The Federal Government Says It Will Only Bail Out Airlines If Passengers Get Their Refunds
If you’re owed a refund for a cancelled flight, the federal government is promising to have your back.
In a statement shared on Sunday, Canada's Minister of Transport Marc Garneau acknowledged that the country’s air travel industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With passenger levels still down almost 90 per cent, air carriers and airports have been forced to take drastic measures to remain viable,” he continued.
Garneau went on to confirm that the federal government was developing a “package of assistance” to help Canadian airlines and airports.
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Before we spend one penny of taxpayer money on airlines, we will ensure Canadians get their refunds.
Marc Garneau
However, this assistance will come with certain terms and conditions.
Garneau explained that the government would only bailout Canada’s air travel industry if airlines committed to refunding passengers who are owed money from cancelled flights.
“Any assistance the Government of Canada provides will come with strict conditions to protect Canadians and the public interest,” he added.
The minister of transport also promised that flights between regional communities would be restarted, after many domestic routes were cancelled by airlines.
Last month, WestJet confirmed that they would start offering monetary refunds to all eligible customers.
However, as the airline is refunding passengers from March 2020 onwards, they expect the process to take up to nine months.
*This article's cover image is for illustrative purposes only.