B.C. passengers win compensation for cancelled Air Canada flight
Air Canada has been ordered to pay more than $1,500 in damages and fees to two B.C. passengers whose travel plans were delayed more than seven hours due to staffing constraints amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
British Columbia's Civil Resolution Tribunal found that Inayat Singh and Suk Young Yoon were owed the compensation under the federal Air Passenger Protection Regulations after their flight was cancelled and they were rebooked on a later flight.
The pair were scheduled to leave Victoria International Airport at 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 22. 2021, and arrive in Toronto at 7:56 a.m.
However, the flight was cancelled a few hours before its scheduled departure due to what the airline called "crew constraints resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations," according to the tribunal's decision, issued Thursday.
Air Canada rebooked the pair on another flight arriving in Toronto by 3:30 p.m. that same day.
The company argued it did not owe any compensation to Singh and Yoon, saying such flight disruptions cannot be analyzed individually, but must be assessed "within the context of the aviation ecosystem" during the pandemic, which was beyond the airline's control.
Tribunal vice-chair Shelley Lopez found Air Canada's response "insufficient" and "vague."
"There is no express exception under the APPR [Air Passenger Protection Regulations] for delays due to disruptions in the overall 'aviation ecosystem,' nor are there any express exceptions due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic," Lopez said.
"I find the delay was within Air Canada's control and was not for safety purposes."
The tribunal ordered the airline to pay the passengers $1,561.78 within 21 days of the decision. The total compensation includes $1,400 in damages, $125 in tribunal fees and $36.78 in pre-judgment interest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.