Canada’s Supreme Court is hearing a case about a common travel nightmare: canceled flights.
what happened: Airline industry stakeholders are suing over Canada’s airline passenger protection rules In the Supreme Court, They argue that the federal government has no right to impose rules on foreign airlines and that the damages would exceed the losses to passengers.
catch up: The rule will require airlines to compensate passengers up to $1,000 for some flight delays and cancellations, as well as lost baggage, protecting Canadian travelers amid a surge in delays and lost baggage. It has been significantly strengthened in recent years.
- In July 2023, the peak travel season, Air Canada’s on-time performance was less than 52%, while WestJet’s only 62% of its flights were on-time, far below the industry. 80% goal.
- Airlines have been accused of overbooking flights to meet post-pandemic travel demand; It has been profitable ever since. Takes off (pun intended) despite increasing confusion.
Why it’s important: Without these rules in place, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for airlines to compensate travelers if they drop the ball. This is a particularly big problem because the shortage of pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers only exacerbates the problem.
Yes, but: Although the rules are quite generous when it comes to compensation, many people have a hard time actually getting paid. The Canadian Transport Agency, the agency that handles passenger complaints, currently There is a backlog Approximately 70,000 files.
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