AMA says it will be part of consultations for new airline passenger bill of rights

The airline passenger bill of rights introduced by the federal Liberal government last month is expected to head to the consultation phase next year.On Saturday, the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) confirmed it will be part of those consultations.Vice-president of government and stakeholder relations Jeff Hasbrick told the Alberta Morning News theassociation would be looking at overbooking as well as how passengers are treated during delays.“We’ll be looking at the kind of treatment that air passengers at minimally should expect from an airline if they are delayed on the tarmac,” he said, “as well as any compensation for some of those really extended delays where you’re getting into… maybe an hour wait or something even more than that.”Hasbrick said the AMA would also be looking at overbooking and the ability for an airline to remove a passenger from a flight once they’re already boarded, citing the now infamous incident on a United Airlines flight where a passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight.During the meetings, Hasbrick doesn’t believe the AMA will be asking for anything out of the ordinary, just for reasonable treatment of air passengers.

“We aren’t seeking anything too extravagant,” he said. “What we’re looking for is making sure that when people travel – whether it be for leisure or for business – that they can have some peace of mind and confidence about the kind of experience that they are going to have.”

During the consultations, the AMA will be looking at overbooking, flight delays, flight cancellations and lost or damaged baggage.Consultations aren’t expected to begin until next year, after the bill goes through the House of Commons and the Senate.​