Air Canada has been directed to pay $2,155 as compensation for flight delays which landed a Kelowna, BC, couple at their destination three days late, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“Air Canada is in the best position to provide evidence that proves the cause of the delay and bears the onus of proving the delay was outside its control,” said Civil Resolution Tribunal adjudicator Shelley Lopez in a ruling. .“Air Canada’s own staffing issues for its crew or other Air Canada employees are within its own control.” .Lopez said the onus is on airlines to justify extraordinary delays. .University of British Columbia associate professor Abdallah Mohamed booked a family trip from Kelowna through Vancouver to Cairo for summer holidays in 2022. Evidence showed the Kelowna flight was two hours late and missed its Vancouver connection by 17 minutes. .Air Canada agents rebooked the family on another flight from Vancouver two days later. This led to Mohamed and his family arriving in Cairo 56 hours later than scheduled. .The airline blamed air traffic control constraints beyond its control and denied compensation. .“I find Air Canada is in the best position to provide evidence explaining the delay of its own flights,” said Lopez. .The Civil Resolution Tribunal awarded Mohamed and his wife $2,155 in compensation under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations..Parliament mandated the regulations promising minimum compensation of $400 for a three-hour flight delay, $900 for denial of boarding due to overbooking, up to $2,100 for lost or damaged luggage and a maximum $25,000 in damages in 2019. .Regulators have a current backlog of more than 46,000 complaints. .“People are tired, exhausted and losing faith in institutions,” said former transport minister Omar Alghabra. .“I take that mood extremely seriously.”.The House of Commons Transport Committee said in April air travellers should receive more compensation for poor service..READ MORE: Gov’t adding more airline passenger protections after disastrous holiday travel.Alghabra suggested developing a proposal for new regulations by June..“The committee heard from many witnesses on the shortcomings of the Air Passenger Protection Regulations as well as potential methods of improvement,” said the Commons Transport Committee.
