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Canadian air passenger rights will be renewed on December 15, 2019. New air passenger regulations will define what airlines owe passengers in cases of delayed or cancelled flights.
Airline passengers already have the rights since 2004, which are covered by EU Regulation EC 261/2004. Under European law, air passengers travelling from Canada to Europe with European airlines, such as KLM or British Airways, may be entitled up to €600 compensation if the flight arrival to the final destination is 3 or more hours late. Flights from Europe to Canada are also covered by this law – however, these flights might be operated by any airlines.
How air passenger rights in Canada will change after Dec. 15?
EU rights will remain applicable when the rules in Canada for flight delays or cancellations take place on the 15th of December, because EU Regulation may cover a wider spectrum of flight disruptions and, in some examples, might be worth more.
The first stage of air passenger regulations in Canada took place on 15th of July, 2019. Flights to, from or within Canada are covered under these rules. Passengers bumped from overbooked flights may be entitled to up to $2,400 compensation.
Which air passenger rules pay more – in Europe or in Canada?
Canadian air passengers rights regulation will be updated with rules that large airlines, such as Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat, must pay between $400 and $1,000 for relevant flights when passengers arrive at their final destinations 3 or more hours late. The compensation amount for smaller airlines, such as Swoop, will range from $125 to $500.
Under EU Regulation EC 261/2004, airline passengers may receive between €250 and €600 ($366 and $880) if they arrive at their final destinations 3 or more hours late. The compensation amount depends on flight distance.
| Canadian rights | European rights | ||
| Amount* | Delay | Amount** | Distance |
| $400 | 3 – 6 hours | $366 | Less than 1500 km |
| $700 | 6 – 9 hours | $586 | 1500 – 3500 km |
| $1000 | 9+ hours | $880 | More than 3500 km |
*Applicable for flights with large airlines
**Applicable for flights with 3 or more hours delay and may be reduced by 50% in case of rerouting
Passengers are able to decide which air passenger rights they want to apply to their situation and they might need to do some research. It depends on many factors when air passenger will gain more compensation – either choosing EU rules or Canadian.
Which air passenger rights should you choose – European or Canadian?
It is a controversial question and the answer mostly depends on how long the flight is delayed.
However, air passengers may use flight compensation companies service in order to save their time, be assured that the best choice will be chosen, they will get experienced service and won’t have to worry as some airlines are quite complicated to deal with.
You will find a list of best worldwide flight claim companies on our website. You won’t spend a lot of time to search for information – all you need to compare those companies, you will find on our list: reviews, ratings, fees, legitimacy.
