The first wave of changes under the Canadian Transportation Agency’s (CTA) new Air Passenger Protection Regulations took effect Monday, and lay out airlines’ obligations to passengers.

New rules aimed at protecting the rights of air passengers are a step in the right direction, but “there’s still some way to go,” (Photo: The Star).

They include communicating passenger rights “in a simple, clear way” via travel documents; providing up to $2,400 if passengers are bumped from a flight for reasons “within the airlines’ control” unrelated to safety; compensation for lost or damaged baggage up to $2,100; and letting passengers off the plane if a tarmac delay lasts more than three hours and there is no prospect of “an imminent” takeoff.

“Our first glance is good — it’s taken a while, but there’s still some way to go,” Gary Howard, a spokesperson with the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) Atlantic, said in an interview Monday.

Howard would have liked to see all the regulations rolled out at once, but on a scale of one to 10, he said the new rules get “probably an 8.”

The CTA has broken up the regulations into two parts, with the second wave of regulations coming into effect Dec. 15, 2019. Compensation of up to $1,000 for delays and other payments for cancelled flights will take effect then.

“It’s a good day, and it will be a great day on December 15,” Howard said.

Although CAA has represented drivers for decades, Howard said in the last 10 years the organization has redefined itself as an “advocate for the mobile public,” and offers other travel services including airplane and cruise-ship options.

CAA was one of the stakeholders that took part in consultations with the federal government last year and made recommendations to Marc Garneau, the minister of transport, Howard said.

Until now, he said Canadian airlines had different rules and regulations that were enforced to varying degrees.

Haley Ryan – The Star