Air passenger protection regulations

In May 2018, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) began developing Air Passenger Protection Regulations to establish airline obligations toward passengers, including minimum compensation levels and standards of treatment in different circumstances.

The CTA consulted broadly for three months with the travelling public, consumer rights groups, and the airline industry through a variety of channels, including public sessions across the country, on-line questionnaires, surveys of passengers in airports, face-to-face meetings with key experts and stakeholders, and written submissions and comments. The CTA took all input into account in drafting the regulations.

Following the publication in Part I of the Canada Gazette, the CTA reviewed all feedback received and made adjustments in order to finalize the Regulations.

Airlines are required to follow the obligations set out in the regulations as soon as they come into force and could be subject to administrative monetary penalties of up to $25,000 per incident for non-compliance. In the event of an air travel-related dispute that cannot be resolved directly by a passenger and an airline, the passenger can make a complaint to the CTA.