Statistics 2017-2018

Overview

Total rulings by Members

Appointed by the Governor in Council, the Agency's Members are responsible for rendering decisions and orders related to formal complaints or applications, as well as addressing other issues affecting Canada's national transportation system.

As objective and impartial quasi-judicial decision-makers, the Members abide by a Code of Conduct.

*In 2016-2017 the category of Determinations was created to better reflect/capture the Agency's economic regulatory role. In 2017-2018 this category was expanded to include all economic regulatory determinations that involve a single party.

Disputes resolved by the Agency

The Canadian Transportation Agency keeps the national transportation system running efficiently and smoothly in the interests of all Canadians – those who work and invest in it, the producers, shippers, travellers and businesses who rely on it, and the communities where it operates – and the prosperity and social fabric of the country as a whole. One way the Agency implements this mandate is by helping resolve disputes by using a range of approaches from relatively informal facilitation and mediation to more formal arbitration and adjudication.

Disputes resolved by facilitation

Disputes resolved by mediation

Disputes resolved by adjudication

Disputes resolved by arbitration

Fostering compliance

Inspections and investigations

Contraventions

Enforcement officers can issue fines (administrative monetary penalties) for contraventions of certain provisions in the following legislation and regulations:

• Canada Transportation Act
• Air Transportation Regulations
• Personnel Training for the Assistance of Persons with Disabilities Regulations

Enforcement officers consider whether to take action in every case where Members find a contravention of these provisions. Fines can reach $5,000 per offence for individuals and $25,000 for corporations, depending on the type of penalty and contravention. In addition, some specific rail-related violations can reach up to $100,000 per offence.

Providing consumer protection for air passengers

Number and outcome of air travel complaints

The Canadian Transportation Agency can help resolve complaints about air travel within, to and from Canada. The role of the CTA is to make sure that the airline has applied the terms and conditions set out in the passengers contract with the airline – and that both the passenger and the airline have met their end of the bargain. The Agency can also handle more complex cases where a passenger feels that the airline's contract is unclear, unjust, unreasonable or discriminatory. Some common issues the CTA can help with: flight delays, cancellations, missed connections, schedule changes; lost, damaged or delayed baggage; getting bumped due to overbooking.

New complaints and complaints carried over

Complaints closed by process

*Starting in 2017-2018, "Other" replaces "Withdrawn" and includes all other case closure types (e.g., withdrawn, declined, dismissed).

Number of complaints in progress at year end (March 31)

Number of complaints resolved (by carrier)

Number of complaints against Canadian carriers

Number of complaints against U.S. carriers

Number of complaints against European carriers

Number of complaints against other foreign carriers

Issues raised in air travel complaints

Issues – all carriers

Issues within the Agency's jurisdiction – major Canadian carriers (2017-2018)

• Previous statistics on issues raised in complaints – major Canadian air carriers

  Issues within the Agency's jurisdiction – major Canadian carriers (2016-2017)

  	Air Canada	Air Transat	Porter	Sunwing	WestJet	Other
  Baggage	465	33	2	19	24	4
  Carrier-operated loyalty programs	2	1	1	1	0	0
  Denied boarding	85	1	4	0	4	0
  Flight disruptions	694	74	22	20	75	17
  Refusal to transport	195	15	3	7	12	1
  Reservations	69	9	5	5	7	0
  Ticketing	228	14	4	1	9	2
  Other	0	26	6	5	23	2
  Total	1738	173	47	58	154	26

  Issues within the Agency's jurisdiction – major Canadian carriers (2015-2016)

  	Air Canada	Air Transat	Porter	Sunwing	WestJet	Other
  Baggage	139	7	0	5	14	9
  Carrier-operated loyalty programs	0	0	0	0	0	0
  Denied boarding	37	0	0	0	2	3
  Flight disruptions	396	9	6	18	36	15
  Refusal to transport	68	6	3	6	4	3
  Reservations	25	2	2	1	2	0
  Ticketing	64	7	1	2	2	1
  Other	11	0	0	0	0	0
  Total	740	31	12	32	60	31

  Issues within the Agency's jurisdiction – major Canadian carriers (2014-2015)

  	Air Canada	Air Transat	Porter	Sunwing	WestJet	OtherNote 1
  Baggage	138	7	4	7	16	8
  Carrier-operated loyalty programs	2	0	0	0	0	0
  Denied boarding	27	0	0	0	2	0
  Flight disruptions	369	18	14	34	33	18
  Refusal to transport	61	12	5	0	4	4
  Reservations	38	6	0	1	0	0
  Ticketing	54	4	3	4	4	2
  Other	5	0	0	0	0	0
  Total	694	47	26	46	59	32

