Airlines / Air Canada
Air Canada: how to claim compensation
This page is independent. We are not affiliated with Air Canada or any airline.
- Airline type
- Canadian airline (large carrier under APPR), including Air Canada Rouge and Jazz
- Rules that may apply
- APPR for flights to, from and within Canada. UK261 for flights departing the UK. EU261 for flights departing the EU.
1. Claim directly with Air Canada
Claiming directly is free, and you keep the whole amount. Use the airline's own form:
Air Canada Self-Serve Eligibility Tool and claim form (opens in a new tab) (opens the airline's website)
- Use the ticket number from your original reservation. Air Canada says you can use the tool 72 hours after arriving at your final destination.
- Air Canada says you can still submit a claim even if the tool says you are not eligible.
- The reason for an arrival delay may differ from the reason given at departure. Ask which APPR category applied to your arrival delay.
For a Toronto to London flight, APPR pays CAD 400 / 700 / 1,000 by arrival delay. The return (London to Toronto) is also covered by UK261 (£260 or £520).
No suitable form? Use our free first-claim letter.
2. Common rejection reasons and how to respond
| What the airline may say | What to check or reply |
|---|---|
| "Required for safety" (Canada) | Ask for the specific safety issue. Scheduled maintenance is within the airline's control. |
| "Outside our control" (Canada) | Check the reason against APPR s.10(1). Ask for the documents supporting it. |
| "Earlier flight was delayed" (Canada) | A knock-on delay is only outside the airline's control if the earlier disruption was, and the airline took all reasonable measures to limit its effect (APPR s.10(2)). Ask for the root cause. |
| "We will pay you in travel credit" (Canada) | Compensation must be offered in money. You only have to take another form if you choose it, it is worth more, you were told the cash value in writing, and it does not expire (APPR s.21). |
| "Your claim is out of time" (Canada) | You have until the day before the first anniversary of the disruption to file (APPR s.19(3)). The airline must then pay or explain within 30 days (s.19(4)); if it refuses, file a free complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency. For a flight from the UK also covered by UK261, the UK limit is 6 years (5 in Scotland). |
The My Flight Money claim dashboard includes a prefilled rebuttal letter for each of these.
3. If Air Canada refuses or does not reply
Canadian Transportation Agency (APPR claims)
If Air Canada refuses your APPR claim, or does not pay or explain within 30 days (APPR s.19(4)), file a free complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (opens in a new tab). This is the main route for flights to, from or within Canada.
Flights under UK rules (UK departures): ADR
For flights under UK rules, Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge are signed up to AviationADR. You can go to ADR after the airline's final response, or after 8 weeks with no reply.
Flights under EU rules (EU departures): enforcement body
For flights departing the EU, contact the enforcement body in the country where the incident happened. Enforcement bodies monitor airlines but may not be able to make an airline pay your individual claim (C-145/15 Ruijssenaars). See the official EU list (opens in a new tab).
Court
- Canada: provincial small claims court (limits vary by province). A CTA complaint (opens in a new tab) is free.
- UK departures: Money Claim Online (opens in a new tab) (England and Wales), simple procedure (opens in a new tab) (Scotland) or small claims (opens in a new tab) (Northern Ireland).
- EU departures: courts at the place of departure or arrival (C-204/08 Rehder), or the European Small Claims Procedure (opens in a new tab) for cross-border claims.
Check your claim deadline before you start.
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