US EditionFeds to quadruple max fine for airlines violating air passenger bill of rights to $1M
Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said the changes would speed compensation and ease a backlog of about 97,000 air passenger complaints, according to the Canadian Transportation Agency.
- On Friday, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon announced the federal government will quadruple the maximum fine for repeated air passenger protection regulations violations to $1 million.
- Since 2019, the maximum fine for repeated violations has risen from an initial $25,000 to $250,000 in the 2023 budget, reflecting escalating regulatory pressure on airlines.
- A backlog of 95,000 passenger complaints has accumulated at The Canadian Transportation Agency since the APPR was introduced, creating urgency for enforcement changes.
- In response, the Liberals announced Tuesday plans to outsource complaint resolution to a third-party organization, while Air Canada recently began piloting a similar transfer program.
- Although consultations on proposed regulatory updates wrapped up in March 2025, those measures have not yet been brought into force, and the government has not yet indicated what specific third-party adjudicator it will select.
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41 Articles
Transport Minister vows to clear 97,000 travel complaint backlog, as fines for airlines increase
The federal government wants to quadruple the maximum fines airlines could pay for systemic violations to $1 million, as transport minister Steven MacKinnon also vowed to clear an air travel complaint backlog nearing 100,000.
Ottawa to Raise Maximum Airline Fines to $1M for Passenger Rights Violations
The federal government is increasing the maximum penalty for airlines that violate passenger protection rules to $1 million, as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening travellers’ rights. The previous maximum penalty was $250,000, following an earlier increase from $25,000 as part of reforms introduced in the 2023 federal budget. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon told reporters in Ottawa on May 1 that the higher ceiling is intended as a…
The Transportation Agency, which handles passenger complaints, faces a backlog of more than 97,000 cases.
Ottawa wants to eliminate the approximately 100,000 complaints of air travellers on hold at the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) in six to nine months.
The Toronto Star
Feds to hike max fine for airlines abusing passenger protection regulations to $1M
OTTAWA - The federal government plans to quadruple to $1 million the maximum fine for airlines that repeatedly violate passengers' rights.
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