Air travel complaints

Make an air travel complaint

Issues we can help with
  • Compensation for a flight delay, cancellation or tarmac delay
  • Compensation and expenses for lost, delayed or damaged baggage
  • Compensation for denied boarding (bumping)
  • A refund of a ticket, part of a ticket, or a replacement ticket
  • A refund of fees paid (baggage fees, seating fees, change fees, unaccompanied minor fees etc.)
  • Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses (accommodation, transportation, food/drink)
  • Other (refusal to transport, ticket issues, reservations, vouchers, credits, fares, loyalty programs, travelling with children)

Accessibility issues
  • Persons with disabilities have a right to equal access to federal transportation services. We can help with complaints that are related to a person's disability and that relate to travel on the national transportation system
  • Make an accessibility complaint

Issues we cannot help with
Travel agents or tour operators

The CTA may be able to review complaints about the air portion of travel booked through a travel agency or as part of a tour package. 

Complaints about the land portion or services of travel booked through a travel agency or as part of a tour package (accommodation, transfers to and from airports, excursions, etc.) fall under provincial jurisdiction.

Please consult the provincial or territorial government authority for consumers. Your travel agency or tour operator (including on-line reservations) must be registered with a provincial authority in Canada in order to help you.

Customs, immigration, or security

For complaints about customs, security screening, baggage inspection or airport security, visit the air transportation section of the Government of Canada Consumer Hub.

Airport facilities and services (not related to accessibility)

For issues related to airport facilities or services (not related to accessibility), you can contact the airport directly.

They can help you with:

  • Lost and found: items left in public areas in the airport terminal buildings
  • Up-to-date flight information
  • Terminal maps
  • Food and shopping services
  • Baggage storage
  • Parking
  • Car rentals
Airline customer service

For complaints about airline customer service, you should contact the airline directly.

Aviation safety

For complaints about transportation safety or unsafe practices on the plane, you can contact the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

Unfair competitive services, including false advertising

For complaints related to false advertising, pricing, mergers and acquisitions; etc., contact the Competition Bureau of Canada.

Human rights violation

If you experience a human rights issue during air travel, such as discrimination on the basis of race, gender identity or expression, you can find out more about human rights complaints and processes or file a complaint directly with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Airplane noise complaints

If you have an issue about airplane noise, you can get more information from Transport Canada's Managing noise from aircraft website.

Bilingual airline service

For issues related to bilingual service, please contact the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

Already submitted a complaint?

We continue to receive a high number of new complaints, and we are currently unable to share an estimated wait time. You will be notified when your case is ready for review.

Do not submit multiple complaints for the same itinerary/passenger. Multiple submissions for the same itinerary/passenger will not be accepted.

  • If you are travelling with others, you cannot file both a complaint together and an individual complaint.
  • If you submit multiple complaints, you will be notified when your duplicate complaint(s) will be closed.
  • It is important to note that the 90-day timeline for issuing a decision starts from the notice of complaint resolution (step 2), not from the filing of the complaint (step 1).

Before you make a complaint
  • You must contact the airline in writing first and give them 30 days to reply.
  • Check the deadlines for delays, cancellations or baggage.
  • You will be asked in the form to provide information about your flight and the issues you experienced.
  • It is essential to submit a complete and accurate complaint the first time.
    • When filing the form, you must include the names of all passengers and all issues related to your complaint.
    • If you are traveling with others, you cannot file both a joint complaint and an individual complaint.
    • Once the form is submitted, you will not be able to add further information to your complaint.
  • You will need to upload your supporting documents throughout the form.
Documents and information you will need:
  • Proof that you contacted the airline in writing
  • Airline ticket, booking confirmation or invoice
  • Airline booking number or reservation code.
  • Booking details, including the complete flight itinerary.
Documents you may also need:
  • Receipts for out-of-pocket expenses related to the problem you experienced
  • Ticket number
  • Boarding pass
  • If you were denied boarding (bumping), you will need written confirmation of what the airline offered you
For baggage issues, you may also need:
  • Property Irregularity Report (PIR) or Incident report
  • Damaged property report, if provided
  • Complete list of missing or damaged items, including the value per item
  • Receipts for replacement items

How the air travel complaint resolution process works

Step 1:
Passenger form submitted and goes
into the queue

Step 2:
Complaint resolution Start Notice issued
(day 0)

Step 3:
Airline answer and passenger reply

Step 4:
Eligibility review 

Step 5 optional:
Informal resolution — mediation

Step 6:
Final decision
(completed by
day 90)

➤ Read more about air travel complaint resolution process.

➤ Air travel complaint decisions and orders

What you need to know about delays, cancellations and missing baggage

Find out what you should do, and what your rights are

Peak travel times