The number of disputes between passengers and air carriers is exploding

Canadian Transportation Agency (OTC) Resolved a total of 15,254 disputes between passengers and air carriers last year. It runs from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

However, 7,575 complaints were resolved after the federal government announced Granting financial assistance to airlines To facilitate reimbursement of aircraft canceled due to pandemic.

” The Canadian Transportation Agency assists in resolving complaints about air travel in and out of Canada. Character ofOTC Ensuring that the airline complies with the terms set out in the contract […] And both parties maintained their commitments. ⁇

Last year, the office intervened in 10,227 cases. The increase is more pronounced when compared to the number of files processed byOTC With what is currently before the epidemic. 5839 files were examined for the financial year 2018-2019.

However, the number of complaints received by the office decreased slightly (12,158 complaints were received last year compared to 13,275 last year), but still indicates a spectacular increase compared to the situation before the epidemic (7,650 in 2018-2019). [une plainte qui touche deux transporteurs sera comptabilisée deux fois, dans les statistiques de l’OTC, NDLR].

In his report, TheOTC He also indicated that he felt that these complaints represented only what was reported to him and that it was necessary to open a file for that. They do not reflect the total number of air travel complaints registered against carriers. Most travelers resolve their complaints directly with the carrierUnderlines the office.

Explicit rights

Since the federal government introduced the Passenger Rights Bill in 2019, complaints have been steadily rising, CTA spokesman Tom Oomen said. New regulations to strengthen the Charter Effective September 8.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly limited the number of passengers in recent years, the number of canceled flights, one of the main arguments for filing complaints, has skyrocketed.

Annual release of airline complaints data, according to Women Allows travelers to find out how satisfied Canadians are with the company before making a choice.

As the number of complaints is high, the representativeOTC He emphasized that the delay in opening the new file could be several months now. However, he opined that a solution is usually possible within 20 days after the case is opened.

WestJet makes people who are not very happy

The WestJet carrier topped the list of Canadian carriers handling complaints last year.

Air Canada has historically topped the list of Canadian carriers with the highest number of complaints. However, the company saw a slight decline in the number of passengers filing complaints to the CTA over the past year.

WestJet and Air Transat had the hardest year, with three times as many complaints as last year.

In a statement, a WestJet spokesman agreed that the company should do the same Navigate the complex environment and face many challenges.

The company said information on the complaints process available to passengers would be disseminated to consumers. This reflects a growing number of complaints, according to WestJet This is great transparency And no Normal level of customer satisfaction.

Record fines in the transport sector in the country

The Canadian Transportation Agency is also responsible for conducting inspections and ensuring compliance with federal transport laws in the air, sea and rail sectors.

Penalties imposed by the authorities from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022OTC Total $ 253,975. In the previous year, the total amount of these fines was only $ 54,500. For the 2018-2019 fiscal year, however, it was $ 780,000.