Advertisement

Canadian musician’s viral TikTok video expresses displeasure with Air Canada flight debacle

Click to play video: 'Frustrated Air Canada passenger’s video takes off on TikTok'
Frustrated Air Canada passenger’s video takes off on TikTok
WATCH: A Canadian musician who says she had her flight cancelled by Air Canada brought her story to Tik Tok, where it has gone viral. As Global’s Felicia Parrillo reports, even though the woman was making light of the inconvenience, one passenger rights advocate believes she qualifies for compensation – Jul 6, 2022

It’s a catchy and original song, but there’s definitely a story behind it.

Caity Gyorgy said a few weeks ago, she was in New York for the weekend.

She was supposed to fly back home to Montreal on an Air Canada flight on Sunday, June 19, but a few hours before the flight, she said, she got an email that it was cancelled because of air traffic control.

“I was sort of waiting in the hotel that we had just checked out of, in the lobby, trying to phone them,” said Gyorgy. “But I tried phoning them twice and it wouldn’t even go through — it just said our phone lines are just so busy that we can’t take your call right now.”

Story continues below advertisement

Gyorgy says a few hours later, she received an email that her flight was rescheduled to the next morning.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“I’m out of my hotel, what am I supposed to do?” she said.

I don’t have a hotel, I don’t have food or anything like that. I was sort of at a loss.”

The musician said she tried calling Air Canada again to inquire about food and hotel vouchers.

After nearly three hours on the line, she said, she got in touch with an employee who told her to file a claim.

Air passenger rights advocate, Dr. Gabor Lukacs, says Gyorgy is owed compensation.

“She’s owed $1,000 under the air passenger protection regulations, because the delay was over nine hours,” he said.

So while Gyorgy waited for her flight, she made a TikTok.

With over 800,000 views and counting, she said, she made the video to de-stress.

Story continues below advertisement

In an email to Global News, Air Canada refused to comment on the incident, saying they deal directly with their clients.

However, they wrote that “customers are notified automatically when flights are cancelled and where possible, they are rebooked immediately, while for others Air Canada will continue searching for alternatives and advise if options become available.”

“Customers can also request a refund to original form of payment at any time,” they added.

Meanwhile, Gyorgy says she’s filed a claim, as suggested by the airline employee, and is waiting to hear back.

Click to play video: 'Air Canada, WestJet ranking poorly on performance'
Air Canada, WestJet ranking poorly on performance

Sponsored content

AdChoices