Siok Har Lim was anxious about her European trip last November. The Montreal resident had little travel experience, had never been to Germany or Hungary, and barely spoke English.
Her journey went smoothly until she arrived at Budapest Airport for her return flight and discovered that Air Canada had canceled her ticket.
“I was very scared and did not know what to do,” Lim told Go Public in Cantonese, with her niece translating.
An Air Canada agent explained that her ticket was voided because the airline believed she missed an earlier flight from Munich to Berlin and was marked as a “no-show.”
“I don’t understand why Air Canada is saying what they’re saying,” Lim recalled. “Because I actually did board that flight.”
With no time to argue, unable to communicate, and just an hour before departure, Lim was forced to purchase a new ticket for $2,550.
“She is a senior citizen on a limited income,” said her niece, Ai Li Lim. “Obviously, that cost was really stressful for her.”
Safety Concerns Raised Over Air Canada’s ‘No-Show’ Cancellations
Go Public has uncovered five similar cases where Air Canada incorrectly marked passengers as “no-shows” and canceled their return flights, refusing to acknowledge evidence such as boarding passes and selfies taken on board.
This raises serious concerns, says aviation expert John Milne from Clarkson University, as airlines must accurately track passengers.
“If it is a systemic problem, like their computer systems not talking to each other, they should get it fixed,” Milne said. “In the meantime, how can you cancel people’s return flights when you know your records aren’t reliable?”
This issue becomes even more critical in emergencies, such as last month’s American Airlines crash in Washington.
“What if a plane goes down and the airline isn’t actually aware of everyone on board?” Milne questioned.
Air Canada admitted in each case that the flight “was not properly recorded” due to “a human error or technological malfunction.”
The airline denied safety concerns, stating that all passengers still go through security and ID validation at the gate. However, it did not explain why it continued to insist passengers had missed earlier flights despite evidence proving otherwise.
Air Canada Offers $100 Coupon Instead of Reimbursement
After returning to Montreal, Lim sought compensation from Air Canada, which directed her to Swiss Air, the operating airline for her Budapest flight. Instead, Air Canada offered a $100 coupon as a “goodwill gesture.”
Her travel agent submitted additional proof—her boarding pass, taxi receipts from the Berlin airport, and photos from Berlin landmarks—but Air Canada still refused to reimburse her ticket.
“She felt a little bit gaslit,” said her niece, Ai-Li Lim. “Because she obviously took the flight.”
Garth Jackson faced a similar ordeal in September when Air Canada canceled his return flight from Tampa, Fla., claiming he never boarded his Toronto-Tampa flight. Even a selfie from his seat wasn’t enough proof. He was forced to buy a new ticket.
The airline eventually admitted a “boarding error,” refunded him, and offered a $500 coupon—an offer he declined, as it didn’t cover all his costs.
Passengers Take Legal Action Against Air Canada
In March 2022, Dejan Ratkov and his family faced the same problem after their flight to Calgary for a ski trip. Despite providing boarding passes, luggage tags, and a family selfie on board, Air Canada refused to acknowledge they had taken the flight.
“To disappear as a human … It feels like I’m in a Franz Kafka novel,” Ratkov said.
Forced to pay $2,000 for new tickets, he shared his experience in the Air Passenger Rights Facebook group.
Vancouver’s Christopher Bailey took Air Canada to small claims court after his return flight was canceled in October 2023, forcing him to buy a new ticket for $1,070.
“It was absolutely ludicrous,” Bailey said. “I kept thinking, this can’t be true.”
Only after serving notice of the lawsuit did Air Canada offer a refund. However, Bailey pursued the case, suing for an additional $8,500 in damages.
The judge ruled in Bailey’s favor, awarding him court fees and $2,000 in damages. The ruling noted that Bailey had provided ample proof, including his boarding pass and an onboard drink receipt, yet Air Canada continued to deny he was on the flight.
An airline representative admitted in court that an internal error failed to register Bailey’s assigned seat, which led to his name being omitted from the passenger list.
Air Canada Apologizes but Faces Scrutiny
An Air Canada spokesperson stated the airline is reaching out to affected passengers to apologize and rectify the issue. The company insists such incidents are “extremely rare” and that it is working to prevent future occurrences.
Transport Canada confirmed it takes all incidents that could impact “safety and security” seriously and will investigate potential “non-compliance.”
Meanwhile, Siok Har Lim is still waiting for full reimbursement.
“I’m very afraid that something like that will happen again,” she said. “And I will be stranded in a foreign country, not able to return home.”
Source: Swifteradio.com
