Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

    • Airlines must be accountable for flight problems: transport minister

    Share

    After a series of nerve-fraying flight delays and cancellations, Jenn Bertschi made it to her grandmother's funeral with minutes to spare.

    Landing at Toronto's Pearson airport from Calgary late Friday night, she was told the 12:30 a.m. connecting flight to Ottawa for her, her toddler and infant had been cancelled, with a rebooking at 10:30 Saturday morning.

    Bertschi, 31, had gate-checked her stroller in order to retrieve it the moment she stepped off the plane, but was informed instead it would show up in baggage claim.

    After asking agents who asked her to sit tight, she was finally told to go to customer service two floors up. “So we trek it up to the third floor. They told us, 'No, we can't do anything about it. You have to go downstairs.â€'

    She was told the same thing downstairs, and the process repeated itself, with Bertschi hauling a 20-pound eight-month-old as well as a large carry-on bag. “And it's not only me that doesn't have a stroller; they've lost multiple strollers,†Bertschi said in a phone interview.

    At 4 a.m. she asked an Air Canada manager to help her get her family and luggage to security and ultimately the gate.

    “He just kind of stared at me and was like, 'Well, I don't know what to do because we don't have strollers,â€' Bertschi recalled, describing Air Canada staff as “unhelpful and not empathetic.â€

    “My toddler is like overtired and running around and I'm trying to chase him,†she said. “I was crying because I'm so overwhelmed.â€

    The stroller, which didn't leave Calgary with her departing flight, made it to Ottawa by the time she landed there at around noon Saturday. But her luggage hadn't made it past Toronto. Bertschi rushed to a store to buy an outfit for her grandmother's funeral.

    “It was very, very close,†she said. “I will not fly Air Canada ever again. And I don't think I'll fly into Toronto.â€

    Air Canada did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

    Travellers, experts and now Canada's transport minister are casting an increasingly wary eye on airlines' role in the travel turbulence playing out at airports across the country, with many calling for carriers to take more ownership of the issue.

    The federal government has been scrambling to respond to scenes of endless lines, flight delays and daily turmoil at airports - particularly Toronto's Pearson airport - a problem the aviation industry has blamed on a shortage of federal security and customs officers.

    “Airlines have a duty as well. We're hearing some stories about luggage issues and flights cancelling. So cancellation - we want to make sure that the airlines as well do their part,†Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told reporters Tuesday in Ottawa.

    “We're making sure that the airlines keep up their end of the bargain.â€

    John Gradek, head of McGill University's aviation management program, says airlines have used Ottawa as a “scapegoat†while scheduling more flights than they have staff or planes to provide, resulting in delays and cancellations.

    “The airlines basically have shot themselves in the foot by really throwing a lot more capacity at the world than they have resources to be able to handle,†he said.

    “They're being very aggressive in the marketplace, getting lots of traffic - airplanes are often at 90 per cent load factor - and don't have any idle assets hanging around just in case things go wrong. And then that's a formula for disaster when things do start to go wrong.â€

    Passengers receive last-minute emails informing them of repeated delays, aircraft changes or rebookings scheduled days after the original departure time. Reasons cited run the gamut from absent pilots and occupied baggage handlers to unplanned mechanical maintenance.

    Kinks in one part of the air travel pipeline can snarl others, with overflowing customs areas stopping flight crews from disembarking, for example, or a lack of airline customer service agents exacerbating delays.

    The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority has hired more than 900 screeners since April, though many remain in training, Alghabra said. Ottawa has also suspended randomized COVID-19 testing of vaccinated passengers through at least June 30, following sector demands to process international travellers more quickly.

    Not all industry watchers agree with the transport minister's take on more than two months of travel turbulence.

    “Airlines do have to take responsibility, particularly for taking care of their customers. But he's being disingenuous in trying to shift blame,†said former Air Canada chief operating officer Duncan Dee.

    “No airline anywhere on the planet can staff themselves or procure enough spare aircraft to make up for what is amounting to almost 90 days of delays caused by government service failures in Canada so far.â€

    Citing statistics from tracking service FlightAware, Dee noted that virtually every transatlantic flight that took off from the Montreal airport Friday night was between 30 minutes and six hours late to depart, triggering a ripple effect that had planes from Europe and the Middle East arriving in Montreal late as recently as Monday evening. The airport was the common denominator.

    “The labour shortages that may exist (at airlines) are exacerbated by the fact that we've had 90 days of delays,†he said.

    Flights held on the tarmac because of bulging customs halls leave crew out of “duty time†- the regulatory and contractual limits on hours worked within one-day and four-week periods. A flight missed due to a long security queue or delayed connecting flight may take hours to rebook, since agents slated to cover the customer service counter are still working to board passengers on a different delayed plane. Similar snags confront baggage handlers.

    “It becomes very, very blurred,†Dee said.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2022

    - With a file from Mia Rabson in Ottawa

    ____

    What questions do you have about travel rules amid COVID-19?

    CTVNews.ca wants to hear from Canadians with any questions.

    Tell us what you’d like to know when it comes to rules around entering or leaving Canada.

    To submit your question, email us at dotcom@bellmedia.ca with your name, location and question. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    Canada

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • The Edmonton Oilers may have found the break they were looking for.

    • Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon and Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have been named the NHL's three stars of the week.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • LIVE

      LIVE

      Thousands of people are gathered in downtown Vancouver to observe the city’s 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • A suspect was arrested for allegedly brandishing a knife outside a Vancouver elementary school on Friday – just as the young students were heading home for the day.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    • Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • A man believed to be in his 40s has been rushed to a trauma centre following a stabbing in downtown Toronto.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • July 2025 may seem like it’s in the distant future, but for the St. Luke playground committee time is ticking to fundraise the $340,000 they still need to build a new playground.

    • Getting out to the mountains is even easier with a new bus route from a growing Germany-based service.

    • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

    • The Fleet Street Pumping station is Ottawa's oldest water facility. Up to two-thirds of the city's water supply can move through it,

    • The company confirms it will open the new Chipotle at 5671 Hazeldean Road on Thursday, in the former location of Benny & Co.

    • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats to a woman is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • Montreal Metro passengers can now flag a safety concern by texting a new phone number launched by the STM.

    • A member of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton participated in the national Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on Monday.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada’s history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • One Manitoba veteran is on a mission to commemorate and honour those who served our country, and not just on Remembrance Day.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • A Barrie man is at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • Barrie residents gathered on Monday to honour Canada’s veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • Windsor Paralympic champion, Danielle Campo, has been crowned the number one Inspirational Speaker of the Year for 2024 at the Inspirational Speaking Finals.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police say that a 16-year-old was attacked with a sword Nov. 3 in Cobalt, Ont., in a case of intimate partner violence.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½