After Air Canada cut its summer schedule by more than 15 per cent last week, it also increased the recommended minimum duration between connecting flights.
“We have rescheduled flights to give customers more time to catch their flights. We have also introduced policies so that customers can change flights early or on standby without charge if it will give them more connecting time,” Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CTV News Toronto.
For those traveling internationally and connecting through Toronto, the airline has increased its recommended time between connecting flights in most scenarios by 30 minutes.
This is Air Canada’s recommended minimum duration for new bookings for travelers connecting through Toronto Pearson International Airport.
For passengers connecting Toronto for travel within Canada, Air Canada now recommends at least 40 minutes to catch your second flight. Air Canada recommends a minimum of 1 hour and 10 minutes for passengers coming from another Canadian city to Toronto before heading to the US In the reverse scenario, when traveling from the US to Canada with a connection in Toronto, a minimum of 1 hour 40 minutes is recommended. For passengers originating from another Canadian airport with a connection to Toronto before heading to any other overseas destination, the airline recommends a 60-minute connection. Sixty minutes is also recommended for travelers flying through Toronto from the US to an international destination. The minimum connection time for an international traveler arriving in Toronto before heading to another Canadian destination is slightly more technical. Air Canada generally recommends 1 hour and 15 minutes, but there is a two-hour recommendation until September 6, 2022 for those arriving in Toronto and flying to Montreal from the following cities: Bogota, Doha, Dubai, Grand Cayman, Mexico City, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, San José, Santa Clara, Santiago, Seoul, Shanghai and Port of Spain. International travelers heading to the US via Toronto are advised to allow 1 hour 25 minutes between flights.
For a traveler coming from abroad and heading to an international destination, 60 minutes are recommended for connecting via Pearson.
What if I miss my flight?
When a flight is either delayed more than three hours or cancelled, Air Canada will rebook a passenger on the next available flight on a “reasonable route” from the same airport. Flight rebooking will be within 48 hours from the time the event that caused the delay or cancellation ends, the rules state.
In scenarios where multiple flights on a route are delayed, causing a domino effect leading to missed flights, eligibility for compensation is based on the disruption with the most significant contributing factor.
Ultimately, the airline will determine whether the delay was within Air Canada’s control. For example, if additional time is required due to an error related to the focus or crew, this will be under Air Canada’s control. However, if there was a maintenance issue or weather disruption, the passenger will not be entitled to compensation.
Compensation for delays and cancellations is calculated based on your arrival time at the final destination. For delays between 3 and 6 hours, a passenger will be entitled to $400. When delays increase between 6 and 9 hours, this amount of money increases to $700. Delays of 9 hours or more are $1,000.
