It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start – and the big piece is yet to come.
That, from Gary Howard, vice-president of the Canadian Automobile Association Atlantic, on the first wave of new air passenger rights that came into effect on Monday.
Air passengers are now eligible for compensation as high as $2,400 if they are bumped from their flight and if their baggage is lost or damaged.
Howard says that’s where most people experience trouble.
He says airlines will have to provide food and a hotel if necessary, along with compensation for the delay. If the delay is more than eight hours, people will have to be put on a competing airline if need be.
He says that’s where the real meat lies in the new regulations, which come into effect right before the busy Christmas travel season. However, Howard says they’re not happy with that delay.
Meanwhile, a longtime advocate for airline passenger rights doesn’t believe government is siding with industry and not passengers when it comes to new airline passenger rights.
Woody French of Concepton Bay South has been pushing for an airline passenger bill of rights for over 10 years.
French commends the federal government and Transportation Minister Marc Garneau for getting the legislation in place as it has been attempted a number of times in the past, but to no avail.
He says when he testified before the Canadian Transportation Agency in Halifax, he could tell they were genuinely concerned.
French says government is fighting a ton of pressure from industry.
He says when bringing the legislation into effect, they took concerns from airlines into account but certainly wanted to ensure that the travelling public were as protected as possible.