Air Canada unveils a special policy to reimburse passengers

Air Canada announces the adoption of a policy aimed at covering “certain transport costs”. Meanwhile, that its customers have paid to be paid to get to your destination during the recent work stoppage.

The airline announced on Wednesday that it would reimburse these costs to customers whose flight initially scheduled for August 15 to 23 had been canceled without Air Canada having been able to reprogram them. Therefore, forcing customers to take other measures themselves.

A new form available on the Air Canada website allows customers to request a refund if they have only made part of their trip with Air Canada. Therefore, if they had to use another means of transport due to the strike.

This policy seems to indicate that Air Canada recognizes “its legal obligation to reimburse passengers the alternative transport costs they have incurred” in situations where the air canada unveils special policy airline has failed to reach its customers on other flights. Similarly, according to Gábor Lukács, president of a group for the defense of the rights of air passengers.

He adds that by virtue of the regulation on the protection of air passengers. Moreover, Air Canada has the obligation, in the event of cancellation of flights, to re -enhance passengers on its own flights or those of its partner airlines within 48 hours of the initial departure time, or to reach them on the next available flight of any airline, including its competitors.

But M. For example, Lukács argues that Air Canada has not complied with this requirement in many cases. Moreover, He claims to have heard customers who had received emails from the airline indicating that there were no other. Nevertheless, flights available from his competitors.

“It was wrong in many cases. However, Passengers have told us that they could air canada unveils special policy buy another means of transport at a much higher price, ”he says.

“Under the law, Air Canada was required to buy these tickets for passengers at its own cost.”

Air Canada explained that it continued to offer customers whose flights have been canceled due to the work stoppage a full reimbursement. a credit for a future trip if they cannot be reached on a competitive flight.

For those who prefer a new flight. Air Canada warns that “the capacity is limited due to the strong summer crowds”.

Matt Turner. from Stoke-on-Tret, in England, said that he was informed by Air Canada that no alternative flight to Toronto could have been found after canceling his family’s booking for August 20, with a day notice.

The family had planned to be in Toronto for an Oasis concert. after spending crazy sums for VIP tickets to celebrate the end of their 11 -year air canada unveils special policy -old primary school.

“When this happened, we planned to find another means of transport for Canada,” said Turner. However. he added that the family had decided that they could not afford to pay the latest inflated prices of other airlines.

Mr. Turner explained that they had accepted the reimbursement “to avoid losing even more money”.

He added that the family had also lost nearly $ 3. 000 in concert tickets, not to mention the hundreds of other expenses related to the cancellation of hotels, cars and other activities.

“We are distraught and completely stunned,” he said.

The Air Canada website indicates that only people who initially reserved directly from Air Canada can request a refund. for alternative transport via its new submission page.

Customers are entitled to a refund if they have paid a “reasonable rate with another airline” within five days preceding their initial departure date. specifies the site. air canada unveils special policy These tickets must be in the same cabin or a cabin lower than that of their initial flight.

Customers can also submit reimbursement requests for alternative transport options, such as bus, traveler or car costs.

Some excluded customers

The form excludes passengers who have reserved their initial flight via Aéroplan. a travel agency or another airline.

“After several days of media coverage. Air Canada is ready to redeem itself from the public and offers to pay this alternative transport,” said Lukacs. What escapes me is why Air Canada insists only on tickets purchased from Air Canada. The bonds for tickets purchased from airlines or travel agencies are the same. Air Canada must reimburse other modes of transport, whatever the method of purchase. “

This last development comes as Iir Canada continues to intensify its flights in a context of operational recovery. which should take more than a week.

Air air canada unveils special policy Canada resumed its flights on Tuesday afternoon after a complete stop of Air Canada. Red Air Canada connections, started early Saturday morning.

On Wednesday at 2 p.m.. 90 % of domestic flights are expected to be provided in the coming 24 hours, as well as 95 % of flights to the United States and 54 % of other international links, according to a dashboard published on the Air Canada website.

The average waiting time in the contact center was about an hour and 18 minutes.

The company warned that a return to a complete regular service could take up to 10 days. the planes and their crews not being at their bases. These delays are aggravated by compulsory maintenance checks, the planes having remained on the ground for more than three days.

“Unfortunately, during this period, some flights will be canceled until the schedule is stabilized. We will advise customers air canada unveils special policy in advance. offer them options, “said Mark Nasr, Vice-President General and Air Canada Operations Manager, in a press release published on Tuesday evening.

Air Canada. the union which represents its more than 10,000 of its on -board agents concluded an agreement in principle with the help of a federal mediator on Tuesday morning, which ended the strike started on Saturday.

The understanding must still be ratified by on -board agents, a vote to be held from August 27 to September 6.