Canadian Government takes major step to provide new air passenger protection rights

The Honorable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, announced that the Government of Canada is one step closer to providing Canadians with important new air passenger protection rights. The Canadian Transportation Agency’s proposed air passenger protection regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette Part I on December 22, 2018, for a final 60-day public comment period.

The Transportation Modernization Act mandated the Agency to develop regulations for air travelers that would be clear, consistent, transparent and fair. After months of public and stakeholder consultations, Canadians will have an opportunity to review the proposed regulations and have their say.

“Our government is pleased with the progress made in strengthening air passenger rights for Canadians, and that Canadians have had – and continue to have – a chance to shape these rules,” said Minister Garneau. “An airline ticket is a contract for service, and it imposes obligations on both the airline and on the traveler. Once finalized, these regulations will create a more predictable and balanced approach that will benefit both.”

As of December 22, Canadians are also welcome to visit Canada Gazette Part I to comment on Transport Canada’s proposed regulations on the collection of air travel performance data from air service providers. This data will be collected in areas such as on-time performance and security wait times, from service providers including airport authorities, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and NAV Canada. It will provide a comprehensive picture of the air travel experience to allow the Government of Canada to evaluate the effectiveness of the new air passenger protection regulations.