Originally Posted by
ACYYZYHZ
Was booked on the following itinerary on 21st July:
AC 607 YHZ-YYZ
AC 8359 YYZ-YQG (Windsor).
I boarded AC 607 and received an e-mail that AC8359 was cancelled due to an "unforeseen maintenance issue" and was rebooked for the morning flight on the 22nd (which in itself was an hour late because it took longer to tow the aircraft to the gate but that's another discussion). Upon getting home and doing investigating, I see that the aircraft that was due to operate AC8359 on the 21st was pulled from the YYZ-YQG route and instead operated a Timmins service 30 minutes after the cancelled Windsor flight. To me, AC8359 wasn't cancelled due to the aircraft going mechanical They made an operational decision to prioritise the Timmins flight over the Windsor flight for whatever reason (which I'm not going to question, Timmins could have had a higher load factor so less inconvenienced passengers etc). Somehow I don't think Air Canada and I are going to see eye-to-eye on this. (Don't understand why mechanicals are excluded anyway, EC/UK 261 is much better in this situation). AC did give me a hotel and a $20 meal voucher without fuss, so credit for doing that I suppose.
if AC cannot be trusted to provide the accurate reason for a delay, or don't pay the compensation due, then it should be taken out of their hands.
In the UK, train delays are compensated by an independent but industry funded
web-based refund scheme.
compensation is: 15-29 minutes you're entitled to 25% of the cost of a single journey. 30-59 minutes you're entitled to 50% of the cost of a single journey. 60-119 minutes you're entitled to 100% of the cost of a single journey. 120+ minutes you're entitled to 100% of the cost of a return journey (a full day's travel). Its all done online and is advertised over the PA system by the train guards once the 15 minute delay is reached.
The UK Transport minister has recently suggested that something similar be set up for air delays.
In Canada? Dream on