Filing a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) about air travel is free and does not require a lawyer. The emphasis is on mediation.
The CTA recommends that you first try and resolve your complaint with the airline itself. It is a good idea to keep a thorough record of those efforts. There is no point in avoiding that step since the first thing the CTA will do is check with the airline and forward the complaint to the carrier anyway. Dealing directly with the air carrier might result in a quick resolution and save a lot of time.
The CTA also recommends providing as much information as possible with a complaint. They suggest looking at the complaint forms to see what information will be useful.
The CTA recommends filing your complaint as soon as possible after the problem occurs.
Once a complaint is filed, the CTA checks that it has all the information and then gives the air carrier a chance to respond. The person filing the complaint is given a file number to be able to check on the status of the complaint. The process takes 120 days, unless both parties agree to an extension.
Complaints can be filed over the Internet using online forms.
You can also mail or fax a complaint to:
Canadian Transportation Agency
Air Travel Complaints Program
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A ON9
Fax: (819) 953-5686
