FlightPayback

What recent CTA enforcement notices allege airlines failed to do

The Canadian Transportation Agency publishes enforcement notices, which show what its enforcement officers believe an airline got wrong on particular flights or claims.1 Several recent notices touch on three things passengers often deal with: rebooking after a cancellation, being told why a flight is late, and getting an answer to a claim.234

Each notice describes specific flights and what the enforcement officer believed happened there. None of them is a ruling on anyone else’s trip. The CTA notes that its figures can change when notices of violation are withdrawn or reversed by the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada.5

Rebooking after a cancellation

In a notice dated September 22, 2026, an enforcement officer said they believed JetBlue had committed 40 violations.16 According to the notice, after a cancellation of flight B6 1828 or B6 1831 for reasons within the airline’s control, JetBlue did not give affected passengers a confirmed seat on another flight free of charge.7 The CTA’s summary list shows a monetary penalty of $80,000 for that notice.8

When a large airline cancels for a reason within its control, including for safety, the rules say it must rebook you free on its own or a partner’s next available flight leaving within 9 hours of your original departure.9 If it can’t, it must book you on any airline’s flight from the same airport leaving within 48 hours, and failing that, a flight from a nearby airport with transport to it.9

A separate notice concerns an Air Transat cancellation for a reason outside the airline’s control, where the notice says the airline could not provide a confirmed reservation as subsection 18(1) of the regulation requires, on its own or a partner’s flight within 48 hours.210 The officer believed Air Transat committed 20 violations around December 9, 2025.11 According to the notice, it did not, as each passenger chose, either refund the unused part of the ticket or provide a free confirmed seat on the next available flight with any airline.12

That choice comes from the rules. When the cause is outside the airline’s control and it can’t confirm you on its own or a partner’s flight leaving within 48 hours of your original departure, you choose between a refund of the unused part of your ticket and other travel arrangements.13 You can choose the refund at any time before you are given a confirmed reservation.13

Being told why

According to a notice issued to WestJet, the airline did not announce the reason for the delay of flight WS1420 to passengers by audible announcement.3 According to a notice issued to Delta, a passenger on a delayed flight wasn’t given the reason for the delay, the compensation they may be entitled to, the standards of treatment and their recourse against the airline through the communication method they had said they preferred.1415

Both relate to rules on information. For a delay, cancellation or denied boarding, whatever the cause, the airline must tell you the reason, the compensation you may be entitled to, the standard of treatment if any, and your recourse, including complaining to the CTA.16 During a delay, it must give status updates every 30 minutes until a new departure time is set or other arrangements are made, by audible announcement and by your preferred contact method.17

The reason you are given matters later, because compensation depends on whether the cause was within the airline’s control and not required for safety.1819 A screenshot of the app, an email or a note of what was announced at the gate, with the time, is worth keeping.

Getting an answer to your claim

A notice to Air Liaison says the officer believed it committed 10 violations.20 According to the notice, the airline did not give passengers the minimum compensation or an explanation of why compensation wasn’t payable within 30 days of receiving their request.4

That deadline is in the rules: within 30 days of receiving your request, the airline must pay or explain why compensation isn’t payable.21 You must file your request with the airline before the first anniversary of the day the delay or cancellation happened.22

What to do if it happens to you

Put your request to the airline in writing, so you have a record of when you sent it.23 If it isn’t resolved within 30 days, you can file a complaint with the CTA, with written proof that you contacted the airline.23

If your own flight was delayed or cancelled, the free check gives a quick answer for your own trip. Our guides cover cancellations and deadlines.

Sources

  1. 1. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): the undersigned enforcement officer has issued this notice of violation believing JetBlue Airways Corporation has committed the following 40 violations
  2. 2. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): following a flight cancellation for a reason outside the carrier’s control, Air Transat A.T. Inc., a large carrier who could not provide a confirmed reservation
  3. 3. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): WestJet failed to provide the passengers, by means of an audible announcement, the reason for the delay for flight number WS1420
  4. 4. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): they did not provide passengers with the minimum compensation referred to in subsection 19(1) or 19(2) of the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) or an explanation as to why compensation is not payable, within 30 days after the day on which it received the passenger's request
  5. 5. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): are subject to change where Notices of Violation or specific violations are withdrawn or reversed by the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada.
  6. 6. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): Date of Issuance Tuesday, September 22, 2026
  7. 7. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): following a flight cancellation (B6 1828 or B6 1831) for reasons within the carrier’s control, JetBlue Airways Corporation, a large carrier, failed to provide affected passengers, free of charge, with alternate travel arrangements
  8. 8. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): thereby contravening those provisions. 2026-09-22 Monetary penalty $80,000
  9. 9. APPR s.17(1)(a): Large airline, within control (incl. safety): rebook free on the next available own/partner flight departing within 9 hours of original… [REBOOK-01]
  10. 10. APPR s.18(1): Outside control: next available own/partner flight departing within 48 hours of the original departure. If not possible: large airline, any… [REBOOK-03]
  11. 11. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): has committed the following 20 violations, On or about December 9, 2025
  12. 12. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): failed to, at the passengers choice, refund any unused portion of the ticket or provide the passengers, free of charge, with a confirmed reservation for the next available flight that is operated by any carrier
  13. 13. APPR s.18: Outside control: if the carrier can't provide a confirmed own/partner flight departing within 48 hours of the original departure, the… [REFUND-02]
  14. 14. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): the reason for the delay, the compensation to which they may be entitled for the inconvenience, the standards of treatment for passenger, and the recourse available against the carrier
  15. 15. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): using the available communication method for which they had indicated a preference
  16. 16. APPR s.12(2)(a): The airline must tell affected passengers: the reason for the delay, cancellation or denial of boarding; the compensation they may be… [INFO-01]
  17. 17. APPR s.13(2): During a delay, status updates every 30 minutes until a new departure time is set or alternate arrangements are made; new information as… [INFO-02]
  18. 18. APPR s.12: Within airline's control [CAUSE-01]
  19. 19. APPR s.11: Within control but required for safety [CAUSE-02]
  20. 20. Canadian Transportation Agency (otc-cta.gc.ca): Air Liaison Inc. has committed the following 10 violations
  21. 21. APPR s.19(4): Carrier must, within 30 days of receiving the request, pay or explain why compensation isn't payable. [DEAD-02]
  22. 22. APPR s.19(3): Passenger must file a compensation request with the carrier before the first anniversary of the day the delay/cancellation occurred. (The… [DEAD-01]
  23. 23. APPR s.85.04(1)(d): Passenger must first make a written request to the airline. If it isn't resolved within 30 days, they can file a CTA complaint (complaints… [ESC-01]

Guides

FlightPayback prepares documents you send yourself. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice. This post is general information based on the sources above; your result depends on your own flight’s details. Spotted an error? Tell us.