Passengers wait in a lineup due to a problem with the baggage system in U.S. departures at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Saturday April 1, 2017. The Canadian Transportation Agency is asking Canadians to help it develop regulations about the rights of air passengers. (Darryl Dyck/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Canadian Transportation Agency launches consultations for air passenger bill of rights

The Canadian Transportation Agency says it wants to hear directly from the public about how to improve regulations protecting the rights of air passengers, including how best to deal with tarmac delays, bumped seats and lost luggage.

Under new provisions of the recently-passed Transportation Modernization Act, the agency is charged with drafting regulations setting out airlines’ obligations with respect to flight delays and cancellations, bumping, tarmac delays, damaged or lost baggage, seating of children with parents or guardians, the transportation of musical instruments, and communication with passengers.

Those interested in offering their thoughts can attend one of eight public sessions to be held across the country, fill in a questionnaire, or provide a written submission.

The agency will also survey air travellers at selected airports.

The consultations will continue until Aug. 28.

“We know air travel issues are important to Canadians and they want to see new air passenger protection regulations in place as soon as possible,” Scott Streiner, chair and CEO of the CTA, said in a statement.

“We also know that they want their say on the content of those regulations. Our three-month consultation process will achieve both goals: it gives individuals, consumer organizations, and airlines multiple channels for offering input, while being focused and facilitating timely development of the regulations.”

So far, more than 4,500 Canadians have visited the CTA website and more than 1,350 have completed the online questionnaire, the agency said, adding that it wants to build on this momentum and hear from as many Canadians as possible.

The schedule for the public sessions:

  • June 14: Toronto
  • June 18: Vancouver
  • June 20: Calgary
  • June 22: Yellowknife
  • June 25: Winnipeg
  • June 27: Montreal
  • June 29: Halifax
  • July 4: Ottawa

With files from The Canadian Press

Categories: Society
Tags: , ,

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.