulations, Jeff Morrison, president of the National Airline Council of Canada, argued for a cautious approach to consulting with stakeholders to avoid negatively impacting the industry. He highlighted the efforts of Canadian airlines to provide a predictable and timely travel experience, emphasizing the need for collaboration to further improve passenger services.
In the meantime, Canadian passengers continue to rely on the existing regulations, which have not been very effective in addressing their complaints. The CTA reported a backlog of over 80,000 complaints, with an average of 890 new complaints per week. While a new resolution process has expedited complaint processing, there is still room for improvement to enhance efficiency and effectiveness for air passenger rights.
Budget 2023 proposed that airlines be charged a fee to cover the cost of processing a complaint when the company is at fault. The CTA recently concluded consultations on a proposed fee of $790 per complaint. Jack suggested that setting the fee should not delay the development of the regulations, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing consumer protection and efficient complaint resolution mechanisms.
