Go home in the middle of strike at Air Canada: an obstacle course?

This is the case of Nir Guzinski, an actor who lives in Montreal. Moreover, He was in Rome when the strike was launched. Nevertheless, saw his flight be canceled by Air Canada on Friday while the airline was canceled several of its flights in anticipation of the strike. Furthermore, His flight was supposed to take off on Saturday.

A few hours after the cancellation. Therefore, he received an email saying that no replacement flight had been found and that he had two options: obtaining a refund or replacing the flight to a later date.

In a conversation with Noovo Info, Mr. Therefore, Guzinski said he tried to contact Air Canada customer service but that because of a large volume of calls. For example, he could not speak to an agent.

Montrealer has also tried to check with other membership companies as well as Air Canada, from Star Alliance. For example, He would have been told that only the Canadian airline could do something. Nevertheless, He also talked to someone in the airport news counter who himself called an Air Canada supervisor. Similarly, He would then have said that Mr. Therefore, Guzinski had to contact the airline. Nevertheless, He was also given the option of returning to the company’s kiosk the next day.

Back to the Airbnb he had rented, the actor then research to return to Montreal before Monday. Moreover, The prices of direct flights he found amounted from $ 4,000 to 8,000. Meanwhile, He go home middle strike air finally chose a flight from an Italian carrier who left Rome. Meanwhile, who went to JFK airport in New York with a correspondence in Miami. Similarly, He will subsequently take a flight from the Company to Porter to Montreal from Newyark Airport. Furthermore, He says it all cost him $ 2,000. Therefore, When writing these lines, Mr. Guzinski was in Miami and had just finalized his first flight lasting eleven hours from Rome.

“I still haven’t been able to reach someone at Air Canada,” said the man. He wonders if he can claim the expenses he had to make. He claims to have seen several information and finds this “frustrating” not to have clear answers.

“How can we get our money back and what can we claim?” He wondered.

Go home middle strike air

Several in the same boat

The case of Nir Guzinski is not unique. CTV News go home middle strike air also spoke to passengers affected by this strike and received several similar testimonies.

For example, the media was maintained with a traveler returning from the Czech Republic. He said he was informed of the cancellation of his flight. but Air Canada was unable to offer him a new reservation within 48 hours.

“They urged me to accept reimbursement or call them if my trip was flexible. I tried to call, but it is impossible to reach them, so I’m now in total uncertainty, “said the latter.

In Montreal. a passenger said to CTV News Montreal, having spent $ 10,000 for economy class tickets to bring her family back to four people in the metropolis when they were in Dublin. The amount does not take into account food and the hotel.

A mother also said she spent $ 1. 400 on a flight to bring her daughter back to Montreal while she was in Vancouver. In addition, a stopover in Toronto was necessary.

The Canadian press also collected testimonies from angry passengers.

“They send us here and there. They tell us to call a number where no one answers. They hang up on the nose. Additionally, They tell us to consult the website. There are simply no flights. no way to get home, ”said Tanya Baron, who was trying to return to Saskatoon with her family.

Noel Nemeth. who hoped to return home to Edmonton, explained that he had also not obtained an answer on the way he would return home.

“Patience is a virtue, I suppose,” he said. I just have to wait for a go home middle strike air solution. ”

Finally. Sandra Caputi, who returned home to Thunder Bay after a stay of a few weeks in Greece, was more likely. She was able to obtain a flight from Porter Airlines taking off from Billy-Bishop Airport in Toronto.

“I probably asked a dozen different people before obtaining the answer I wanted,” she said.

Go home middle strike air

Air Canada “lies”. according to an expert

In an interview with Noovo Info, the founding president of an organization for the protection of passenger rights, said that Canada is lying to passengers when it comes to reimbursement or replacement flights. “They engage in fraudulent activities. And I’m not saying that lightly, “said Gabor Lukacs of passenger rights.

Mr. Lukacs advises not to accept the reimbursement offered by the airline. In a case where a passenger is answered that there is no flight available. he recommends reserving a ticket on another flight on his own. If reimbursement is accepted, it could be used as an excuse for not covering additional costs, according to him.

In the case of Mr. Guzinski. Gabor Lukács pointed out that the situation is different since his flight was taking off in a member country of the European Union. The site of its organization points out that the European Union protects more air passengers than Canadian legislation. “It is not up to the passenger to seek a replacement flight. ” said Lukács

According to the EU website, “If your flight is canceled, you are entitled to a refund, go home middle strike air a reaches or a return flight. You are also entitled to airport assistance. ”

At the time of the publication of this article. Air Canada had not responded to the request for comments from Noovo Info. However. in a press release published on Saturday, the company urged passengers not to go to the airport unless you already have a confirmed ticket to another airline.

“Air Canada will inform customers whose departure is imminent of additional flights canceled. the options available to them,” said the airline. “For customers who have to travel soon. whose flights have not yet been canceled, Air Canada has set up a goodwill policy allowing them to modify their reservation or obtain a credit for a future trip.”

The airline also says they sincerely regret the repercussions of the strike on its customers.

– with information from CTV News and the Canadian Press