The nightmare facing many airline travellers trying to get home during the holidays has one air passenger rights advocate very concerned.

Recent wintry weather in British Columbia left many aircraft stranded on runways covered in snow, with ripple effects right across the country.

Earlier this week a group of more than 200 Newfoundlanders were stuck at Toronto Pearson after their WestJet flight to St. John’s was suddenly cancelled. That forced some to stay in hotels with little hope of getting out before Christmas while others took matters into their own hands and swallowed the expense of booking other flights. In one case, a man rented a vehicle to drive home.

The same is true in other major Canadian cities.

Gabor Lukacs, a Canadian air passenger rights advocate, is concerned.

He says the airlines are using the snow in BC as an excuse, “which is not valid.”

Lukacs says the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights, which was spearheaded by Newfoundlander Woody French, is very clear about what airlines should do.

When a flight is cancelled for reasons within the carrier’s control, including safety reasons, the airline has to rebook a passenger on a competitor. “It is not something that they like to do,” he says “because it costs them money.”