Passenger help | Air Passenger Protection (2024)

• What information and documents do I need to submit a complaint?

  You will be asked in the form to provideinformationabout yourflightand theproblemsyou experienced. You will also needtoupload your documentsthroughout the form. It will be easier if you have your all information and documentsinone placeon your computer, tablet or phone. Thedocuments will need to be in adigital formatfor upload, as we cannot acceptphysical copies.

  Documents and information you will need:

  • Proof that you contacted the airline in writing
  • Airline ticket, booking confirmation or invoice
  • Airline booking number or reservation code
  • Booking details, including the complete flight itinerary

  Documents and information you may also need:

  • Receipts for out-of-pocket expenses related to the problem you experienced
  • Ticket number
  • Boarding pass
  • If you were denied boarding (bumping), you will need written confirmation of what the airline offered you

  For baggage-related issues, you may also need:

  • Property Irregularity Report (PIR) or Incident report
  • Damaged property report, if provided
  • Complete list of missing or damaged items, including the value per item
  • Receipts for replacement items

• Can I submit a complaint about an accessibility issue?

  Persons with disabilities have a right to barrier-free travel. The CTA can help with issues about the:

  • accessibility of flights to, from, and within Canada
  • accessibility of airports in Canada
  • accessibility of transportation services by an airline or terminal in Canada
  • accessibility of trains, ferries and buses that operate between provinces or territories or between Canada and the United States, as well as rail stations and ferry terminals in Canada

  Submit an accessible transportation complaint

  For more information about the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, visit our Accessible Transportation page.

• What are the eligibility criteria for an Air travel complaint?

  Your complaint must meets the following criteria:

  1. Your complaint has to involve a flight incident that the CTA can address, such as a flight delay. Please visit our website for a list of things that the CTA cannot address such as airport security screening or airline customer service.
  2. You, or the people you are submitting the complaint for, actually experienced the flight incident raised in your complaint. For example, you cannot submit a complaint about something that you heard about on the news.
  3. You are looking forcompensation, a refund, or reimbursem*nt for expenses from the airline related to the flight incident raised in your complaint. The CTA cannot award compensation for pain and suffering, or loss of income.
  4. You have already sent your complaint to the airline in writing before submitting the complaint to the CTA, waited 30 days for the airline's answer, and your complaint remains unresolved.
  5. Your complaint cannot be vexatious or made in bad faith.

  You should also note, if it is clear from the information provided in your complaint, that the airline has fulfilled its obligations under the tariff (the legal document that contains the terms, conditions and other rules that apply to your airline ticket), the complaint may be ineligible. For example, if the airline has already provided you with the compensation you were owed, your complaint would not move forward.

• Are there time limits or deadlines for submitting a complaint?

  You should act upon your complaint as soon as possible. This will help you establish your case (which may be more difficult after time has passed) and ensure that copies of your documents are available.

  Before you submit a complaint to the CTA, you must contact the airline and wait 30 days for their reply.

  Deadlines to contact or submit a complaint to the airline:

  • Damaged baggage: file a claim with the airline within 7 days of receiving your baggage.

  • Delayed baggage: file a claim with the airline within 21 days of receiving your baggage.

  • Lost baggage: file a claim with the airline as soon as possible. Your baggage is considered lost when it is delayed for 21 days or when the airline admits to losing the baggage before 21 days.

  • Flight delays and cancellations: file a request for compensation with the airline within 1 year of the delay or cancellation. The airline has 30 days to make a payment or explain why not.

• Do I have to show up in person?

  No, your case resolutionand any exchange of information or documents will be done electronically.

• Are there any costs or fees to submit an air travel complaint?

  No. It doesn’t cost anything to submit an Air travel complaint to the CTA.

• Do I need a lawyer?

  No, you can complete the Complaint form and any actions required during the complaint resolution process yourself. You can, however, have a friend, family member, representative or lawyer submit your complaint form, but you and anyone included in your complaint, must haveactually experienced the flight incident raised in the complaint.

• Can I submit a complaint on behalf of someone else?

  Yes, as long as you have their consent. Parents/legal guardians do not require consent to act on behalf of their minor children.

• Can I submit a complaint about any problem I experience while flying or at the airport?

