Overview
The Canadian Transportation Agency has defined rules under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations that determine when you are eligible for compensation due to a flight cancellation that causes an arrival delay at your final destination.
The final determination of the arrival delay reason due to a cancellation is assessed by our team 72 hours after your reach your final destination. The final flight cancellation reason may differ from what would have been originally communicated due to previous unknown events/factors that may have contributed to the cancellation of your flight.
Communicating with you
When there is flight cancellation on an Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or Air Canada Express flight, we will always keep you informed by email or text if you have provided your contact information at the time of booking or check-in. You can also check your flight status online or via the Air Canada app at any time.
Determining compensation eligibility
It’s important to note that compensation eligibility for your arrival delay due to a cancellation can take 72 hours, as we need to investigate and confirm the facts that contributed to the flight disruption. Once the final cancellation reason is confirmed, it will be loaded into our Compensation Eligibility Tool, which takes into account all of the eligibility factors and your entire itinerary, to determine compensation eligibility.
Find out more information about compensation eligibility.
To determine compensation eligibility, fill out our helpful Compensation Eligibility Tool. All you have to do is enter your booking reference number, your first and last name, and the date of your flight cancellation.
Additional Recourse
If you feel that we have not resolved your issue to your satisfaction, you may also contact the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) by visiting their website at otc-cta.gc.ca or by calling 1-888-222-2592.
Compensation eligibility
The Air Passenger Protection Regulations determine when a customer is eligible for compensation due to a flight cancellation.
Key eligibility factors:
- The arrival delay due to the cancellation causes you to arrive at your final destination three hours or more after your scheduled time of arrival. Learn more.
- The final assessment for the cancellation that causes the arrival delay must be within Air Canada’s control and not related to safety. Learn more.
- The cancellation reason on an itinerary with multiple flights is determined by the most significant contributing factor. Learn more.
The arrival delay due to the cancellation causes you to arrive at your final destination three hours or more after your scheduled time of arrival
You are only eligible for compensation if you arrive at your final destination by three hours or more after your scheduled time (six hours between March 13 and June 30 2020), and the final assessment determines that the reason was within Air Canada’s control.
Example: Your direct flight from Ottawa to Toronto (final destination) is scheduled to depart at 12:00 PM and arrive in Toronto at 1:00 PM. Unfortunately, the flight is cancelled due to a planned mechanical repair on the plane (within Air Canada’s control). Your rescheduled flight departs at 4:00 PM, arriving in Toronto at 5:00 PM, four hours after your scheduled arrival time.
Compensation eligibility: In this example, you would be eligible for compensation as the cancellation was within Air Canada’s control, causing an arrival delay of four hours (1:00 PM vs 5:00 PM).
The assessment and final determination of the root cause and compensation eligibility would take 72 hours after you reach Toronto.
The final assessment for the cancellation that causes the arrival delay must be within Air Canada’s control and not related to safety
Once a root cause for the cancellation is determined, it is given an associated reason, and a determination is made of whether it was controllable or required for safety. Air Canada is only responsible for disruptions that are within our control and not due to safety.
- Cancellations within Air Canada’s control, which could include a crew scheduling error or equipment availability. These cancellations are eligible for compensation (subject to other factors also outlined on this page).
- Cancellations within Air Canada’s control but required for safety purposes, which could include an unforeseen maintenance issue with the aircraft that affects the safe operation of the flight. These cancellations are not eligible for compensation.
- Cancellations outside of Air Canada’s control, which could include a government travel advisory including COVID-19, meteorological conditions, or an illness of a crew member or passenger. These cancellations are not eligible for compensation.
Example: You are scheduled to depart from Regina at 8:00 AM for a flight arriving in Vancouver at 12:30 PM, with a stopover in Calgary. Unfortunately, once you reach Calgary at 9:30 AM, your connecting flight at 11:00 AM to Vancouver is cancelled due to weather (outside Air Canada’s control). Your rescheduled flight departs Calgary at 3:00 PM, arriving in Vancouver at 4:30 PM, four hours after your scheduled time of arrival.
Compensation eligibility: In this example, you would not be eligible for compensation. Although you reached your final destination (Vancouver) four hours after your scheduled arrival time (4:30 PM vs 12:30 PM), the reason associated with your cancellation (weather) was not within Air Canada’s control.
The assessment and final determination of the root cause and compensation eligibility would take 72 hours after you reach Vancouver.
The cancellation reason on an itinerary with multiple flights is determined by the most significant contributing factor
Unfortunately, there can be scenarios in which multiple flights on an itinerary can be cancelled, with differing reasons. Whenever there are multiple cancellations, the eligibility for compensation is based on the disruption with the most significant contributing factor.
Example: You are scheduled to depart from Toronto at 2:30 PM for a flight arriving in Vancouver at 6:30 PM, with a stopover in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, your flight is cancelled due to a mechanical issue with the aircraft (within Air Canada’s control), causing you to miss your connecting flight, which was scheduled for 5:00 PM. You are automatically rebooked on the 4:30 PM flight, arriving in Winnipeg at 6:00 PM. Once you reach Winnipeg, your rescheduled flight departing at 6:00 PM is also cancelled due to weather (outside Air Canada’s control). You are automatically rescheduled for a flight departing Winnipeg at 9:00 PM, arriving in Vancouver at 10:30 PM, four hours after your scheduled time of arrival.
Compensation eligibility: In this example, you would be eligible for compensation, as it would be determined that although the cancellation associated with your second flight was longer (three hours), the most significant contributing factor was the cancellation associated with your first flight (mechanical) which caused you to miss your connecting flight in Winnipeg. Since the cancellation in Toronto was within Air Canada’s control, and not related to safety, you would be eligible for compensation, as you arrived four hours after your scheduled arrival time (6:30 PM vs 10:30 PM).
