Airline passengers seeking compensation for unsatisfactory airline services should consider purchasing insurance, says NAV Canada, the civil aviation authority in Canada.. Alghabra .In response to this issue, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra pledged to introduce stricter regulations against airlines for incidents such as delayed flights and lost baggage..“Passengers need to be actively informed not just on the availability of, but on the risks of not using existing protections, e.g. travel insurance offered at the time of travel purchases, protections offered by different tiers of ticket pricing, et cetera,” NAV Canada wrote in a submission to the Senate Transport committee..“Air Passenger Protection Regulations should be a last line of defence, not the first line of recourse.”.“Regulations should not be amended further until such time as the air sector has returned to normalcy and stability,” wrote NAV Canada..“The current pandemic environment and fluctuating economic conditions continue to be a challenge.”.Current regulations permit travellers to file claims for compensation from $400 for flight delays over three hours to $900 for denial of boarding and $2,100 for lost or damaged luggage..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the rules also allow the Canadian Transportation Agency as the regulator to levy additional punitive fines of $25,000 per passenger against airlines. The maximum penalty has never been imposed..“Regulations need to balance consumer interests with the competitiveness of the sector,” wrote NAV Canada..“Greater compensation liabilities for airlines that often surpass the cost of a ticket and efforts to improve affordability and increased air service may represent opposing policy directions.”.Ray Bohn, CEO of NAV Canada, testified at 2021 hearings of the Commons Transport committee it would take several years for airlines to return to pre-pandemic traffic levels..“We would not see traffic return to 2019 levels until 2023, 2024, but that is likely to be pushed out,” said Bohn..Consumer advocates, MPs and senators complained the current system is so cumbersome that air travellers filing legitimate compensation claims can wait two years for a review. The current backlog is more than 42,000 complaints..READ MORE Feds kick-in millions to shrink record backlog of 42,000 travel complaints.Transport Minister Alghabra promised to amend compensation regulations to benefit travellers this spring..“I am open to anything,” Alghabra told the Transport committee on January 12..“We are looking at the issue of fines,” said Alghabra. “If there is an opportunity to increase the fines or enhance the rules, I welcome this committee’s suggestions.”.“Are there additional rules we can make?” said Alghabra. “There is a question about the fines. Should the fines be strengthened?”.“My plan is to table those proposals during the spring session,” said Alghabra..“There is still some work that is needed. The work started before Christmas, but the plan I am aiming for is during the spring session.”
