What to do if you have a problem with your airline

(NC) Between last-minute packing, security and making your way through crowded airports, flying can at times be an unpleasant and stressful experience. But did you know that if you have any problems with your air travel experience, like a delayed flight or lost luggage, there’s somewhere you can turn to for help?
Anyone who is flying to, from and within Canada can file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency — even if you’re not Canadian. Flight delay or cancellation? Delayed or lost baggage? Bumped from your flight? These are some of the problems the Agency’s free and impartial complaint service can help you resolve.
Once the Agency receives your complaint, it will work with you and the airline to solve the problem through facilitation — a fast and easy informal resolution process. Most complaints are resolved this way, but if it doesn’t work you can try mediation, where a neutral and impartial mediator will assist you and the airline in reaching a settlement.
When these less formal processes don’t do the trick, the Agency can also adjudicate, which is a much more formal and court-like process. Adjudication can also be used when you feel that the airline’s terms and conditions (tariff) are unclear, unjust, unreasonable, or discriminatory.
The next time you run into trouble when flying, you can easily submit a complaint online at cta.gc.ca/air-travel-complaints, by email at info@otc-cta.gc.ca, or by calling 1-888-222-2592. Remember that filing your complaint swiftly can lead to a quicker solution.