Air Canada blamed delays caused by staff shortages on safety, class action alleges

Quebec’s Superior Court has certified a class action against Air Canada, alleging the airline systematically mischaracterized flight disruptions between December 2019 and August 2022 as safety concerns to avoid paying compensation required by Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Rules (APPR). The lawsuit centers on an internal Air Canada memo instructing staff to classify crew-related issues, such as pilot shortages and illness, as safety matters. Lawyers argue that staffing shortages are the airline’s responsibility, not safety concerns, and that this misclassification allowed Air Canada to deny rightful compensation to passengers.

Air Canada maintains it complies with APPR and that a previous investigation by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) found no systemic issues. However, the class action provides a collective avenue for passengers to dispute the airline’s explanations for delays and cancellations, bypassing the often-overburdened CTA and small claims court. The case is significant as it seeks to hold Air Canada accountable for instances where safety was falsely claimed as the reason for disruptions caused by staffing or scheduling failures.

Advocates emphasize the importance of airlines providing accurate information to passengers and warn that misrepresentation can have legal consequences. Passengers affected by delays or cancellations between December 2019 and August 2022 may be eligible to join the class action.

(Source：The Globe and Mail)