Was your travel disrupted? Here’s what you’re owed — and what you won’t get | 24CA News

The climate could also be clearing, however many travellers are nonetheless unable to achieve their vacation spot or return residence after final week’s winter storm. Many others are nonetheless ready for solutions and refunds after their journey plans went awry.

Hundreds of Canadians have spent days caught in Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic after Sunwing repeatedly cancelled their flights residence. Stranded flyers say they’ve acquired little data or assist from the airline.

• Are you stranded due to flight or practice cancellations? We wish to speak to you. Send an electronic mail to ask@cbc.ca.

WestJet and Air Canada passengers additionally reported points reaching their locations.

Meanwhile, some rail passengers are nonetheless ready to achieve their locations after Via Rail trains had been halted between Windsor and Quebec City in a single day Friday into Saturday, leaving travellers caught on board for greater than 20 hours. Via Rail resumed service between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on Tuesday however warned of serious delays as a result of congestion alongside the routes.

While some travellers wait to seek out out once they may attain their locations, others are questioning once they may obtain refunds and compensation — if, that’s, they’re entitled to something in any respect.

Air journey rights

There are clear guidelines for Canadian airways in case of delays and cancellations. Airlines should rebook passengers on a flight to their vacation spot inside 48 hours of their unique departure time, and if the unique airline cannot get them there, it should rebook them on a competitor airline.

For many Canadians stranded over the previous week who contacted 24CA News, that does not seem to have been supplied as an choice. 

In an announcement, Sunwing stated it was working to arrange “recovery” flights, and stated prospects might e book their very own flights residence on a unique airline, after which submit a refund request for his or her unused Sunwing flight. It made no point out of its obligation underneath the federal guidelines to rebook passengers on different airways.

John Lawford, govt director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) in Ottawa, says it appeared airways weren’t being “forthcoming” with passengers about their proper to be rebooked on one other provider.

“Insist on trying to get a flight on a different airline … Passengers should know they have that right if they can’t be rebooked within two days,” Lawford stated.

While passengers can get compensation for delays, cancellations and lacking baggage, Canada would not require airways to cowl the price of delayed passengers’ lodging, meals or journey to and from airports whereas they wait to be rebooked on a brand new flight. That means travellers might want to pay out of pocket for these prices.

Lawford recommends any delayed or stranded passengers hold all of their receipts and file a declare for compensation with their airline. 

Fewer rights for rail passengers

There aren’t any equal passenger rights defending rail travellers — that means Via Rail prospects whose journeys had been disrupted in current days are solely entitled to regardless of the firm desires to offer them.

In an announcement to 24CA News on Tuesday, Via Rail stated passengers whose trains had been cancelled between Dec. 24 and 26 would mechanically obtain a full refund. Passengers might cancel Dec. 27 journeys on-line, and procure a refund.

Customers would want to contact Via Rail to request a refund for a connecting leg of their journey or a return journey. 

It was unclear whether or not passengers who spent prolonged durations trapped on stopped trains final week would obtain any compensation. 

Via Rail stated all trains on its Toronto to Ottawa and Toronto to Montreal routes can be working on the common schedule from Wednesday, however delays had been attainable.

Better accountability?

In the U.S., Southwest Airlines is dealing with further scrutiny after cancelling 1000’s of flights and leaving travellers stranded at airports throughout the nation in current days.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation each plan to look into the airline’s actions — together with why it cancelled much more flights after the worst of the unhealthy climate had handed.

Lawford advised Canadian travellers might put stress on lawmakers to enhance air passenger rights by contacting their native MP to share their journey expertise.

In an announcement to 24CA News, a spokesperson for Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra stated each their workplace and Transport Canada had been “in regular contact with airlines and airports to ensure they have what they need to keep passengers moving safely.”

Regarding Via Rail’s disruptions, the spokesperson stated the federal government would “hold all those involved accountable,” with out offering additional particulars.