What Do I Do If My Air Canada Flight Is Delayed?

What do I do if my Air Canada flight is delayed?

When your flight is delayed it can be a big problem for your travel plans, especially if you already booked a hotel, have a car rental waiting, and already made dinner reservations. However, it happens all the time and whether it's the airline's fault or not, you may be able to receive generous compensation for your troubles. If your flight with Air Canada was delayed, this article will help you know what to do and more.

What Obligations Does Air Canada Have for Passengers with Delayed Flights?

Flights get delayed all the time; some may be delayed days before travel while others get delayed at the last minute. Either way, the airline has obligations to their passengers that may include re-booking your flight, providing you with a refund, standards of treatment, and/or even up to $1000 compensation for your inconvenience. These obligations depend on the circumstances that caused the flight delay and whether or not it was in Air Canada's control or required for safety.

Different Circumstances for a Delayed Flight Within the Airline's Control

Situations within the airline's control usually happen when the airline makes commercial decisions in its operations. These decisions may include aircraft preparation activities, staff issues, consolidation of flights due to low demand, or even performing work on the aircraft to fix problems found while doing scheduled routine maintenance. When a flight is delayed for reasons within the airline's control, Air Canada is obligated to do the following:

• Provide standards of treatment

If the passenger was not notified at least 12 hours before departure when a flight is canceled or delayed by two hours or more, Air Canada will provide them with necessary accommodations that may include: food and drink, access to communication, overnight stay, transportation, and more.

• Compensate passengers for their inconvenience

If Air Canada fails to notify the passenger of a canceled flight within 12 days of departure, they will compensate them for their inconvenience. How much they are compensated depends on how late they arrive at their final destination compared to when they were supposed to originally arrive. Generally, passengers will be compensated anywhere from $125 to $1000.

• Offer a refund or other travel arrangements

Air Canada will ensure that passengers, whose flight was canceled or delayed by more than two hours, complete their journey as soon as possible by providing alternate travel. In the case those other travel arrangements will not meet a passenger's needs, they will be offered a full refund and if the disrupted flight was a connecting flight, the passenger will also be entitled to transportation back to their origin.

• Communicate relevant information to the affected passenger

It is the airline's responsibility to communicate to the passenger affected by a flight cancellation or delay, their options, and what they are entitled to. If the passenger is entitled to compensation, they will have up to one year from the date the disruption occurred, to claim it with Air Canada and in turn, the airline has 30 days to respond by issuing a payment or other. Click here to claim compensation now.

For Safety Reasons, but Within the Airline's Control

To reduce risk hazards to passengers there are laws set by the "Canadian Aviation Regulations and standards" that are required for the safety of each passenger. Due to these safety laws, an airline might have to cancel or delay a flight in order to follow the provisions set in place and ensure the safety of the passengers on board the aircraft.

Outside the Airline's Control

Sometimes a flight is delayed or canceled due to something outside of the Airline's control. This can include bad weather, medical emergencies, security incidents, or orders from proper authorities.