Navigating Flight Disruptions During Strikes: Your Rights Under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

Air Canada is set to cancel flights pre-emptively ahead of a potential strike this Saturday, which will affect travel plans, connecting flights, and summer getaways for hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the coming days. What does this mean for passengers? Below, we address some of the most frequently asked questions to help you understand your rights and options under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR).

Q1 : Am I entitled to compensation if my flight is cancelled due to a strike?

No. Under section 10(1)(j) of the APPR, labour disruptions are deemed situations outside the carrier’s control, meaning passengers are not entitled to compensation. Courts have interpreted “labour disruption” to include not only active strikes, but also circumstances where a strike is reasonably foreseeable. In this case, with the Air Canada flight attendants’ union having issued a formal strike notice, there is a strong argument that a strike is both imminent and foreseeable.

Q2: What are an airline’s obligations if my flight is cancelled due to a strike?

While the carrier is not required to provide compensation for cancellations outside its control, it must still:

Provide timely information about the disruption and available recourse; and
Rebook you free of charge on the next available flight operated by the airline, or by another carrier with which it has a commercial agreement, departing within 48 hours.

If rebooking within 48 hours is not possible, as a passenger you may choose to:

Be rebooked on the next available flight operated by any carrier; or
Receive a full refund for any unused portion of your ticket, processed within 30 days in the original form of payment.

Q3: What happens if I cancel my flight pre-emptively because of the strike?

If you cancel due to concerns about the labour disruption, the APPR does not require the airline to issue a refund or provide alternate travel. However, in the lead-up to anticipated disruptions, many carriers temporarily relax fare rules, allowing passengers to rebook or cancel without fees.
Air Canada has announced that for travel between August 15–18 (tickets purchased before August 13), you may:

Change your flight at no additional cost; or
Cancel and receive a future travel credit for the unused portion of your ticket, even if your fare was non-refundable.

Q4: If the airline only offers me a future travel credit, is this a violation of the APPR?

No. The APPR applies only to airline-initiated delays or cancellations. If you voluntarily cancel your trip, the airline is not obligated under the APPR to provide a refund. In these situations, any refund, rebooking, or credit will depend solely on the airline’s fare rules and policies.

Q5: What can I do if the airline is in breach of its obligations under the APPR?

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is responsible for enforcing passenger rights, but its complaint system is severely backlogged, with more than 87,000 cases and resolution times that can exceed 18 months. As a faster and more practical alternative, some passengers pursue claims in small claims court. This route can offer quicker outcomes and allows travellers greater control over how their case is presented, without being stalled in an overburdened administrative process.