Canada’s transportation regulator says it has no plans to announce updates to the Air Passenger Bill of Rights, even though consultation on the proposed changes ended more than a year ago.
The Canada Transport Agency (CTA) is a quasi-judicial tribunal and regulatory body tasked with enforcing the Air Passenger Rights and Compensation Regulations, known informally as the Air Passenger Bill of Rights. After that, the following matters were discussed. they.
The agency announced the results of these consultations last November, but has not yet released the final draft of the proposed regulations.
“We are taking these comments into account as we draft the proposed regulations,” a CTA spokesperson told CBC News in an email last month.
When asked when a final draft would be released, a spokesperson said: “There is no timetable.”
The Air Passenger Protection Regulation requires airlines to compensate passengers for delays and cancellations that occur within the airline’s control.
But since the regulation went into effect in 2019, the CTA has been dealing with a backlog of complaints from passengers who accuse airlines of unfairly denying them compensation. The backlog soared as pandemic-era travel restrictions began to ease.
The Liberal government has promised to improve compensation provisions as part of the 2023 federal budget. The CTA has proposed new regulations that would require airlines to compensate passengers for flight disruptions unless they can prove “exceptional circumstances” that caused the delay or cancellation.
of exceptional circumstances The agency’s proposal includes weather concerns, airport operational issues and “hidden manufacturing defects” in the aircraft.
Advocates say government agencies need to ‘tack on’
Ian Jack, a spokesperson for the non-profit Canadian Automobile Association Travel Agency, said new regulations need to be announced as soon as possible to fix the problems with the current system.
“There are many ways to fix this system, and we need to work on it,” he told CBC News.
Once the CTA publishes a draft regulation, it will still need to hear from stakeholders before it can be finalized and implemented. Jack warned that the process could take “months, if not years.”
“Even if the government printed these draft regulations tomorrow, it would still take some time for them to come into force,” he said.
“We need to get something out in the open as soon as possible so we can keep the ball rolling for eventual improvement.”
Until then, Canadian passengers will be left relying on current regulations that are not very effective, Jacques said.
The CTA announced earlier this month that it now has more than 80,000 complaints from airline passengers. The agency said a new resolution process introduced last year has sped up the processing of complaints, but it is still inundated with new complaints, averaging 890 a week last year.
“With over 80,000 complaints outstanding at the moment, the system is clearly not efficient. It should be in everyone’s interest to try to make the system more efficient,” Jack said. .
Geoff Morrison, president of the Canadian National Aviation Council, argued the CTA should not rush into new regulations.
“Canadian airlines are doing their best to provide travelers with predictable and timely journeys. Over the past two years, the airline industry has made improvements to the passenger experience and continues to improve. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to achieve this goal,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. Media statement.
“We encourage the CTA to take the necessary time to properly consult affected stakeholders who may be adversely affected by the proposed regulations.”
Budget 2023 also proposes to charge airlines for grievance costs if they are found to have been at fault. The CTA recently concluded consultation on a proposed fee of $790 per complaint.
Mr Jacques suggested that setting fees should not impede regulatory development.
“Improving the system so it works better for consumers is what we’re looking for. How much carriers have to pay for that system is another question,” he said. Ta.
