After over two years since the federal government pledged updates to the air passenger bill of rights, progress seems stalled, which could be frustrating for Canadian air travelers dealing with their own delays. The finalized changes to the air passenger protection regulations (APPR) promised in the 2023 budget are still pending approval, leaving uncertainty about when these updated regulations will be implemented.
Following the budget announcement, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), responsible for enforcing the APPR, proposed new regulations a year ago and concluded consultations on these proposals in March. However, before these regulations can take effect, they must be presented to the cabinet for approval.
Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon expressed dissatisfaction with the current process during a recent news conference but did not clarify if the updated proposals are still under review by the agency or have been forwarded to the cabinet. The initial version of the APPR was enforced in 2019, mandating airlines to compensate passengers for delays or cancellations within their control.
However, the CTA is struggling with a significant backlog of 88,000 complaints from passengers alleging unfair denial of compensation by airlines. This backlog includes cases like that of Gerald Van De Ven from Qualicum Beach, B.C., who has been awaiting resolution for his complaint since April 2023.
Van De Ven’s complaint stems from a canceled return flight during a family trip, leading to additional expenses for an extra night’s stay at a hotel and meals. Despite the pilot attributing the cancellation entirely to the airline, WestJet rejected his compensation claim. Van De Ven turned to the CTA, emphasizing the need for a quicker and more accountable resolution process.
The updated regulations aim to hold airlines more accountable in compensating passengers for flight disruptions, except in cases of proven exceptional circumstances such as security threats or environmental disasters. The delay in implementing these regulations has drawn criticism from Ian Jack of the Canadian Automobile Association, who highlighted the prolonged wait for consumer-centric improvements in air travel services.
While the CTA has expedited complaint processing through a new resolution process, the agency still faces thousands of new complaints annually. The government allocated $75.9 million to address the backlog, but concerns linger about potential financial implications for travelers raised by the National Airlines Council of Canada.
Conservative transport critic Dan Albas criticized the government for its perceived inaction on the issue, suggesting a reassessment of the CTA’s role in handling complaints. Albas highlighted the need for a more proactive approach to address the delays and challenges faced by air passengers, urging the government to acknowledge and act on the existing problems promptly.