If you’re wondering why air travel only seems to get worse, you’re not alone: Parliament also says it wants to get to the bottom of it.
Driving the news: Executives from Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, and Porter Airlines appeared before a Parliamentary committee to face questions about the rising cost of air travel.
- The hearing was prompted by Air Canada’s and WestJet’s decision to begin charging extra for carry-on bags and seat selection, a change that triggered sharp criticism from MPs.
Why it matters: Canada’s airline sector is already facing scrutiny — including an investigation by the Competition Bureau — over claims that a lack of competition allows carriers to charge high prices for a lower quality of service. These new fees will certainly fuel more criticism.
- The federal government’s most recent budget included a pledge to force airlines to be more “transparent” about how they disclose add-on fees to travellers, but that’s yet to result in concrete changes.
Yes, but: The airlines say that it’s actually taxes and fees imposed by governments and airports that make flying in Canada so expensive, and to some degree, they have a point — those charges are on average several times higher for flights in Canada than the U.S. and often add up to more than the airfare itself.—TS