Bumping (denied boarding): rebooking, refunds and compensation

The airline must always ensure that you can complete your itinerary as soon as possible.

What the airline must offer depends on the size of the airline and the level of control the airline has over the delay or cancellation.

Airline size

Airline size is based on the number of passengers an airline carries, worldwide, over the past 2 calendar years. Large Canadian airlines are Air Canada (including Jazz and Rouge), WestJet, Sunwing Airlines, Air Transat, Porter and Flair Airlines. All other Canadian airlines are small.

Airline levels of control

Within the airline’s control

Includes scheduled maintenance, choice of aircraft and staffing schedules.

You may be entitled to:

assistance
rebooking
refunds
compensation

Within the airline’s control but required for safety

Includes unplanned events that the airline can control but may pose a safety risk.

You may be entitled to:

assistance
rebooking
refunds

Outside the airline’s control

Includes extreme weather, emergencies, security, labour or airport issues, government-issued travel bans and more.

You may be entitled to:

rebooking
refunds

Rebooking — to continue your travel

Situation	Large airlines	Small airlines
Within the airline’s control (including for safety)	Large airlines must rebook you, free of charge: from your original airport on their next available flight or the next available flight on an airline that they have a commercial agreement from your original airport on the earlier flight of any other airline if they cannot rebook you within 9 hours of your original departure time on a flight leaving from another airport, if there is one nearby, if they cannot rebook you within 48 hours of the original departure time	Small airlines must rebook you, free of charge: from your original airport on their next available flight or on the flight of an airline with which they have a commercial agreement that departs from the same airport.
Outside the airline’s control	Large airlines must rebook you, free of charge: on their next available flight or on the next available flight of an airline with which they have a commercial agreement with from your original airport within 48 hours after the departure time on your original ticket, or on a flight leaving another airport, if there is an option nearby, if they cannot book you on a flight leaving within 48 hours at the original airport	Small airlines must rebook you, free of charge: on their next available flight, or on the flight of an airline with which they have a commercial agreement that departs from the same airport
Note: If you are rebooked in a higher class of service, the airline cannot charge you for the upgrade. If you are downgraded to a lower class of service, the airline must refund the price difference.

Situation

Large airlines

Small airlines

Within the airline’s control (including for safety)

Large airlines must rebook you, free of charge:

from your original airport on their next available flight or the next available flight on an airline that they have a commercial agreement
from your original airport on the earlier flight of any other airline if they cannot rebook you within 9 hours of your original departure time
on a flight leaving from another airport, if there is one nearby, if they cannot rebook you within 48 hours of the original departure time

Small airlines must rebook you, free of charge:

from your original airport on their next available flight or on the flight of an airline with which they have a commercial agreement that departs from the same airport.

Outside the airline’s control

Large airlines must rebook you, free of charge:

on their next available flight or on the next available flight of an airline with which they have a commercial agreement with from your original airport within 48 hours after the departure time on your original ticket, or
on a flight leaving another airport, if there is an option nearby, if they cannot book you on a flight leaving within 48 hours at the original airport

Small airlines must rebook you, free of charge:

on their next available flight, or
on the flight of an airline with which they have a commercial agreement that departs from the same airport

Note: If you are rebooked in a higher class of service, the airline cannot charge you for the upgrade. If you are downgraded to a lower class of service, the airline must refund the price difference.

In all cases, routing of the new flight(s) must be reasonable.

Refunds — if the trip no longer meets your needs

If rebooking no longer meets your travel needs, the airline must:

refund the unused portion of the ticket
rebook you back to where you started if you are at a connecting airport

Compensation

Compensation for inconvenience is a fixed amount. It is based on the length of the delay arriving at your final destination. The amounts are set out in the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR).

The CTA does not have the authority under the APPR to award compensation for issues of:

pain and suffering
stress
loss of enjoyment
loss of income

Airlines must provide compensation for the inconvenience of bumping (denied boarding) if the disruption is within the control of the airline and not related to safety.

The amount of compensation will depend on how long a passenger’s arrival has been delayed.

Length of delay	Compensation amount
3 or more hours late, but less than 6 hours	$900
6 or more hours late, but less than 9 hours	$1,800
9 or more hours late	$2,400