Amid Travel Chaos Regulator Unveils New Rules On Passenger Rights To Fill Refund Gap

The new regulations, effective September 8, will require airlines to either refund passengers or book them again, at the traveler’s discretion, if a flight is canceled or delayed by three hours or more, it announced Wednesday. the Canadian Transport Service. Previously, the passenger rights regime required refunds only for interruptions of airline-controlled flights, which ruled out situations ranging from weather to war to unplanned mechanical problems. “These regulations will fill the gap in the Canadian air traffic protection regime highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure that even in the event of cancellations and long delays beyond the airline’s control, passengers will be protected if “an airline can not complete its route within a reasonable period of time,” said in a statement the president of the agency France Pégeot. The regulations are in line with policies implemented by Air Canada in 2021, said spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick. Thousands of Canadians have faced a series of major flight delays and cancellations as airlines and security and customs services struggle to cope with staff shortages amid the recent increase in travel. The problem is expected to leave summer travelers unprotected by the new rules, which apply until the fall. Regulations will require airlines to re-offer booking or refunds within 30 days if they can not make a new booking within 48 hours of a flight cancellation or a three-hour delay. Any unused portion of a ticket must be covered, including “any unused additional paid service,” the regulator said. And the refund must be the same as the original payment method. This means that a credit card purchase could not be returned with a travel voucher, as most Canadian airlines did for almost a year starting in March 2020, amid hundreds of thousands of cancellations caused by the pandemic. The story goes on Ian Jack, an advocate for consumer rights at the Canadian Automobile Association, called the revised charter “a very good but limited breakthrough” in passenger protection because while airlines will have to pay refunds, they can avoid compensation between $ 400 and $ 1,000 in factors beyond their control. “There is an incentive here for carriers to report mechanical problems. As a passenger, it is very difficult for you to ever verify this,” Jack said. His defense team calls on Ottawa to instruct airlines to publish data on delays and cancellations, as the United States does, to encourage competition and reveal disproportionate numbers. Gabor Lukacs, chairman of the airline’s advocacy group, called the new framework “fake”. He said the imposition of a refund or reservation only if the airline can not secure another seat on a plane departing within two days of the original departure time does not meet the needs of travelers in situations ranging from weekend visits to short business trips. . “For a flight on Friday, if the flight is canceled, the airline will be able to offer the passenger an outbound flight on Sunday that the passenger will never be able to take because he works on Monday. And the airline can still take the money, “Lukacs said in an interview. “We live in a world at a very fast pace. A few hours late means you do not get to a funeral, a wedding, a court hearing.” The European Union requires airlines to provide an airline seat within five hours of the initial departure — and not 48 — otherwise a refund must be offered. In the EU and the US, passengers must also be reimbursed for canceling a flight within seven days instead of 30 under Canada’s new regime. The CTA acknowledged that the change was not in line with EU or US requirements, but said it took into account the reality of Canadian carriers. “They may be required to provide multiple refunds simultaneously due to weather-related disruptions,” the agency said in its analysis of the impact of the regulations. The airlines claim that the Aviation Passenger Protection Regulations, which came into force in 2019, are already excessive. Canadian carriers called on the Federal Court of Appeals in April to repeal rules to increase compensation for passengers who have suffered flight delays and damaged luggage. Air Canada and Porter Airlines Inc., along with 16 other plaintiffs, have stated that chartering passengers’ rights violates international standards and should be invalidated on international flights. Under the three-year federal rules, passengers must be reimbursed up to $ 2,400 if they are denied boarding – so-called fly bumping – because a trip was booked and they receive up to $ 2,100 for lost or damaged luggage. Delays and other payments for canceled flights justify compensation of up to $ 1,000. This Canadian Press report was first published on June 22, 2022. Companies in this story: (TSX: AC) Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

title: “Amid Travel Chaos Regulator Unveils New Rules On Passenger Rights To Fill Refund Gap " ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-29” author: “Russell Prat”

