QUESTION PERIOD — Transport
Canadian Transportation Agency
February 12, 2026
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Canadians are seeing a dramatic rise in air passenger complaints filed under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations. The Canadian Transportation Agency, or CTA, now faces a backlog of nearly 90,000 unresolved cases, with some complainants waiting up to two years for decisions. This situation undermines public trust in the enforcement regime and leaves travellers without timely recourse after significant flight delays or cancellations. Despite changes to the complaint process, backlogs keep growing and a fee on airlines has yet to be implemented.
What concrete actions is the government taking to ensure that the CTA can reduce this backlog and support effective, timely resolutions for Canadian passengers?
Thank you for the question, Senator Loffreda. The safety and rights of air travellers remain a top priority for this government, which remains determined to improve the air travel system for Canadians.
The government is pushing actively on airlines to share complaint costs and clarify safety exemptions that airlines misuse so that passengers get refunded meals and rebooking without years of delay. But I understand that there is a backlog, and the government is trying to improve that situation by pushing on airlines.
Thank you for that answer. In 2023, with Bill C-47, the CTA was directed to introduce a cost recovery fee on airlines to help fund complaint resolution. However, some reports suggest there may have been delays related to ministerial considerations.
Can you clarify what role, if any, Transport Canada has played in this process and how it’s supporting the agency’s independence, accountability and transparency?
Restoring confidence in the air passenger complaint process is fundamental.
Senator Loffreda, the government is actively working with the Canadian Transportation Agency to modernize its approach and ensure the system is sustainable for the long term. Last year, the government directed the CTA to simplify rules, making compensation easier to access and reducing the 88,000-case backlog through better processes, not just more funding. Canadians can rest assured that we will see a balanced system that holds airlines accountable.