  We can help with these issues:

  Compensation for a flight delay, cancellation or tarmac delay

  Depending on the reason for the delay or cancellation, the airline may have to offerassistance(food/drinks, communication, overnight accommodation),rebooking,refunds, orcompensationfor inconvenience.

  Note: Tarmac delaysare when the plane is delayed on the ground,with the doors closed, before take-off or after landing.

  For more information about flight disruptions, please visitFlight delays and cancellations

  Compensation and expenses for lost, delayed or damaged baggage

  Deadlines for filing baggage claims:

  To be eligible for compensation, refunds or reimbursem*nt, you must have filed a claimwith the airline:

  • within7 daysof receiving yourdamagedbaggage
  • within21daysof receiving yourdelayedbaggageoninternational flights
  • as soon as possiblefordelayedbaggage on flights within Canada
  • as soon as possiblefor baggage that is consideredlost

  If you did notsubmit a claim within these time limits, the airline coulddenyyour claim.

  For more information about baggage complaints, please visitLost, damaged or delayed baggage.

  Compensation for denied boarding (bumping)

  Denied boarding (bumping)is when there aremore passengerswith valid tickets who have checked in and arrived at the boarding gatethan seats on the plane. This can happen if the flight is oversold or if the plane is changed to one with fewer seats.

  Note: Denied boarding is not the same as Refusal to transport, which is when a passenger is not allowed to travel on their flight because of problems with travel documents, pets, ticket payment, missed deadlines, behaviour, health, safety, or for security reasons.

  Depending on the reason fordenied boarding (bumping), the airline may have to offerassistance(food/drinks, communication, overnight accommodation),rebookingorrefunds, andcompensationfor inconvenience.

  Before bumping a passenger, airlines must first ask for volunteers. If you are moved to a later flight, the airline must provide you with awritten confirmation of the benefitsthat you accepted. Compensation is only given if the reason for denied boarding was within the airline’s control.

  For more information on Denied Boarding (Bumping), please visitDenied boarding (Bumping).

  A refund of a ticket, part of a ticket, or a replacement ticket

  This is the full or partial amount you paid for your ticket to your original form of payment. The amount for a partial refund will be calculated based on the original ticket as shown on your ticket, booking confirmation, receipt, or invoice.

  A refund of fees paid (baggage fees, seating fees, change fees, unaccompanied minor fees, etc.)

  This is the amount you paid for your additional fees, including baggage fees, pre-booked seats or pre-paid meals.

  Reimbursem*nt for out-of-pocket expenses (accommodation, transportation, food/drink)

  This includesreceiptsfor food and drinks, access to communication (Wi-Fi, phone or roaming charges), accommodation for overnight delays, and transportation to and from the accommodation.

  Forbaggage issues, this includes receipts for replacing or renting items that were lost or damaged as well as baggage fees.

  Other (refusal to transport, ticket issues, reservations, vouchers, credits, fares, loyalty programs, travelling with children)

  This category includes complaints about:

  • seating of children near a parent or guardian
  • unaccompanied minors
  • refund of ticket(s) as a result of a cancelled reservation
  • travel credits or vouchers
  • charges or changes to my ticket or reservation
  • issues with seating
  • error(s) with my issued ticket
  • airline fares
  • loyalty programs operated by an airline

  There are some issues we can't help with, but these other organizations may be able to help:

  Travel agents or tour operators

  The CTA may be able to review complaints about theair portionof travel booked through a travel agency or as part of a tour package.

  Complaints about theland portionorservicesof travel booked through a travel agency or as part of a tour package (accommodation, transfers to and from airports, excursions, etc.)fall under provincial jurisdiction.

  Please consult theprovincial or territorial government authority for consumers. Your travel agency or tour operator (including on-line reservations) must be registered with a provincial authority in Canada in order to help you.

  Customs, immigration, or security

  For complaints aboutcustoms,security screening,baggage inspectionorairport security,visit the air transportation section of the Government of CanadaConsumer Hub.

  Airport facilities and services (not related to accessibility)

  For issues related toairportfacilities or services(not related to accessibility), you cancontact the airportdirectly.

  They can help you with:

  • Lost and found: items left in public areas in the airport terminal buildings
  • Up-to-date flight information
  • Terminal maps
  • Food and shopping services
  • Baggage storage
  • Parking
  • Car rentals

  Airline customer service

  For complaints aboutairline customer service, you shouldcontact the airlinedirectly.

