How Airlines Urge Ottawa for More Flexible Compensation Rules Amid Planned Overhaul – National Impact

Aviation companies are lobbying the Canadian government against stricter rules that aim to improve customer compensation and service, arguing that these regulations could compromise passenger safety. Consumer advocates reject this claim as “ridiculous.” The companies want an exemption in the regulations to deny compensation for flight delays or cancellations that are related to safety issues. They argue that pilots should not have to choose between flying defective planes or causing financial losses to their employers. However, advocates in the European Union, where similar regulations are in place, argue that flight safety has not been compromised. They point out that there have been no major accidents involving EU-registered planes since 2015. Critics view the aviation industry’s argument as lacking credibility and raising concerns about passenger safety. The proposed changes to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations would not exempt compensation for disruptions caused by technical problems but would exempt delays caused by operational issues or hidden manufacturing defects. The first phase of the overhaul starts this Saturday by introducing a more streamlined complaints process. The aviation industry warns that the new regulations may lead to higher prices or cancellations for regional routes due to increased costs from complaints and fees. However, critics argue that the industry’s warnings about regional flights are akin to blackmail and that customer rights and regional flights should not be pitted against each other. They suggest subsidies to support regional trips, which have become more expensive in recent years. The Canadian Transportation Agency is working on finalizing the regulations before they go into effect in 2024, aiming to incentivize airlines to treat passengers better rather than solely focus on compensation.

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Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
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