The assessment and final determination of the root cause and compensation eligibility could take 72 hours after you reach Vancouver.
Additional conditions that need to be met to qualify for compensation
We notified you of the disruption within 14 days in advance
If you received a notification of your flight disruption more than 14 days before your flight, you are not eligible for compensation.
You have not been paid denied boarding compensation
You can only apply for compensation once for a flight disruption. For example, if your flight was cancelled but you were also denied boarding. If you accept compensation for the denial of boarding, then you would not be eligible for compensation for the arrival delay.
Your flight disruption was less than one year ago
If you experienced a flight disruption, you have exactly one year from the date of your flight to submit a request for compensation.
You have not been paid under another passenger rights regime for the same event
If you have already received compensation for a flight disruption under another passenger rights regime, you cannot apply again for the same event. For example, if you receive compensation under Europe’s EC Regulation No. 261/2004, you are not eligible for compensation under the Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR).
For more information about your passenger rights under government regulations such as the Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) and Europe’s EC Regulation No. 261/2004, please visit aircanada.com/passengerrights.
Frequently asked questions
What is the compensation amount for arrival delays due to a flight cancellation?
The following compensation amounts apply:
| Length of arrival delay due to cancellation | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 3 - 6 hours | $400 |
| 6 - 9 hours | $700 |
| 9+ hours | $1,000 |
How can I check if I am eligible for compensation?
You are eligible for compensation if you arrived late at the final destination by more than three hours, and a final assessment determines that the most significant contributing factor was within our control and not related to safety, and if we notified you of the disruption 14 days or less in advance.
To make things easier, we have created a helpful Compensation Eligibility Tool to determine compensation eligibility. All you have to do is enter your booking reference number, your first and last name, and the date of your flight. You can access the tool 72 hours after your arrival at your final destination to find out whether or not you may be eligible for compensation. Note that due to other events/factors that may have impacted your journey, the reason for your arrival delay can evolve between your departure and your arrival and may be different from the reasons for a departure delay you were notified of previously.
Find out your compensation eligibility status.
If the Compensation Eligibility Tool states that you may be eligible for compensation, you can submit your claim for consideration.
Meals and accommodation
Who is eligible during a flight disruption?
When a flight is disrupted due to reasons within our control, including for reasons required for safety purposes, you are eligible for meals if you meet the following criteria, and providing this does not further delay your travel plans:
- You are informed less than 12 hours before the departure time
- You have waited two hours after the departure time on your ticket
What amenities am I eligible for if my flight is cancelled?
If your flight is cancelled, we’ll make sure you’re well looked after, with:
- Food and drink (in reasonable quantities)
- Access to electronic means of communication (e.g., free Wi-Fi)
If you’re required to stay overnight due to alternative flight arrangements, we’ll provide you with a hotel or comparable accommodation, subject to availability, within a reasonable distance from the airport.
We’ll also arrange transportation between the airport and your accommodations.
How can I access these amenities during a flight cancellation within Air Canada’s control or related to safety?
To receive your meal, transportation, or hotel vouchers, please speak with one of our agents at the gate or customer service desk.
Good news! At select airports, we’re testing a new system to help make flight disruptions a little easier. If you’re eligible*, our new automated process means meal, transportation, and/or hotel vouchers are sent directly to you via email or SMS.
How does it work? For meal vouchers, you’ll get an email or SMS from Air Canada with your vouchers and instructions on where and how to use them. These vouchers are valid for 72 hours from when you receive them. Just remember, you need to use meal vouchers at the airport where your flight disruption occurred. For hotel vouchers, simply click the link in your email or SMS and follow the steps to book your stay. Transportation vouchers are sent the same way only if there is no shuttle service listed for your selected hotel.
Important: during this trial phase, some passengers may still need to see an agent to receive their meal, transportation or hotel vouchers.
*This trial applies exclusively to customers experiencing a flight delay or cancellation at specific airports.
How to rebook your flight
Overview
When your flight is cancelled, we will automatically try to rebook you and will advise you if you have provided your contact information. If you are already at the airport and have additional questions, you can also speak with an Air Canada representative at the gate or customer service desk.
We will attempt to rebook you on the next available Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, or Air Canada Express flight, or with one of our partner airlines first, or with an alternate airline, as specified under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations.
It is important to let us know if you are not satisfied with your alternate travel arrangements, so that we may look for an alternate solution. You can:
- Contact us anytime
- Speak with an Air Canada representative at the gate or at the customer service desk if you are already at the airport.
Do you prefer to no longer travel?
If none of the rebooking options provided to you accommodate your needs, and your flight is disrupted by three hours or more, or cancelled, you can request a refund the unused portion of your ticket. If your travel no longer serves a purpose as a result of the delay or cancellation, we can also return you to your point of origin and you can request a refund for the used portion.
If the flight disruption is within our control, you will be eligible to receive $400 in compensation under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations.
Find out more about Air Canada’s Refund and Cancellation Policy.
For more information, you can visit Air Canada’s Refund and Cancellation Policy.
Would you like to make a change yourself?
If you booked directly with Air Canada (including aircanada.com, the Air Canada Mobile App, and our Contact Centres), Air Canada for Business, Aeroplan or Kayak, Google Flights, and Skyscanner, you can change or cancel your booking by visiting My Bookings.
You may also modify your reservation if you received a self-serve rebooking link from us via email.
If you booked with a travel agent or any online travel agency (for example, Expedia or Priceline), kindly contact them directly for changes or cancellations. Each partner has a unique booking system that we are unable to access in order to adjust your booking.
If you booked with Air Canada Vacations, please visit their website for available contact options.