  Issues within the Agency's jurisdiction – major Canadian carriers (2013-2014)

  	Air Canada	Air Transat	Porter	Sunwing	WestJet	Other
  Baggage	122	6	1	13	16	2
  Carrier-operated loyalty programs	2	0	0	0	0	0
  Denied boarding	71	0	0	0	0	2
  Flight disruptions	344	8	13	35	19	10
  Refusal to transport	93	10	0	3	5	2
  Reservations	38	2	1	1	3	1
  Ticketing	80	6	0	2	1	3
  Other	8	0	0	0	0	0
  Total	758	32	15	54	44	20

Other statistics by mode of transportation

Air carriers holding Agency licences

Total number of air carriers Agency licences

Types of licences held by Canadian air carriers (2017-2018)

• Previous statistics on licences held by Canadian air carriers

  Types of licences held by Canadian air carriers (2016-2017)

  	Small aircraft	Medium aircraft	Large aircraft	All cargo	Total
  Domestic	609	25	13	43	690
  Non-scheduled international	256	22	13	29	320
  Scheduled international	9	41	152	98	300
  Total	874	88	178	170	1310

  Types of licences held by Canadian air carriers (2015-2016)

  	Small aircraft	Medium aircraft	Large aircraft	All cargo	Total
  Domestic	635	25	14	44	718
  Non-scheduled international	261	22	14	28	325
  Scheduled international	8	28	156	80	272
  Total	904	75	184	152	1315

  Types of licences held by Canadian air carriers (2014-2015)

  	Small aircraft	Medium aircraft	Large aircraft	All cargo	Total
  Domestic	644	25	16	46	731
  Non-scheduled international	271	22	16	29	338
  Scheduled international	8	28	153	78	267
  Total	923	75	185	153	1336

  Types of licences held by Canadian air carriers (2013-2014)

  	Small aircraft	Medium aircraft	Large aircraft	All cargo	Total
  Domestic	655	24	15	46	740
  Non-scheduled international	273	21	15	29	338
  Scheduled international	9	28	148	81	266
  Total	937	73	178	156	1344

Types of licences held by U.S. and other foreign air carriers (2017-2018)

• Previous statistics on licences held by U.S. and other foreign carriers

  Types of licences held by U.S. and other foreign air carriers (2016-2017)

  	U.S.	Other
  Non-scheduled international	598	172
  Scheduled international	42	110
  Total	640	282

  Types of licences held by U.S. and other foreign air carriers (2015-2016)

  	U.S.	Other
  Non-scheduled international	601	160
  Scheduled international	40	103
  Total	641	263

  Types of licences held by U.S. and other foreign air carriers (2014-2015)

  	U.S.	Other
  Non-scheduled international	613	144
  Scheduled international	40	96
  Total	653	240

  Types of licences held by U.S. and other foreign air carriers (2013-2014)

  	U.S.	Other
  Non-scheduled international	618	143
  Scheduled international	42	92
  Total	660	235

Air licensing activities

Air charter permits

An international charter air service is a non-scheduled international service operated under a contractual arrangement between an air carrier and a charterer. Carriers holding a licence for a non-scheduled international service must get an Agency program permit or an authorization to operate Canadian-originating charter flights to any foreign country. The permit and authorization processes ensure that air carriers operating international charter flights comply with the Air Transportation Regulations.

Number of permits issued

Other air charter permit activities

Air charter flight notifications

Air charter flight notifications for Canada – U.S. charters

Air charter flight notifications for other international charters

Railway infrastructure and construction

The Agency approves specific railway line construction projects. If a railway company intends to construct a railway line, it must file an application with the Agency under section 98 of the Canada Transportation Act for approval.

Marine coasting trade applications

Coasting trade licences are issued by the Minister of Public Safety to Canadian residents who have applied for permission to bring a foreign flagged vessel into Canadian waters to perform a service or activity over a specified period of time. You must simultaneously apply to the Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency to obtain a licence.

The Agency determines whether there are suitable Canadian ships available to carry out the activity described in the application. If the proposed activity involves the carriage of passengers, the Agency determines if there is an adequate marine service using Canadian vessels.

The Canada Border Services Agency cannot license anyone to use a foreign-registered ship until the Agency issues its determination.

A coasting trade licence is issued when there are no suitable Canadian vessels available to perform the service or activity.

Applications processed