Airlines will face the music in Ottawa today as the federal government dives into high-profile cases of passengers with disability issues being mishandled by Canadian carriers.
Transport Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada will co-host Canada's first National Air Accessibility Summit on 09MAY in the nation’s capital. The summit will include members of the airline industry and people with disabilities, many of whom have complained of ill treatment.
Government officials said the summit will look at whether Canadian regulations meant to ensure accessible travel are effective, or if more changes are needed to help people with disabilities.
"All Canadians expect airlines to do a lot better in the way that they treat persons with disabilities," Disabilities Minister Kamal Khere said on 08MAY, the CBC reports.
Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez told the network he's looking for concrete solutions to problems he called "not acceptable." He also said there could be "serious consequences" if airlines don't improve their performance.
Canadian airlines have come under fire in recent months after pax with disabilities suffered a series of problems, such as misplaced wheelchairs or being left to deplane without assistance.
WestJet chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech earlier this year apologized for incidents where the airline failed to accommodate people living with disabilities, saying he hopes to improve travel accessibility, CP24 and Canadian Press reported.
“To our guests who didn't have a good travel experience with us, we are sincerely sorry, and we are committed in doing better,” von Hoensbroech said during a House of Commons transport committee hearing on accessible transportation.
"We do make mistakes," Air Canada president Michael Rousseau told the committee.
"Equitable and dignified access to air transport for Canadians with disabilities is non-negotiable” Khera said. “Recent events demonstrate that our airlines are not meeting the standards that Canadians with disabilities expect or deserve. It's time for action, and it's time for change.”
"Canadians with disabilities have the same rights as all of us,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “They deserve equal access to air travel and a dignified experience. Our commitment to work with our partners in the air sector to guarantee that our national transportation system is accessible to all Canadians is a top priority.”
