Canada Got their Airline Passengers Bill of Rights WHY CAN't WE HAVE OURS!

Kate Hanni, Executive Director For Immediate Release
FlyersRights.org
(CAPBOR)
707-337-0328

Canada Passes Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights: “If airline passengers rights is good enough for Canada, why not good enough for America”?


Napa Valley California 8/11/08: (Flyersrights.org) Kate Hanni today confirmed Canada’s efforts to pass an airline passengers’ bill of rights has come to fruition, and yes even in a Canadian Election year. Canada’s Bill of rights is more comprehensive than even the EU Regulations and specifically addresses “Strandings” allowing passengers off in 90 minutes with the option to re-board the plane.

“If it’s good enough for Canada, why isn’t it good enough for America?” asked Hanni. I’ve been working with Mayor Woodrow French on this Canadian Airline Passengers Bill of Rights and am envious of Canada’s ability to protect their flying citizen’s so quickly. It’s time for Congress to ACT and give America these important protections.

Canadian Airlines will be obligated to provide stranded travellers meal and hotel vouchers, though they won't be held responsible for inclement weather, under a federal consumer protection program announced Thursday.

Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon announced the program, billed Flight Rights Canada, at an Ottawa news conference. In June, a private member's bill calling for an airline passenger bill of rights received unanimous support in the House of Commons.
Under the program called “Flight Rights”, airlines must ensure passengers are aware of delays and schedule changes, find passengers seats or refund tickets for over-booked or cancelled flights, provide meal vouchers for delays exceeding four hours and hotel accommodations for delays of more than eight hours.

Following is the exact language for deplanement. This language is additive to the other current laws in Canada regarding airline passengers rights:

‘Passengers have a right to punctuality.a) If a flight is delayed and the delay between the scheduled departure of the flight and the actual departure of the flight exceeds 4 hours, the airline will provide the passenger with a meal voucher.b) If a flight is delayed by more than 8 hours and the delay involves an overnight stay, the airline will pay for overnight hotel stay and airport transfers for passengers who did not start their travel at that airport.c) If the passenger is already on the aircraft when a delay occurs, the airline will offer drinks and snacks if it is safe, practical and timely to do so. If the delay exceeds 90 minutes and circumstances permit, the airline will offer passengers the option of disembarking from the aircraft until it is time to depart.’

The Coalition has 24,000 members and is the largest non-profit airline passengers rights Coalition in the world . We are joined by Consumer’s Union, Public Citizen, Consumer Federation of America, USPirg, NSL, ACAP, IAM AND NATCA. Kate Hanni 707-337-0328 or www.flyersrights.org. Kate@flyersrights.com directly. Coalition Hotline: 1-877-359-3776