Air Canada to reimburse customers for transportation expenses incurred during strike

EDITOR'S NOTE: Air Canada has updated its goodwill policy to also reimburse customers for hotels, meals and other things during the strike. Click here for the latest information. 

Air Canada customers who incurred out-of-pocket expenses for transportation that the airline wasn’t able to provide during this week’s flight attendant strike will be reimbursed, PAX has learned.

Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s executive vice president and chief operations officer, confirmed the news with PAX on Tuesday (Aug. 19) – the same day the Air Canada Component of CUPE, which represents 10,400 flight attendants, and the airline reached a tentative agreement, ending a nearly four-day strike.

Nasr said the action is part of a “commitment to make things right” with the estimated 500,000 customers who had travel plans disrupted this week during the airline’s shutdown.

It’s also part of a broader strategy to rebuild trust and strengthen relationships with the travel advisor community, which, since the weekend, has worked tirelessly to serve their clients.  

“We realize we have to get the airline back up and running,” said Nasr. “But when an advisor puts a customer on an Air Canada flight, that’s a promise our brand is making. And candidly, we failed to live up to that. We have to own it. We have to get customers on their way – and we have to make it right.”

READ MORE: “A challenging week”: Travel pros welcome end of Air Canada strike, but call out unpaid work & chaos

Nasr said it will cover tickets that were purchased for alternative flights, as well as bus, ferry and train rides – anything that “wasn’t accessible in our systems.”

“Certain parameters” will apply, he said, clarifying that the offer applies to customers who weren’t rebooked by Air Canada and had to arrange and pay for their own travel.

The complete details of the reimbursement policy is now posted on Air Canada's website (click here and scroll down down to "Flexible Rebooking Policy and Cancellations")

“We’re going to do the right thing, get people their money back and try to move on from this as quickly as possible,” he said.

Nasr called the travel trade community “vital business partners for Air Canada.”

“We recognize their contribution, their patience and their extra work, which isn’t always compensated by customers. We couldn’t be more appreciative,” he said.

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Lisa Pierce, vice president global sales for Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, also spoke to PAX on Tuesday about the airline's restart, which began this afternoon. 

Many topics were discussed, but the main message Pierce emphasized was for all travel advisors to subscribe to Air Canada’s “Flash” newsletter.

This is an important resource for travel professionals. It’s Air Canada’s primary way of communicating information – including time-sensitive content, like restart updates – with the trade community.

Click here to subscribe to Air Canada’s Flash newsletter for travel advisors now. 

“Getting the most up-to-date information out to agencies and travel advisors who are taking care of our customers is our number one priority,” Pierce said.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for full coverage. 

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