Thousands of Passengers Await Compensation Following Air Canada Strike
The aftermath of a national Air Canada strike that occurred almost two months ago continues to impact tens of thousands of individuals across the country. In mid-August, approximately 10,000 unionized flight attendants went on strike due to a labor dispute with the airline, causing widespread flight disruptions and cancellations.
One affected passenger, who preferred to remain anonymous due to being a frequent Air Canada customer from Prince Edward Island, shared his experience with 1130 NewsRadio. He had a flight scheduled to Edmonton for August 17, right in the midst of the strike. The airline canceled his flight the night before, forcing him to book a more expensive alternative for the following week.
The passenger recounted receiving a notification from Air Canada stating that his flight was canceled without any available alternatives from over 120 airlines. Under the Canadian Transportation Agency’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations, airlines are required to offer alternate travel arrangements or rebook passengers on the next available flight in such situations.
Having lost a week’s worth of wages and incurred extra costs for a hotel room, the passenger is waiting for a refund of approximately $2,000. Despite trying to file a claim for lost work hours, he faced challenges due to the lack of human interaction in the claim process.
Limited flight options from P.E.I. led the passenger to explore alternatives with airlines like WestJet, Porter, and Flair, ultimately settling for a costly one-way United Airlines flight with inconvenient layovers.
Expressing frustration over the automated communication received from Air Canada and the prolonged claims process, the passenger remains skeptical about the outcome of his compensation request. Despite being a loyal customer spending over $20,000 annually, he feels disappointed by the lack of personalized response from the airline.
His advice to others facing flight disruptions is to maintain meticulous records and documentation for potential reimbursement claims. As of October 1, Air Canada is grappling with nearly 49,000 pending claims, underscoring the extensive impact of the strike on passengers seeking compensation.