The Canadian federal government has unveiled its budget plans to improve airport security screening and reduce flight delays. The budget allocates $1.8 billion over five years for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) to enhance passenger screening and security at airports. In addition, it proposes a new rule that mandates airlines and airports to share and report data as a way to reduce delays and promote better coordination in the industry.
However, industry and advocates remain skeptical of the budget proposals. Jeff Morrison, head of the National Airlines Council of Canada, views the budget as a missed opportunity to give the sector a boost and improve the travel experience for passengers. Sylvie De Bellefeuille, a lawyer with advocacy group Option consommateurs, suggests that the degree of public access and timely reporting on data sharing remains unclear.
The budget also aims to expedite air traveler complaints, which currently tops at 42,000, by converting the regulator’s quasi-judicial adjudication process to a “mediation-arbitration process.” The Canadian Transportation Agency revealed that around 97% of the complaints it handles are resolved through informal processes rather than adjudication.
Read the original article here at The Canadian Press
