How to file a complaint

People who want to make a complaint against an air carrier may mail or fax the Agency at:

Canadian Transportation Agency
Air Travel Complaints Program
Ottawa, Ontario   K1A ON9
Fax: (819) 953-5686

For more information, you may call the Agency from Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 8 pm, Eastern Time, at:

Phone: 1-888-222-2592
TTY: 1-800-669-5575

You may also file a complaint directly over the Internet

Is there anything I should do before I contact the Agency?

You should collect all your facts, receipts, names and phone numbers of people to whom you spoke and, most importantly, a copy of your ticket. Having this information at hand will assist in the review of your complaint. Approaching the carrier with your concerns is often a good idea as many problems can be handled quite quickly that way. In the end if you feel that you have a justifiable complaint, or if you are not satisfied with how the airline has resolved your complaint, you may bring it to the Agency.

Do I need to complain to the carrier first?

In many instances, issues or problems may be dealt with quite quickly and simply by bringing the situation to the attention of the carrier first. Some issues such as quality of service provided by an airline should first be brought to the carrier's attention before the Agency will be able to address your complaint.

How can I complain to an air carrier directly when I don't know how to reach them so that my complaint will get dealt with?

Here is a list of the largest Canadian Air Carriers' Customer Service Departments.

What if I don't have all the information from my flight?

While it would be helpful to have as much information as possible concerning your air travel arrangements, this does not prevent you from filing your complaint. However, you may encounter delays while staff researches the information that is needed to deal with the complaint. In some cases, it may be impossible to make a determination without sufficient relevant information.

What needs to be included in my complaint?

The more detail you can provide in your complaint, the more easily the matter can be resolved. Please see the complaint forms for details on the type of information which you should provide for different types of complaints.

If you do not have all the information that the form requires, that is okay, but it will take extra time to find that information and process your complaint.

Is there a time limit to file a complaint?

No, but in practical terms it is better to bring the matter to the carrier's or Agency's attention sooner rather than later. The older a complaint, the more difficult it may be to obtain necessary documents, records, or information.

Do I need a lawyer?

You do not need to hire a lawyer in order to file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency. The complaint process is simple and easy to understand. Of course, you may consult a lawyer if you wish.

Are there any fees/costs to process my complaint?

There is no charge to file a complaint with the Agency.

Once I file my complaint, what happens?

When the Agency receives a complaint, a few things must be verified before the complaint can be processed.

First, the complaint is examined to determine if it falls within the jurisdiction of any other government department or agency. If so, then it will be referred to the appropriate organization, and at the same time you will be notified where it has been sent.

Then, it must be verified that you have first raised the issue with the air carrier. If you have not, then your complaint will be forwarded to the airline on your behalf to give the carrier the opportunity to resolve it.

If you are still not satisfied with the way in which the airline handled your complaint, then the Agency can become involved. The nature of the complaint and the outcome that you seek will be determining factors in how the Agency deals with your complaint.

Your complaint will be reviewed to ensure that it is clear and complete. It is possible to expedite matters if you collect all the facts, receipts, names and numbers of people who were involved and, most importantly, a copy of the ticket. Having this information at hand will greatly assist in the review and resolution of your complaint.

Once the Agency has received all your relevant information, it will be forwarded to the carrier to give the airline a chance to respond. Should the air carrier raise any new issue or information, then you may be asked to respond. The Agency will try, whenever possible, to arrive at a solution acceptable to both parties.

Even if your particular complaint cannot be resolved, it will prove useful in assisting the Agency to analyze and report on trends in customer service issues for the airline industry.

If you are curious about the status of your complaint at any time, you may call the Agency staff assigned to your case, using your case reference number, to get an update.

How long does it take?

The Agency's procedures for a regulatory complaint require a resolution within 120 days unless an extension is agreed to by all parties. The length of the complaint process will depend heavily on the complexity of the complaint, on the quality and accuracy of information that is provided, and the type of outcome you seek.

It is possible to expedite matters if you collect all the facts, receipts, names and numbers of people who were involved and, most importantly, a copy of the ticket. Having this information at hand will greatly assist in the review and resolution of your complaint.

What will the Agency do if it finds in my favour?

The Agency's response will depend on the nature of the complaint.

• If the Agency found that a fare, rate or increase offered on a route within Canada served by only one carrier was unreasonable, then the Agency could disallow the fare, rate or price increase; direct the carrier to reduce the fare, rate or increase; and order the payment of refunds, if practical, to passengers who were found to have been overcharged.

• If the Agency found that a term or condition of carriage in a carrier's tariff was unreasonable or unduly discriminatory, it could prohibit the carrier from applying that term or condition, and it may also substitute a new term or condition in its place.

• If the Agency found that a carrier failed to apply its tariff, it could order the carrier to apply its tariff as written and order the carrier to pay compensation for out of pocket expenses to a passenger if he or she was adversely affected by the carrier's failure to apply its tariff.

• If the complaint involved a carrier discontinuing or reducing its service to a community without giving proper notice, the Agency could order the carrier to resume service for up to 60 days or could impose a fine.

• In some circumstances, the Agency can also fine a carrier for specified violations of the Act.

What happens if the Agency does not find in my favour?

If the Agency finds in favour of the air carrier, the complaint would be dismissed and the matter would be closed.

What happens if I'm not happy with the outcome of my complaint?

If the facts or circumstances relating to an Agency decision changed after the decision was made, then either you or the carrier could ask the Agency to review its finding. You may also appeal the Agency's finding to the Federal Court of Appeal or ask the Federal Cabinet to review it. These processes would probably require the assistance of a lawyer.

The Air Travel Complaints Program's role is to assist air travellers in resolving their complaints against air carriers through an informal complaint process. If a satisfactory resolution to the complaint is not achieved, the case may be referred to the Agency's formal complaint process.