Canada · Air Passenger Protection Regulations

Flight delayed or cancelled? Check if you're owed up to $1,000.

Airlines owe cash — not vouchers — for many delays, cancellations, and bumpings on flights touching Canada. Answer five questions to see what the law says about yours.

What happened?

Did your trip touch Canada?

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What reason did the airline give?

What airlines owe under the APPR

Arrival delayLarge carrier (Air Canada, WestJet, United…)Small carrier
3–6 hours$400$125
6–9 hours$700$250
9+ hours$1,000$500
Denied boarding$900 – $2,400 (paid within 48 hours)

Applies when the disruption is within the airline's control and not required for safety, and you were told 14 days or less before departure. You have one year to claim; the airline must respond within 30 days.

Why airlines reject valid claims — and how to win anyway

The most common rejection is misclassification: the airline calls a crew shortage a “safety issue” or an “operational circumstance outside our control.” The Canadian Transportation Agency has ruled repeatedly that crew availability is within airline control. A demand letter that cites the specific APPR sections, states your arrival delay precisely, and names the CTA escalation path signals that a form-letter denial won't end the matter — which is why written claims outperform web-form complaints.

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation am I owed for a delayed flight in Canada?
Under the APPR, large carriers (Air Canada, WestJet, United, Delta, and most major international airlines) owe $400 for arrival delays of 3–6 hours, $700 for 6–9 hours, and $1,000 for 9+ hours. Small carriers owe $125/$250/$500 for the same bands. The delay must be within the airline's control and not required for safety.
Does APPR apply to foreign airlines like United or Lufthansa?
Yes. APPR applies to every flight to, from, or within Canada, regardless of the airline's nationality. Most major international airlines qualify as "large carriers," which means the higher compensation tiers apply.
What counts as "within the airline's control"?
Crew shortages, flight crew scheduling errors, most IT outages, and maintenance the airline could have planned for. Airlines often label these "safety" or "operational" to avoid paying — the Canadian Transportation Agency has repeatedly ruled that crew availability is within airline control.
How long do I have to claim, and how do I do it?
You have one year from the disruption to file a claim with the airline, and the airline must respond within 30 days with payment or the specific reason it refuses. A written demand citing the exact APPR sections is the strongest first step — that's what our generator creates.
What if the airline refuses or ignores my claim?
Escalate to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), which resolves complaints and can order payment. Airlines settle a large share of claims once a CTA complaint is filed. ComplainAI letters name the CTA escalation path so the airline knows you know.
Was my flight cancelled with more than 14 days' notice?
Then no cash compensation is owed — but the airline must still rebook you on a reasonable alternative or give a full refund to your original payment method. Vouchers are not a substitute unless you agree.

Turn your verdict into a demand letter

ComplainAI drafts a formal claim citing the exact APPR sections for your situation, with the CTA escalation path built in. Free to generate — takes 60 seconds.

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Related guides: Flight delay complaints, Denied boarding, Complain to Air Canada, Complain to WestJet