Air Canada canceled flights | Finally, accommodation and reimbursed restaurant

While Air Canada customers continue to wonder how to get to your destination, the air carrier finally decides to reimburse the accommodation and meal costs of travelers assigned by the strike of on -board agents.

In the aftermath of the implementation of a policy to compensate consumers who have obtained replacement tickets due to the labor conflict, the company with the maple leaf brought the flexibility expected by many consumers.

“This updated plan includes reimbursement of reasonable accommodation, meals, necessary transport and other expenses,” said Air Canada Operation Director Mark Nasr, in a declaration.

We are talking here about Air Canada and Red Air Canada flights canceled since August 15 and those who will be so on Saturday while the largest airline in the country is busy reconnecting with its usual cruising speed.

Again, the most important air carrier in the country evokes the concept of “reasonable” amounts, without providing more details. Affected customers will have to subject receipts and other supporting evidence to review the color of their money. The processing of requests could take up to six weeks.

Finally

Strongly criticized due to the interruption of service arising from the labor conflict with its 10,000 on -board agents, Air Canada had ended up implementing a “special policy” on Wednesday to reimburse the replacement tickets for its clients forced to fly to another air carrier.

The measure has several terms and there are two sine qua non conditions: the airline must have confirmed to its client that its affair was canceled and that it had no plan B to offer it. Car rental or coach ticket fees to get to your destination must also be covered.

However, this policy did not cover the costs of subsistence as the nights spent at the hotel as well as the sums spent in the restaurant, for example.

“Six weeks is quite long when you have started important sums due to the disruptions,” deplores Gabor Lukacs, founder of travelers’ rights, in a telephone interview. It will also be necessary to check if Air Canada will hold its promises on reimbursements. If yes, I would say that it is a step in the right direction, which arrives late. »»

The defender of travelers’ rights points out that in Canada, Air Canada goes further than the provisions of the regulations for the protection of air passengers, which, for example, provides compensation for hotel nights in the event of a labor conflict with an air carrier.

Other remedies

To obtain compensation as well as reimbursements, injured travelers had to turn to the provisions of the European Travelers Charter as well as the Montreal Convention, which concerns all international flights and which allows travelers to claim a compensation which it deems justified.

The amount can however be disputed by an airline. “If she proves that she has taken all the measures that can reasonably impose herself to avoid the damage, she will not be held responsible,” said a note from the Langlois law firm, on the issue.

According to the rights of travelers, article 26 of the Montreal Convention underlines that “airline cannot escape responsibility using a creative contractual formulation”. In short, there is chances that the complaint of a traveler will be the subject of a legal debate which risks being faced with the division of small claims.

Mr. Lukacs also criticizes Air Canada for keeping in the dark his customers who were in Europe and whose flight was canceled. He recalls that the European framework provides for lump sum allowances which can reach up to 600 euros (around $ 970 CAN).

“This is an important element that the company should communicate,” says the founder of travelers’ rights.

In addition to the relaxation of its “special policy”, Air Canada plans to be able to ensure almost all of its flights from Friday.