  Aviation safety

  For complaints abouttransportation safetyorunsafe practiceson the plane, you can contact theTransportation Safety Board of Canada.

  Unfair competitive services, including false advertising

  For complaints related tofalse advertising,pricing,mergers and acquisitions; etc., contact theCompetition Bureau of Canada.

  Human rights violation

  If you experience ahuman rights issueduring air travel, such as discrimination on the basis of race, gender identity or expression, you can find out more abouthuman rights complaints and processesor file a complaint directly with theCanadian Human Rights Commission.

  Airplane noise complaints

  If you have an issue aboutairplane noise, you can get more information from Transport Canada'sManaging noise from aircraftwebsite.

  Bilingual airline service

  For issues related tobilingual service, please contact theOffice of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

• What if my flight was outside of Canada?

  To submit an Air travel complaint with the CTA, your flight must have been to, from or within Canada, including connecting flights. This includes cancelled flights or connecting flights outside of Canada.

  Forflights outside Canada, you can contact similar agencies in other countries or regions, such as:

  See Also

  The biggest pain points in air travel and how to fix them - TNMTWe failed to protect Israel from Hamas attack, army chief admits — as it happenedAir Travel Consumer Report: Consumer Complaints Down from April, Still More Than 200 Percent Above Pre-Pandemic LevelsThings go wrong on your flight? Here's what to ask for. - The Points Guy

  United States of America:Department of Transportation(DOT) Europe:National Enforcement Bodies(NEB)(europa.eu)

  However, if your travel itinerary includes a departure from or arrival in Canada, please consider it as an itinerary departing from or arriving in Canada.

You can check the status of your complaint online: case status update.

The case status result is the most up-to-date information available about your case.
Please do not resubmit the same complaint.

We continue to receive a high number of new complaints. The wait time between when you submitted your case and when it is reviewed can be more than 18 months. We assure you that the wait time will not affect the outcome of your case review.

• My flight was delayed or cancelled, what am I entitled to?

  If an airline informs you of a flight delay or cancellation within their control 14 days or less before the original departure time, they will have to compensate you for the inconvenience of the disruption. The amount of compensation depends on the size of the airline and how late you arrive at your final destination.

  Depending on the circ*mstances, airlines may also be required to provide to you certain assistance such as food, Wi-Fi access, accommodation and communication, if you experienced a flight disruption. They may also be required to provide rebooking or a refund.

  To receive compensation for a flight delay or cancellation, you must make a claim directly with the airline in writing within oneyear of the delay or cancellation. The airline has 30 days to respond by issuing a payment or by telling you why it believes compensation is not owed.

• My baggage was damaged. What do I do?

  If your bag is damaged, contact the airline right away

  For damaged baggage: you must file a claim with the airline within 7 days of receiving your baggage.

  Failure to submit a claim within the set time limit could result in the airline denying your claim.

• My baggage did not arrive at my destination. What do I do?

  If your bag is missing, contact your airline right away.

  • For delayed baggage: you must file a claim with the airline within 21 days of receiving your baggage.
  • For lost baggage: you must file a claim with the airline as soon as possible after 21 days (baggage is considered lost if it has been delayed for 21 days).

  Failure to submit a claim within the set time limits could result in the airline denying your claim.

On September 30, 2023, Parliament gave the Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency; CTA) the power to clarify and simplify the way it handles air travel complaints. All complaints, including those submitted before September 30, 2023, must meet new eligibility criteria set out in the Canada Transportation Act (Act) in order to move forward to dispute resolution and decision.

Case confirmation only applies to complaints that were submitted before September 30, 2023. If you have submitted such a complaint, you will receive an email with instructions on how to confirm your case. This is your opportunity to review, update, and confirm the information and documents in the complaint so it is ready for the new air travel complaint resolution process.

If you submitted a complaint after September 30, 2023, you will not need to confirm your case. The information necessary to assess the eligibility of your complaint was already submitted as a result of using the Agency's new complaint form that reflects the changes to the Act.

• What happens if I do not complete the confirmation?

  Only passengers who have submitted a complaint before September 30, 2023, and received an email from the Agency requesting them to join the eServices Portal must complete their case confirmation. If you do not complete this step, the complaint will not move forward in the air travel complaint resolution process.

• Why did I receive an email about case confirmation?

