Canadian passenger rights

Situations within carrier’s control but required for safety purposes means required by law in order to reduce risk to passenger safety and includes required by safety decisions made within the authority of the pilot of the aircraft or any decision made in accordance with a safety management system as defined in subsection 101.01(1) of the Canadian Aviation Regulations but does not include scheduled maintenance in compliance with legal requirements.

Situations outside carrier’s control include war or political instability; illegal acts or sabotage; meteorological (weather) conditions or natural disasters that make the safe operation of the aircraft impossible; instructions from air traffic control; a Notice to Airmen (as defined in the Canadian Aviation Regulations); a security threat; airport operation issues; a medical emergency; a collision with wildlife; a labour disruption within the carrier or within an essential service provider such as an airport or an air navigation service provider; a manufacturing defect in an aircraft that reduces the safety of passengers and that was identified by the manufacturer of the aircraft concerned, or by a competent authority; and an order or instruction from an official of a state or a law enforcement agency or from a person responsible for airport security.

Situations within carrier’s control are events not covered by the two categories above (within carrier control but required for safety and outside carrier control). This includes commercial overbooking, scheduled maintenance of an aircraft that is necessary to comply with legal requirements or mechanical malfunction of the aircraft identified during scheduled maintenance.

Situations Outside Carrier’s Control
Rebooking or Refund: In the event of a cancellation or a delay of more than 3 hours, the passenger will be booked onto the next available Harbour Air flight. If the passenger cannot be rebooked or the new arrival time is 48 hours or more from what was previously scheduled, the passenger will have the option to accept the new itinerary or cancel the reservation and receive a refund for the unused portion of the ticket.

Situations Within Carrier’s Control but Required for Safety Purposes
Rebooking or Refund: In the event of a cancellation or a delay of more than 3 hours, the passenger will be booked onto the next available Harbour Air flight. If the alternate travel arrangements do not accommodate the passenger’s needs, Harbour Air will refund the unused portion of the ticket.

Treatment: If the passenger is informed of the delay or cancellation less than 12 hours before departure time indicated on the original ticket and the passenger has waited for at least 2 hours, Harbour Air will provide food and drink and a means of communication, when feasible. If required to stay overnight, Harbour Air will also provide accommodation as well as transportation to and from the point of service, as required. Note some or all of these benefits may not be provided if providing them would further delay your travel.

Situations Within Carrier’s Control
Rebooking or Refund: In the event of a cancellation or a delay of more than 3 hours, the passenger will be booked onto the next available Harbour Air flight. If the alternate travel arrangements do not accommodate the passenger’s needs, Harbour Air will refund the unused portion of the ticket.

Treatment: If the passenger is informed of the delay or cancellation less than 12 hours before departure time indicated on the original ticket and the passenger has waited for at least 2 hours, Harbour Air will provide food and drink and a means of communication, when feasible. If required to stay overnight, Harbour Air will also provide accommodation as well as transportation to and from the airport, as required. Note some or all of these benefits may not be provided if providing them would further delay your travel.

Compensation: For situations within carrier’s control, and where passengers are informed of the delay or cancellation less than 14 days before the departure time on the original ticket, passengers may be entitled to compensation as follows:

• $125 CAD, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by three hours or more, but less than six hours,
• $250 CAD, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by six hours or more, but less than nine hours, or
• $500 CAD, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by nine hours or more.

If the passenger is informed of the delay or cancellation less than 14 days before the departure time on the original ticket, and the passenger’s ticket was refunded, passengers may be eligible for compensation of $125 CAD.

Note passengers must file a request for compensation with the carrier within one year from the day on which the flight delay or cancellation occurred. Please see the bottom of this page to submit a request for compensation using our Contact Us page.

A denial of boarding occurs when a passenger is not permitted to occupy a seat on board a flight because the number of seats that may be occupied on the flight is less than the number of passengers who have checked in by the required time, hold a confirmed reservation and valid travel documentation and are present at the boarding gate at the required boarding time.

Situations Outside Carrier’s Control
Rebooking: In the event of a denial of boarding due to situations outside the carrier’s control, Harbour Air will book the passenger on a confirmed reservation on the next available Harbour Air flight.

