MONTREAL — Aviation companies are making the pitch to Ottawa that stricter rules designed to boost customer compensation and improve service could put passenger safety at risk — an argument consumer advocates reject as"ridiculous."
"Regulation should never be punitive for safety decisions," the CEO said,adding that the would-be changes will drain carriers of cash after a financially devastating COVID-19 pandemic. "It lays pretty ill in the mouth of the industry to say that if you ... take away that excuse, then we will therefore fly unsafe planes," said John Lawford, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.Air Passenger Rights advocacy group president Gabor Lukacs called the claim"ridiculous," and NDP transport critic Taylor Bachrach also slammed the argument.
Proposed changes under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations would not exempt flight disruptions that are caused by"normal ... technical problems" from cash compensation given to customers. However, big delays caused by"airport operational issues" or"hidden manufacturing defects" would be considered beyond the airline's responsibility — and thus exempt from compensation — under the would-be reforms, most of which are still months away from being finalized.
Airlines, airports and local chambers of commerce make the case that regional routes would be pricier for customers — or simply cancelled outright — as slim profit margins would tip into red ink amid the higher costs from complaints and fees.The average profit on large airlines amounts to less than $10 per passenger, said WestJet's CEO.