  When a case submitted before September 30, 2023, is nearing the start of the air travel complaint resolution process, passengers will receive an email to invite them to join the eServices Portal and complete the case confirmation.

  Case confirmation is your opportunity to review, update, and confirm the information and documents in the complaint submission so it is ready for the new process.

• What is the eServices Portal?

  The eServices Portal is the online platform where passengers and airlines can track and participate in the air travel complaint resolution process.

  Passengers will be emailed a unique portal registration link from OTC | CTA (Canadian Transportation Agency) as part of the case confirmation email.

  To participate in the complaint process and complete the case confirmation, passengers must register in the eServices Portal. This secure platform allows communication between the passenger, the airlines, and the CTA.

• What is required in case confirmation?

  This is your opportunity to review your air travel complaint if it was submitted before September 30, 2023. All the information and documents from the original submission have been uploaded to the eServices Portal. You have one chance to verify the details and add information or documents to the complaint if you think something is missing.

  The complaint must meet the new eligibility criteria in the Canada Transportation Act.

  You can review and make any updates by completing the six (6) steps of the case confirmation.

  Review original submission (step 1)

  All the information and documents from the original submission have been uploaded to the eServices Portal. In Step 1: Review original submission, please check the information and documents you provided in your original complaint.

  In the next steps, you will be guided through the information and documents required to meet the eligibility criteria in the Canada Transportation Act.

  Review/update documents (step 2)

  The documents listed are the original documents you submitted. You can add additional documents, such as tickets, receipts for expenses (if any), and any communication with the airline. Note: the original documents cannot be removed.

  If there are additional documents to add to the complaint, this is the last chance to provide them.

  Review/update flights and issues (step 3)

  Please review and confirm that the correct flight information is listed.

  For each flight, please make sure all issues, such as flight delay or baggage, are listed. Passengers can have multiple flights, and multiple issues.

  There is an option to add, edit, or delete issues as required.

  Review/update desired outcome (step 4)

  In order to meet the new eligibility criteria in the Canada Transportation Act, you must include the desired outcome(s).

  Outcomes are based on the issues identified in Step 3: Review/update flights and issues. Outcomes can be:

  • refund of ticket(s) and the amount you want.
  • reimbursem*nt for out-of-pocket expenses and the amount you want.
  • compensation for inconvenience (only for flight delays/cancellations or denied boarding). The amount is pre-determined by the Air Passenger Protection Regulations based on the size of the airline and the length of the delay arriving at the destination airport.
  • compensation for lost, delayed or damaged baggage and the amount you want.

  Update incident details (step 5)

  You can review the original incident description. This is the chance to add any additional details about the complaint that were not in the original submission. In the incident description box, you must:

  • include a statement on whether you agree or disagree with the airline's reason for the incident and why
  • include a list of who was affected by the flight incident raised in the complaint
    • say if you were personally affected by the flight incident.
    • say if you are representing or filing on behalf of someone who was personally affected by the incident and include their name(s)

  Note: You cannot add new passengers that were not listed in the original complaint. They would need to submit their own complaint.

  Complete the confirmation (Step 6)

  Once all the steps are completed and you are ready to complete the confirmation, you must click the "Complete the confirmation" button.

  Once you have completed the confirmation, no further changes can be made and the complaint will move forward.

• How to complete case confirmation?

  Once your complaint is nearing the start of the air travel complaint resolution process, the CTA will invite you by email to register for the eServices Portal.

  Once registration is completed successfully, you will be able to log into the eServices Portal and select the complaint cases requiring case confirmation. You can review and update the information and documents as needed throughout the six (6) steps of the case confirmation. You will be prompted to review and accept the acknowledgment that the complaint is ready for submission. You must press the green "submit your confirmation" button to complete the process.

  Once completed, you will see the complaint case on the eServices Portal is now in green and awaiting the start of the complaint review process.

• When will the complaint be reviewed?

  After completing and submitting the case confirmation, an additional email to advise of the Start Notice will be sent to the email address on file. The Start Notice marks the start of the air travel complaint resolution process.

  Once the Start Notice email has been sent, and the air travel complaint process has begun, you must use the eServices Portal to participate and manage the complaint review process.

• Additional help

  If you need help, this guide will help you use all the features and steps to complete the passenger confirmation. You can also call 1-888-222-2592, Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm ET.

