This is funny! A politician in Canada is trying to pass a new set or regulations for airlines. If he is successful, airlines would have to pay people cash if their flights depart more than one hour late! The Canadian government can be so mean to businesses, sometimes and so nice to cnosumers. In my opinion this politician will never succeed with this idea but many times, businesses will change their policies if these stories get into the media.
I especially like this part: "carriers (airlines) would face fines of $10,000 every time they advertise base air fares instead of the full amount to include taxes and fuel surcharges"
I LOVE IT!
Jus
BRENT JANG
Globe and Mail Update
February 10, 2009 at 5:39 PM EST
Canada's airline industry is warning that a passenger bill of rights envisaged by a New Democratic Party MP threatens to send airfares soaring and throw flights into chaos.
Winnipeg MP Jim Maloway introduced his private member's bill Tuesday in Ottawa, prompting swift criticism from the National Airlines Council of Canada.
With severe weather a common occurrence in Canada, it would be counter-productive to penalize airlines that scramble to keep flights on schedule even during ideal conditions, said council president George Petsikas, who is also Air Transat's director of government and industry affairs.
“It's not a simple thing to load passengers,” he said in an interview. “When you get a foot of snow on the tarmac, it gets a lot more complicated. We don't have control over security screening, airport authorities and air traffic towers.”
Under the bill of rights, travellers kept on planes for more than 60 minutes after the doors close would be entitled to start receiving compensation at a rate of $500 an hour. As well, there would be a $1,000 fine slapped on any carrier that fails to make an announcement about delays, cancellations or diverted planes within 10 minutes of employees learning any such information.
Airlines would have little choice but to pass such “punitive” costs onto consumers, said Mr. Petsikas, whose group represents Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Air Transat.
Mr. Maloway's bill covers a wide range of consumer irritants, with proposals such as compensation of between $500 and $1,200 for travellers who are bumped off overbooked planes, depending on the flight's length.
While a private member's bill generally faces tough odds of becoming law, the airline industry is taking the MP's initiative seriously, sounding the alarm about how costs would mount in an already difficult environment of weakened travel demand during the recession.
“You don't stimulate demand by raising prices for consumers,” Mr. Petsikas said.
Some planes lined up for de-icing would feel pressure to find an open gate at congested airports to avoid the $500 an hour cost for each detained passenger, further disrupting scheduling, he added.
Mr. Maloway, who disclosed details of his bill last week, played down the criticisms.
“The airlines are getting hysterical and exaggerating,” he said Tuesday from Ottawa.
Instead of fretting about rising costs, carriers should focus on delivering more customer-friendly service, and in improving their performance, most of the compensation and fines proposed would be averted, Mr. Maloway said.
The bill of rights also says carriers would face fines of $10,000 every time they advertise base air fares instead of the full amount to include taxes and surcharges, but Mr. Petsikas cautioned that “all-in” advertising of ticket prices isn't feasible because airlines are federally regulated while travel agencies fall under provincial jurisdiction.
Currently, only Ontario and Quebec require travel agencies to publish the all-in ticket price, but in other provinces, travel agents would be able to advertise seats at a lower price than airlines do.
Last September, the Conservative government unveiled Flight Rights Canada, a summary of existing aviation rules, in an effort to highlight protections for consumers while promoting a code of conduct for Canada's airlines.
I LOVE IT!
Jus
BRENT JANG
Globe and Mail Update
February 10, 2009 at 5:39 PM EST
Canada's airline industry is warning that a passenger bill of rights envisaged by a New Democratic Party MP threatens to send airfares soaring and throw flights into chaos.
Winnipeg MP Jim Maloway introduced his private member's bill Tuesday in Ottawa, prompting swift criticism from the National Airlines Council of Canada.
With severe weather a common occurrence in Canada, it would be counter-productive to penalize airlines that scramble to keep flights on schedule even during ideal conditions, said council president George Petsikas, who is also Air Transat's director of government and industry affairs.
“It's not a simple thing to load passengers,” he said in an interview. “When you get a foot of snow on the tarmac, it gets a lot more complicated. We don't have control over security screening, airport authorities and air traffic towers.”
Under the bill of rights, travellers kept on planes for more than 60 minutes after the doors close would be entitled to start receiving compensation at a rate of $500 an hour. As well, there would be a $1,000 fine slapped on any carrier that fails to make an announcement about delays, cancellations or diverted planes within 10 minutes of employees learning any such information.
Airlines would have little choice but to pass such “punitive” costs onto consumers, said Mr. Petsikas, whose group represents Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Air Transat.
Mr. Maloway's bill covers a wide range of consumer irritants, with proposals such as compensation of between $500 and $1,200 for travellers who are bumped off overbooked planes, depending on the flight's length.
While a private member's bill generally faces tough odds of becoming law, the airline industry is taking the MP's initiative seriously, sounding the alarm about how costs would mount in an already difficult environment of weakened travel demand during the recession.
“You don't stimulate demand by raising prices for consumers,” Mr. Petsikas said.
Some planes lined up for de-icing would feel pressure to find an open gate at congested airports to avoid the $500 an hour cost for each detained passenger, further disrupting scheduling, he added.
Mr. Maloway, who disclosed details of his bill last week, played down the criticisms.
“The airlines are getting hysterical and exaggerating,” he said Tuesday from Ottawa.
Instead of fretting about rising costs, carriers should focus on delivering more customer-friendly service, and in improving their performance, most of the compensation and fines proposed would be averted, Mr. Maloway said.
The bill of rights also says carriers would face fines of $10,000 every time they advertise base air fares instead of the full amount to include taxes and surcharges, but Mr. Petsikas cautioned that “all-in” advertising of ticket prices isn't feasible because airlines are federally regulated while travel agencies fall under provincial jurisdiction.
Currently, only Ontario and Quebec require travel agencies to publish the all-in ticket price, but in other provinces, travel agents would be able to advertise seats at a lower price than airlines do.
Last September, the Conservative government unveiled Flight Rights Canada, a summary of existing aviation rules, in an effort to highlight protections for consumers while promoting a code of conduct for Canada's airlines.
