According to a report by CTV News Toronto, a woman and her husband from Ontario traveled to Punta Cana (PUJ) on August 10, 2024, to accompany a group of four graduates. The flight to Punta Cana went smoothly, but issues emerged when they were scheduled to return to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) after their seven-day trip in the Dominican Republic.
The flight, scheduled for August 17, 2024, was canceled due to a storm in Toronto. The passenger in question told the local news publication that the 123 people onboard were informed that the next available Flair Airlines flight to Toronto wouldn’t depart until two weeks later.
Deanne Trinka, the passenger in question, who says she is a former Flair Airlines flight attendant, told CTV News Toronto:
“What really bothers me is we were all initially told that we had to wait until August 31.”
According to Trinka, multiple flights with other airlines were available, but they weren’t rebooked until three days later. Some passengers were rebooked on Air Canada flights, while others were rebooked on WestJet.
Covering expenses
It is worth noting that the Canadian low-cost carrier covered the costs of the rebooked flights. However, Trinka mentioned that her group still incurred an additional $1,200 to $1,500 in expenses for food and accommodation during their unexpected three-day stay in the Dominican Republic.
In a statement to Simple Flying, a spokesperson for Flair Airlines said:
“The storms in YYZ caused massive disruptions across all airline networks, including Flair’s network. For the safety of passengers and crew, the decision to cancel the flight from PUJ to land in YYZ was made out of an abundance of caution.”
“While we offer to rebook all customers, their feedback has been that we could be more proactive in communicating other options. We recognize that each passenger will have different needs and preferences when rebooking their travel. It is not a seamless process, so we appreciate their patience while we continue looking for more ways to improve customer experiences.”
Passengers rights
Airlines cannot guarantee their schedules, so it’s important to keep this in mind when planning your trip. Numerous factors can and often do cause delays or cancelations. Issues such as bad weather, air traffic delays, and mechanical problems are unpredictable and frequently beyond the control of the airlines.
According to Transport Canada, airlines must ensure that passengers reach their destination as indicated on their original ticket, even if their flight is disrupted. If a flight is canceled or delayed by three hours or more, the airline is required to provide alternative travel arrangements at no extra cost.
The airline can either automatically rebook passengers or offer new travel options, which passengers can choose to accept or decline. If a passenger opts not to travel, they are entitled to a refund. Notably, according to Transport Canada, small and large airlines have different obligations for making travel arrangements in the event of flight cancelation. Here is what Transport Canada has to say:
“Small airlines must book the passenger on the next available flight operated by them or an airline with which they have a commercial agreement. The flight must take any reasonable route from the same airport to the passenger’s destination indicated on their original ticket. Small airlines do not have to book the passenger with an airline with which they do not have a commercial agreement.”