  • eServices Portal guide for cases requiring passenger confirmation
  • Passenger eServices Portal Guide

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) cannot provide explanations or comments on decisions that are made by Complaint Resolution Officers (CRO) about air travel complaints. The CRO’s decisions speak for themselves.

CROs are designated under section 85.02 of the Canada Transportation Act (Act) to resolve disputes between the two parties (the airline and the passenger) in air travel complaint cases if the parties are not able to resolve the dispute themselves. The CRO’s role is to assess whether a passenger complaint is eligible for the resolution process, mediate the dispute if both parties agree to try mediation, and, if necessary, make a final, binding and confidential decision.

Eligibility assessment

The CRO will determine if an air travel complaint meets the eligibility criteria set out in the Act. If a complaint is ineligible, it will not move forward in the complaint resolution process and the case will be closed.

Eligibility criteria were put in place (under subsection 85.04(2) of the Act) to ensure that passengers only bring forward issues that are under the CTA’s mandate and responsibility.

Complaints assessed as ineligible

In some situations, a passenger may be able to file a new complaint using the CTA’s online complaint form after receiving an ineligibility assessment. This would apply if the passenger can take the necessary steps to ensure their complaint meets the eligibility criteria.

The following are examples of reasons why a complaint did not meet the eligibility criteria and how they can be addressed. Once addressed, the passenger could decide to file a new complaint:

• If a passenger has not clearly stated to the CTA what type of outcome they are looking for (a refund, reimbursem*nt of expenses or compensation) in their complaint, they may file a new complaint and provide this missing information;
• If a passenger has not made a written request to the airline first to try to resolve the dispute, and if the dispute remains unresolved after 30 days, the passenger may be able to take this missing step and then file a new complaint with the CTA.

Passengers are encouraged to carefully read the eligibility assessment letter issued by the CRO as it will explain why the complaint is ineligible. The CTA cannot provide any further explanations or comments on how a passenger’s complaint may or may not meet the eligibility criteria.

Learn more about the eligibility criteria.

Final decisions and orders

If an air travel complaint meets the eligibility criteria set out in the Act, a CRO will analyze and evaluate the positions and evidence provided by both parties, including the airline’s answer and the passenger’s reply, if submitted, and issue a final decision and order on the case.

Note: Complaints that include multiple issues (i.e., a flight delay and lost baggage) or multiple outcomes requested (i.e., compensation for inconvenience, refund and reimbursem*nt of expenses) may have more than one order in a decision.

These decisions and orders are binding on the parties. If a CRO makes an order against an airline in a final decision, the airline must comply with the order within the specified time.

Once the CRO has issued a final decision in a case:

• the passenger cannot file a new complaint about the same issues;
• the CTA cannot provide further explanations about the final decision or order.

Challenging a CRO’s decision

The CTA’s role in the air travel complaint resolution process between the airline and the passenger officially ends when a final decision has been made.

Either party may challenge a CRO’s decision by filing a judicial review application with the Federal Court of Canada. More information on that process is available on the website: How to file an Application for Judicial Review.

Airline answer and passenger reply are step 3 of the air travel complaint resolution process.The airline will be given14 calendar daysfrom the date of the Start Notice to review the complaint and provide information and/or documents to support its answer to the complaint.Once the airline provides its answer, passengers will be notified and have the option of submitting a reply within4 calendar days.

Airlines can request 4 additional calendar days to provide their answer to the complaint.

Passengers can request 1 additional calendar day to reply to the airline answer.

Submitting a request

1. Select the Request extra time button at the top right corner of the Airline answer or Passenger reply section of the eServices Portal.
2. Explain the reason for the extension request in the text box.
3. Click the Submit extension request button

The extension request will be approved in step 4 (Eligibility review) of the complaint resolution process. The extension may be declined, and any documents or information provided during the extension period would not be considered, if:

• the request is submitted outside of the eServices Portal
• the request is made after the deadline for filing an answer or a reply has already passed
• the request does not include the reason the original deadline could not be met.

For more information, please read the extension request section in these guides:

• Passenger eServices Portal Guide
• Airline eServices Portal Guide

An airline ceasing operations may leave passengers with great uncertainty, and in some cases may leave them stranded far from home.

To help passengers who may be affected, the CTA offers the following information and some practical tips for consumers.