Passenger rights – Canada
Air passenger protection regulations
Règlement sur la protection des passagers aériens
The Canada Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) may provide additional protections if you are traveling to or from Canada.
You may be entitled to certain standards of treatment and / or compensation under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations if:
- You are denied boarding
- Your flight is cancelled or delayed for at least two hours
- Your bags are lost or damaged
For more information about your rights please contact us or visit the Canadian Transportation Agency's website.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled for reasons within our control, as defined under the APPR, you may be eligible to receive compensation in the amount of:
- $400 CAD if the passenger arrives three hours or more hours late, but less than six hours;
- $700 CAD if the passenger arrives six or more hours late, but less than nine hours; and
- $1,000 CAD if the passenger arrives nine or more hours late.
Contact American to file a claim
We will respond to your request within 30 days and provide you with compensation or let you know why the delay or cancellation doesn’t qualify.
In the event of a delay or cancellation we will immediately begin looking for alternate travel arrangements. If your flight is delayed for reasons within our control and the alternate travel arrangements don’t meet your needs you may be entitled to a full refund. If you choose a refund instead of alternate travel arrangements you may be compensated for the inconvenience in the amount of $400 CAD. Additional information is available on the Canadian Transportation Agency website.
If you’re denied boarding, we may be required to compensate you at the airport* in the amount of:
- $900 CAD, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by less than six hours;
- $1,800 CAD, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by six hours or more, but less than nine hours; and
- $2,400 CAD, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by nine hours or more.
*Compensation for denied boarding will be provided via cheque.
In the event of a tarmac delay on Canadian soil, American is required to allow you to disembark the plane after 3 hours unless take-off is imminent within 45 minutes or conditions do not allow us to safely return to a gate. During a lengthy tarmac delay we will provide you with a snack and beverage, access to washrooms, and the ability to use personal communication devices, as long as it’s safe to do so.
Under the APPR, we will do our best to:
- Seat children under the age of 5 directly beside their accompanying adult*.
- Seat children aged 5 to 11 in the same row as their accompanying adult and separated by no more than one seat (or the space of an aisle).
- Seat children aged 12 or 13 no more than two rows away from their accompanying adult.
We will assign seats, at no charge, to a child (under 14) and accompanying passenger at the earliest opportunity. Seating can be arranged on aa.com, by calling Reservations, or at any American Airlines ticket counter. If seats are not assigned prior to boarding, we’ll ask for volunteers to move seats at the gate, and then again on board the plane before take-off, if necessary.
If we’re unable to arrange seats within the required distance of each other, we’ll speak with the affected passengers about their options. The passengers may choose to sit farther apart, or decide not to travel at all. We’ll provide alternate travel options or a refund, whichever is preferred by the passengers.
*For planes where the layout does not allow seating children under 5, the passengers should be seated in the same row, separated only by the aisle.
Additional rights (including rights applicable to lost or damaged baggage including musical instruments) may be specified in the conditions of carriage as applicable. Additional information about your rights is also available on the Canadian Transportation Agency website.
If you are entitled to compensation under more than one government’s regulations, we will provide you with the highest eligible amount.
Contact American Airlines if you have questions about your rights, are seeking compensation under the APPR, or would like to file a complaint pursuant to the regulations. If you are unsatisfied with American’s resolution of the complaint, you may also direct a complaint to the Canadian Transportation Agency.