Expert: Canadians need an Airline Passenger Bill of Rights
Posted Apr 22, 2010 03:19:59 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A Vancouver airline analyst says the volcanic ash crisis shows why Canadians need an Airline Passenger Bill of Rights.
Scott Clute says Europeans received E.U. mandated airline compensation for their flight delays and cancellations. Canadians on the other hand, did not.
He says it’s time for politicians to act. “I do think it’s a good thing. I think anytime the consumer gets protected, then that’s probably a very good thing.”
Clute doesn’t buy the excuse the airlines can’t afford to compensate passengers who are stranded due to weather or volcanic ash events. “If we look at Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific, these airlines have turned profits on a normal year to year basis. Southwest Airlines and even WestJet locally seem to weather the storm shall we say.”
Clute feels with so many people booking online, they don’t have a travel agent to help them out during a crisis. “And that’s where that bill of rights would be applicable. It would certainly come in and bail people out who are not all that savvy on knowing what they could do and what coverage they should have.”
He says so far, every attempt to bring in a Canadian Air Passenger Bill of Rights has failed for one reason or another.
