Good news for anyone who will one day be let down by an airline. Which is everyone.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau is expected to reveal a passenger bill of rights today that will give passengers the right to compensation in the case that airlines do any of the following:
- – Bump you from a flight due to overbooking
- – Cause delay as a result of mechanical failure
- – Lose your luggage
Pretty hard to believe that this wasn’t enshrined into law before, huh? (It should be noted that most airlines already employ some sort of a compensation policy merely on the account of decent customer service).
“Buying a plane ticket is a big investment for the majority of Canadians. It is important to ensure that the rules are in place to ensure the best possible experience for them,” said Garneau’s spokeswoman, Delphine Denis, in an interview with the Huffington Post.
Compensation will be calculated depending on the length of delay, size of the airline, and, presumably, the nature of what caused the issue. Understandably, delays caused by weather will not yield compensation.
Perhaps Canada can be inspired by European travellers’ compensation rights. In the EU, airlines are required to cover travellers for delays of three hours or more. This includes compensation for overnight accommodation, food and drink, and rerouted journeys.