A B.C. couple decided to take legal action against Air Canada after being prevented from boarding with expired travel documents.
In a B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal dispute, JD and RD claimed $4,293.85 for flight costs from Frankfurt to Vancouver, Vancouver to Comox, and the cost of a hotel in Frankfurt for one night.
Air Canada denied owing anything, adding that the contract of carriage allowed for a denial of boarding for travelling with expired travel documents.
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On May 24, 2023, the couple travelled from Comox, B.C., to London. They booked a return for June 15, 2023. RD was travelling with a U.K. passport and a Canadian permanent resident card. However, that PR card expired in 2022.
The couple stated they had other documents to prove that her permanent residency was still valid, but they didn’t explain what those documents were, nor did they submit copies to the tribunal.
They added that they were allowed to board the flight from London to Frankfurt despite the expired PR card. However, Lufthansa staff denied boarding from Frankfurt to Vancouver due to the expired card. The couple said this denial of boarding caused them to incur hotel costs. They eventually rebooked an Air Canada flight for June 16, 2023, and were allowed to board.
Regarding the disparity between Lufthansa and Air Canada, an Air Canada representative stated, “The contract terms provide that if carriage is by more than one carrier, different regulations may apply for each carrier.”
Air Canada told the tribunal that it was the passengers’ responsibility to ensure they had the proper documentation.
“I agree that the applicants had the responsibility to ensure their travel documents were acceptable to all of the carriers on their itinerary. I find the fact that Air Canada accepted the expired permanent residency card is not relevant to whether Lufthansa was required to accept the expired permanent residency card,” the tribunal decision states.
The tribunal dismissed the couple’s claim and awarded no damages.