The Canadian Transport Authority aims to strengthen the charter of passenger rights by setting stricter rules on airline compensation – although some advocates say the rules fall short in other countries.
The new regulations, effective September 8, will require airlines to either refund passengers or book them again, at the traveler’s discretion, if a flight is canceled or delayed by three hours or more, it announced Wednesday. the Canadian Transport Service.
Previously, the passenger rights regime required refunds only for interruptions of airline-controlled flights, which ruled out situations ranging from weather to war to unplanned mechanical problems.
“These regulations will fill the gap in the Canadian air traffic protection regime highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure that even in the event of cancellations and long delays beyond the airline’s control, passengers will be protected if “an airline can not complete its route within a reasonable period of time,” said in a statement the president of the agency France Pegeot.
The regulations are in line with policies implemented by Air Canada in 2021, said spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick.
Thousands of Canadians have faced a series of major flight delays and cancellations as airlines and security and customs services struggle to cope with staff shortages amid the recent increase in travel.  The problem is expected to leave summer travelers unprotected by the new rules, which apply until the fall.
Regulations will require airlines to re-offer booking or refunds within 30 days if they can not make a new booking within 48 hours of a flight cancellation or a three-hour delay.
RELATED: This is what travelers need to know about the new Toronto Pearson online portals
Any unused portion of a ticket must be covered, including “any unused additional paid service,” the regulator said.  And the refund must be the same as the original payment method.  This means that a credit card purchase could not be returned with a travel voucher, as most Canadian airlines did for almost a year starting in March 2020, amid hundreds of thousands of cancellations caused by the pandemic.
Ian Jack, a consumer advocate at the Canadian Automobile Association, called the revised charter “a very good but limited breakthrough” in passenger protection, because while airlines will be forced to pay refunds, they can avoid compensation between $ 400 and $ 1,000 in factors beyond their control.
“There is an incentive here for carriers to report mechanical problems.  “As a passenger, it’s very difficult for you to ever confirm that,” Jack said.
His defense team calls on Ottawa to instruct airlines to publish data on delays and cancellations, as the United States does, to encourage competition and reveal disproportionate numbers.
Gabor Lukacs, chairman of the airline’s advocacy group, called the new framework “false”.
He said the imposition of a refund or reservation only if the airline can not secure another seat on a plane departing within two days of the original departure time does not meet the needs of travelers in situations ranging from weekend visits to short business trips. .
“For a flight on Friday, if the flight is canceled, the airline will be able to offer the passenger an outbound flight on Sunday that the passenger will never be able to pick up because he is working on Monday.  “And the airline can still pocket the money,” Lukacs said in an interview.
“We live in a world at a very fast pace.  “A few hours late means you do not go to a funeral, wedding, court.”
The European Union requires airlines to provide an airline seat within five hours of the initial departure – not 48 – otherwise a refund must be offered.
In the EU and the US, passengers must also be reimbursed for canceling a flight within seven days instead of 30 under Canada’s new regime.
The CTA acknowledged that the change was not in line with EU or US requirements, but said it took into account the reality of Canadian carriers.
“They may be required to provide multiple refunds simultaneously due to weather-related disruptions,” the agency said in its analysis of the impact of the regulations.
The airlines claim that the Aviation Passenger Protection Regulations, which came into force in 2019, are already excessive.
Canadian carriers called on the Federal Court of Appeals in April to repeal rules to increase compensation for passengers who have suffered flight delays and damaged luggage.
Air Canada and Porter Airlines Inc., along with 16 other plaintiffs, have stated that chartering passengers’ rights violates international standards and should be invalidated on international flights.
Under the three-year federal rules, passengers must be reimbursed up to $ 2,400 if they are not allowed to board – so-called fly bumping – because one trip was overbooked and receive up to $ 2,100 for lost or damaged luggage.  Delays and other payments for canceled flights justify compensation of up to $ 1,000.
This Canadian Press report was first published on June 22, 2022.