Situations Within Carrier’s Control but Required for Safety Purposes
Rebooking/Refund: In the event of a denial of boarding due to situations within the carrier’s control but required for safety purposes, Harbour Air will book the passenger on a confirmed reservation on the next available Harbour Air flight. If the alternative arrangements offered do not meet the passenger’s needs, Harbour Air will refund the unused portion of the ticket.

Treatment: Before travellers who are denied boarding board the re-accommodated flight, Harbour Air will provide food and drink in reasonable quantities, when available, and provide access to a means of communication, if required. Harbour Air will also provide accommodations to travellers that are required to wait overnight for a re-accommodated flight, as well as transportation to and from the service point. Note some or all of these benefits may not be provided if providing them would further delay your travel.

Situations Within Carrier’s Control
Rebooking: In the event of a denial of boarding due to situations within the carrier’s control Harbour Air will book the passenger on a confirmed reservation on the next available Harbour Air flight. If the alternative arrangements offered do not meet the passenger’s needs, Harbour Air will refund the unused portion of the ticket.

Treatment: Before travellers who are denied boarding board the re-accommodated flight, Harbour Air will provide food and drink in reasonable quantities, when available, and provide access to a means of communication, if required. Harbour Air will also provide accommodations to travellers that are required to wait overnight for a re-accommodated flight, as well as transportation to and from the service point. Note some or all of these benefits may not be provided if providing them would further delay your travel.

Compensation: Passengers who are denied boarding for situations within the carrier’s control are entitled to compensation as per below:

• $900, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by less than six hours;
• $1,800, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by six hours or more, but less than nine hours; and
• $2,400, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by nine hours or more.

Harbour Air will provide compensation to the passenger as soon as operationally feasible, but not later than 48 hours following the time of the denial of boarding.

If passenger baggage has been lost, delayed or damaged, passengers must inform a Harbour Air Service agent at the service point to file a claim. For baggage that is delayed or potentially lost, passengers can submit a claim within 21 days of their arrival date. For damaged baggage, passengers must submit a claim within 7 days of receiving their baggage. If passenger baggage was delayed, lost or damaged, Harbour Air will refund any baggage fees applicable.

The carrier’s maximum liability with regards to baggage destruction, loss, delay or damage is limited to 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (an accounting unit used by the International Monetary Fund), which amounts to approximately CAD $2,350 per traveller.

BAGGAGE CLAIM FORM

We are happy to help seat children under the age of 14 near to their parent, guardian or tutor. The proximity depends on the age of the child:

• Under the age of 5 will be in a seat adjacent to their parent, guardian or tutor.
• Aged 5 to 11 will be in the same row, and separated by no more than one seat from their parent, guardian or tutor.
• Aged 12 or 13 separated by no more than a row from the parent, guardian or tutor.

Harbour Air also has an unaccompanied minor program available to those between the ages of 5 and 11.

Weight, Size and Quantity Restrictions
The weight and dimensions restrictions for luggage apply to musical instruments. Please see Maximum Luggage Dimensions on Harbour Air’s luggage page for more detailed information on baggage and luggage allowances specific to aircraft type.

Cabin Storage Options
At the aircraft, all bags including musical instruments, will be stowed in the cargo area, at the rear of the aircraft. For safety purposes, only very small items that will fit in the seat-back pocket may be carried with passengers into the cabin.

Options in the Event of Aircraft Downgrading
In the event passenger’s aircraft is downgraded to a smaller aircraft, Harbour Air will take all reasonable efforts to accommodate instruments, however, there may be restrictions due to the size of aircraft. If the instrument does not travel with the traveller, it will be placed on the next available flight that can accommodate its size.

Fees for Transporting Musical Instruments
Passenger’s musical instrument will count towards their luggage weight allowance (based on purchased fare). If total luggage weight is in excess of the guaranteed allowance, all additional luggage (including musical instrument) weight will incur additional baggage weight fees as per the specific fare terms and conditions. Anything above the guaranteed luggage allowance travels on a space available, standby basis.