Expert: Second phase of air passenger rights comes into effect in Canada

With the holiday season fast approaching and Canadians finalizing their travel plans, the federal government’s second wave of air passenger protections has come into full effect. As of Dec. 15, airlines now must abide by the Canadian Transportation Agency’s (CTA) second set of rules intended to protect travellers when their trips don’t go as planned. (CTV News).

Here is an expert from McGill University that can provide comment on this issue:

John Gradek, Faculty Lecturer, School of Continuing Studies

“The latest introduction of the Air Passenger Rights regulation on December 15th, 2019 will finally bring Canadian passenger rights closer in line with those regulations in the US and the EU. There remains, however, serious loopholes in the regulations that would permit airlines to withhold compensation due to operating practices. Such practices by EU carriers do not negate their obligations to compensation, so the Canadian regulations may yet change to get them closer in line with EU ones.”

John Gradek is lecturing in the Diploma program in Integrated Aviation Management as well as in both the certificate and diploma programs of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Operations Management. He has held senior roles at Air Canada in operations, marketing and planning and has worked in the development and the delivery of commercial airline management programs for the International Aviation Management Training Institute.

john.gradek [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)