Travelers whose flight will be canceled or significantly delayed for reasons beyond the carrier's control, such as a pandemic or extreme weather conditions, will have to be reimbursed under a new regulation which will come into effect on September 8.

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"These requirements will apply to all flights to, from and within Canada, including connecting flights, that will take place after the regulations come into force," Transport Canada said in a statement. Wednesday.

The late refund policy will only apply to flights departing at least 48 hours behind the original ticket.

This major regulatory change follows a “gap” that was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the lack of protection for consumers who lost the value of their ticket without the possibility of being reimbursed.

The new policy is the result of the work of the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), which was mandated by Transport Canada in December 2020 to develop regulations that would better protect travellers.

Refunds must be made within 30 days.

"The regulations have been developed in a way that is fair and reasonable for passengers, with the aim of not imposing an undue financial burden on air carriers, which could result in higher travel costs," says Transport Canada.

Ottawa had supported several Canadian airlines in difficulty since the start of the pandemic, in particular so that they reimbursed or offered a travel credit to their customers who could not take to the air as planned.

A $5.9 billion aid plan with Air Canada was signed in April 2021.

A $700 million agreement was reached with Air Transat a few weeks later.