Air Canada has launched a new program to address passenger complaints to the Canadian Transportation Agency, aiming to settle disputes by offering a portion of the claimed compensation.
By reaching out to selected passengers, Air Canada is offering to settle cases currently stuck in a huge backlog with the CTA. The backlog now sits at over 60,000 complaints, with passengers waiting over 18 months for a response or settlement.
By offering a portion of the claimed amount in place of the complaint, Air Canada hopes settlements will be settled more quickly.
According to SimpleFlying, select passengers receive a notice directly from Air Canada giving them the choice of accepting the carrier’s offer of cash or vouchers or remaining within the CTA bureaucratic backlog.
In a Mission Impossible’sque notice, passengers are told: "Should you wish to accept, we will expedite your compensation and this will close the file. Should you wish to decline our offer, your file will continue to be handled normally as part of the CTA backlog process.”
The CBC reports that “several passengers told CBC News that they were offered far less cash than what they believe they're owed, and they think Air Canada is using the backlog at the agency as leverage.”
The same report provides an example of a passenger being offered “$225 cash or a $400 travel voucher — far less than her $1,483 claim for a flight disruption last year.”
A consumer sent an email to Open Jaw on 30OCT, stating “I'm just passing on a possible story that no one seems to be covering. My two CTA complaints are now over two years old and have not been opened by the CTA. I am # 850 in line. They seem to address around 80 complaints a month although I understand most of those are thrown out. Things have slowed down since the Gov't introduced their new AI tool. My cases may be opened by the end of year 3. With the current 59,000 case backlog If you filed a complaint today it would take over 60 years for the CTA to open your case.”
There is no doubt truth in the fact that a broken system such as this opens the hatch for Air Canada to step in and provide a solution to the congestion - albeit, at a cost to the passenger. As the saying goes, a bird in hand…
