TRAN Committee Report

Liberal Minister Fails Canada’s Air Passengers

Introduction

Conservative Members of Parliament on the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities would like to thank the Committee, its staff, analysts, and number of witnesses who shared their valuable insights concerning how to address the shortcomings of the Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

While the Conservative Members support the general direction of the report, we believe that this report does not go far enough in advancing the principle of shared accountability in the aviation ecosystem.

Further, the report does not hold the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra accountable for his complete absence in the face of significant failures in Canada’s air travel system during the Christmas travel season of 2022.

For these reasons, we are tabling this supplementary report. Conservatives recommend:

That the Government of Canada implement a mechanism to allow airlines to recoup the costs of passenger compensation from a third party responsible for a delay or cancellation.

Background:

Christmas Travel Chaos

After a catastrophic summer travel season brought about by ineffective vaccine mandates, the ArriveCAN app, and short-staffed airports, the Minister promised that the problems in the air travel system had been resolved and that Canadians would not see a repeat of the summer chaos during the crucial Christmas holiday travel season.

Unfortunately, the Christmas holiday travel season was a disaster that saw thousands of Canadians stranded in airports, and foreign hotel lobbies, hundreds lose baggage, and others left stranded on airport tarmacs for up to 12 hours.

What we learned in Committee was that the Minister was missing in action during this entire travel crisis. According to witness testimony, at no time during this crisis did the Minister pick up the phone to speak with airport authorities in Vancouver, Toronto, or Montreal.

We were shocked to learn that the Minister did not speak directly with Sunwing Airlines whose passengers spent days sleeping in hotel lobbies not knowing when they would be able to return home, until two weeks after the crisis was resolved. Compare this with U.S. Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg who was publicly visible and personally engaged as a similar crisis unfolded in the United States.

Conservative Members believe that Ministerial accountability required the Minister to play a more active and visible role in addressing the crisis and to address why, despite his promises that the system was fixed, Canadians were subjected to consecutive disastrous travels seasons.

Shared Accountability in the Aviation Ecosystem

Several witnesses spoke of the idea of shared accountability in the aviation ecosystem. While airlines are solely held responsible for delayed and cancelled flights, the Committee was told that there are many federally regulated entities responsible for ensuring a smooth travel experience. This includes airports, NAV Canada, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), and the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Conservative Members believe that the recommendation for establishing transparent service standards for all members of the aviation sector is a good start but doesn’t go far enough. We agree with witness testimony in the Committee report calling for “a reimbursement regime for all groups that provide a service that can result in a delay or cancellation.”

Recommendation 15 calling for automatic compensation “to all passengers affected by a flight delay, cancellation, or denial of boarding when circumstances fall within normal airline operations” could preclude compensating passengers when the cause of the delay, cancellation or denial of boarding is the fault of a federally regulated entity other than an airline.

Conservative Members believe that ensuring a federally regulated entity responsible for delays and cancelled flights is held responsible will incentivize all entities in the aviation ecosystem to ensure a better travel experience for passengers. 

It is for these reasons that Conservative Members would add the following recommendation:

That the Government of Canada implement a mechanism to allow airlines to recoup the costs of passenger compensation from a third party responsible for a delay or cancellation.

Conclusion

Conservatives Members will continue to advocate for the rights of air passengers. We believe the best way to do this is to hold everyone who has a role to play in our aviation sector accountable for their actions or lack thereof, including the Minister, airports, and all federally regulated entities.