KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
The airline must pay you compensation for inconvenience suffered in the event of a flight cancellation or delay of more than 3 hours, if the disruption is attributable to the airline and does not concern safety, and if the airline informed you of the disruption 14 days or less in advance.The airline must pay you compensation based on the length of your delay, which will be determined according to the arrival time at the final destination indicated on your ticket.If you take a flight with a major airline and the length of the delay is :
3 to 6 hours, your compensation will be $400;
6 to 9 hours, your allowance will be $700;
9 hours or more, your compensation will be $1,000.
If you take a flight with a small airline and the delay is :
3 to 6 hours, your compensation will be $125;
6 to 9 hours, your allowance will be $250;
9 hours or more, your allowance will be $500.
All compensation amounts are in Canadian dollars.
A passenger will have one year to file a claim for compensation in writing to the airline. The airline will have 30 days either to pay you the compensation, or to tell you why it believes no compensation is due.
If you have already received compensation for the same event under a passenger protection plan in another country, you cannot receive further compensation under Canadian rules.
The airline must offer you compensation in cash, for example, by cheque or direct deposit into your bank account. The airline may also offer you other forms of compensation, such as vouchers or discounts. In such cases, these other forms of compensation :
must be of greater value than the cash compensation required,
must not have an expiry date.
The airline must notify you in writing of the amount of compensation due to you and the value of any other forms of compensation offered by the airline. You always have the right to choose between cash compensation and the other form(s) offered by the airline. If you choose another form, you must confirm in writing that you are aware that they offer cash compensation.ClaimsTo receive compensation for flight delay or cancellation, you must submit a claim to the airline in writing within one year of the date of the incident. The airline has 30 days in which to respond, either by making a payment or by explaining why it believes no compensation is due.Contact the airlineIf you do not receive a response from the airline within 30 days, or if you are not satisfied with the response you have received, you may file a complaint with us. We will try to facilitate a settlement between you and the airline. Learn more about the various dispute resolution processes.Compensation for delays while traveling abroadIn addition to the minimum compensation for inconvenience described in this guide, a passenger who is delayed while traveling abroad may also be entitled to file a claim under the Montreal or Warsaw Conventions for damages incurred (e.g. expenses) as a result of the delay. Passengers must submit their claims to the airline in writing.Airline obligations regarding flight delays and cancellations are set out in the Air Passenger Protection Regulations.