Federal Transportation Minister Pablo Rodriguez admitted the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is dealing with a backlog of 60,800 complaints and their current response time is 18 months — far longer than the stated time frame of 90 days.
The failed Minister of Heritage has been in his new role as Transport Minister since July 2023.
In an order paper question that asked what the current backlog of air traffic complaints is, including the number of complaints and the length of time before new complaints are adjudicated, Rodriguez said “the number of complaints sits at 60,800, and the current wait time for an air travel complaint to be processed is approximately 18 months.”
The CTA, which is part of Rodriguez’s Transport and Infrastructure portfolio, processes complaints and settles disputes between travellers and airlines. Their website indicates that disputes will be settled within three months.
Canada: Flight delay capital of the world
Canada’s airports have become internationally recognized as some of the worst in the world when it comes to flight delays and cancellations. Between June 19 and July 16, for example, just 50% of Air Canada’s 31,168 flights were on time.
Toronto’s Pearson airport has even been referred to as the delay capital of the world on more than one occasion.
In his response, Rodriguez further stated that the feds have given the CTA an additional $75 million starting 2023 – 2024 to increase staff capacity.
“The new funding will make it possible to hire more employees to deal with complaints,” he said.
Rodriguez left his role as Minister of Heritage after bungling Bill C-18 so much that Canadians still aren’t able to access news on Facebook or Instagram.
His mandate, as Canada’s Transport Minister, is “to serve the public interest through the promotion of a safe and secure, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system in Canada.”
