Other Types of Complaints

Charter flights

Charter carriers and scheduled carriers operate differently and this results in a distinction in how the Agency's jurisdiction applies to them.

If your complaint is about the air portion of a travel package purchased through a travel agent or a tour operator, then you may contact the Agency. The Agency will try to resolve complaints on issues in respect of a charter carrier's service where a consumer has already complained to the carrier and is not satisfied with the carrier's response. The Agency also has jurisdiction over the rules governing lost, delayed or damaged luggage, flight delays, refusal to transport (bumping), etc.

Complaints about the land portion of the package or services offered by the tour operator come under provincial jurisdiction and should be addressed to your provincial / territorial office dealing with consumer matters including travel.

Tour Operators

Complaints about the land portion of the package or services offered by the tour operator come under provincial jurisdiction and should be addressed to your provincial / territorial office dealing with consumer matters including travel.

Problem in an airport terminal

Your complaints should be sent directly to the airport authority responsible for the airport where you encountered your problem.

If the problem relates to disability and access issues, you may contact the Agency's Accessible Transportation Directorate. For more information, the Agency has produced a brochure entitled On the Move - Accessibility Complaint Guide. You can file a complaint by filling out the form provided in the brochure, or you can also submit a complaint via the Internet, or in braille, on audio cassette or on computer disk. The complaint filed should include a description of the problem, the name of the airport and all other related information as specified in the form.

Complaints concerning competition between airlines or the merger of Air Canada and Canadian Airlines or regarding predatory behavior by an air carrier

The Competition Bureau is responsible for handling complaints in respect of mergers/acquisitions or predatory behaviour involving air carriers operating in Canada.

Bilingual Service

Air Canada and its affiliates are the only carriers subject to the terms of Canada's Official Languages Act. If you have a complaint regarding language issues for any carrier, you should first contact the carrier involved. However, if you wish to pursue the issue, and it concerns Air Canada and/or its affiliates, you may also complain to the Commissioner of Official Languages.

Frequent flyer program

The rules governing a carrier's frequent flyer programs must be contained in its tariff. Complaints should be first taken to the carrier or organization providing the program. However, if you are not satisfied with their response, the matter can be brought to the Agency.

Certain loyalty and frequent shopper programs such as Air Miles are run by corporations that are independent of air carriers, therefore transactions made with these companies are private and contractual in nature and are not part of the Agency's jurisdiction.

Problems with foreign air carriers

Complaints against foreign air carriers which offer transportation to or from Canada should be filed with the Agency which will review and try to resolve them either directly or in cooperation with other government bodies.

Safety

Matters relating to safety on board aircraft should be brought to the attention of Transport Canada at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/aviation/contact_e.htm.