National
Transport minister pledges to close passenger compensation loophole used by airlines
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says the federal government will close a loophole that allows airlines to deny customers compensation for cancelled flights. Travellers wait on hold as they try and speak with their respective airlines at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a major winter storm disrupts flights in and out of the airport, in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
By Christopher Reynolds in Montreal
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Tuesday the federal government will close a loophole that allows airlines to deny customers compensation for cancelled flights.
The reform will come as part of an overhaul of passenger rights to be tabled in Parliament this spring, he said at a press conference.
Asked whether he would end the exemption that lets carriers reject compensation claims by citing safety issues, Alghabra answered in the affirmative.
“The short answer is yes. We are working on strengthening and clarifying the rules to ensure that we make a distinction,” he said.
“Obviously we don’t want planes to fly when it’s unsafe to do so. But there are certain things that are within the control of the airlines, and we need to have clearer rules that puts the responsibility on the airlines when it’s their responsibility.”
Alghabra’s pledge came during a press conference at Toronto’s Pearson airport this morning, where he promised $76 million to reduce the backlog of complaints at the Canadian Transportation Agency.
The money will allow the transport regulator to hire 200 more employees who can chip away at the 42,000 complaints currently filed there, he said.
The announcement comes after the government granted an additional $11 million to the agency in last year’s budget — shortly before travel chaos erupted over the summer as flight demand surged, prompting another wave of complaints.
The compensation loophole in Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations does not exist under European rules.
The latter require compensation on top of refunds if an airline cancels a flight for any reason that falls under its control, which covers most situations except for strikes, extreme weather or war. In Canada, a last-minute cancellation or significantly delayed flight triggered by an event within the airline’s control also triggers a refund — except in the case of safety-related concerns.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2023.
— With files from Maan Alhmidi in Toronto.
Firefighters attend the scene of a house explosion that injured several people, destroyed one home and damaged others in Calgary, Monday, March 27, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
By Colette Derworiz in Calgary
CALGARY — At least 10 people were seriously injured Monday after an explosion destroyed a home and damaged surrounding properties.
The fire department said the force of the explosion in northeast Calgary created “a large debris field” and several fires. A tangle of what appeared to be charred beams, pink insulation and splintered wood could be seen where the house once stood. The side of a home next door was charred, a window looking onto the street shattered.
Many of the injured were believed to have been inside the single-family home when it blew up and were sent to various hospitals in the city, the department said.
“Fire crews have been unable to access the source home at this time to search for any more patients due to structural instability,” it said in a news release.
Adam Loria, a spokesman for Calgary Emergency Medical Services, said the injured people sent to hospital are all adults.
He said six were in life-threatening condition and four received serious injuries.
“It was quite the group effort, not only with EMS, to ensure all patients were cared for and transported in a timely fashion, but as well with our first responder partners Calgary police and Calgary fire,” Loria said.
Bobbie Puttick, who lives eight houses down from the explosion, said it happened after he left for work, but his children were home at the time.
“They felt the house rock and they came out and took a video right away,” he said.
“It’s nuts to see the house gone. And to see the roof on the other across the street in the neighbour’s yard.”
Lorna Lammers said she heard the explosion from three blocks away.
“I was sitting at my kitchen table and I heard ‘kaboom’ and I thought something like a vehicle or something had run into my house or my garage,” she said.
Lammers said she and her neighbours headed outside to see what had happened and she saw black smoke billowing into the sky. She said there was a lot of debris, including a mattress on the roof of a house and wood in some trees.
Lammers said she had previously spoken to some men who lived in the home while walking her dog.
Power to the area was shut down and workers were trying to clamp the natural gas line. Fire and police were also on scene trying to determine the cause of the blast.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 27, 2023.
— With files from Bill Graveland in Calgary and Emily Blake in Yellowknife
OTTAWA — The federal auditor general says two-thirds of people with disabilities encountered barriers on federally regulated planes and trains in 2019 and 2020, and is highlighting a lack of consultation and enforcement by agencies involved.
More coming.
The Canadian Press
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