Air Canada canceled these passengers' return flights, claiming they missed earlier flights, despite proof they had boarded. As a result, they had to buy new tickets to get home. (CBC)
Several Air Canada passengers have faced unexpected travel disruptions after the airline incorrectly marked them as "no-shows," leading to the cancellation of their return flights. Despite presenting proof of their travel, affected passengers were forced to buy new tickets, raising concerns about the airline’s record-keeping and passenger safety.
Siok Har Lim, an elderly woman from Montreal, was traveling through Germany and Hungary last November. Everything went smoothly until she arrived at the Budapest airport to fly home, only to find that her return flight had been canceled. Air Canada claimed she had missed an earlier flight from Munich to Berlin and was marked as a "no-show."
“I don’t understand why they say that,” Lim recalled. “I was on that flight.”
With only an hour before departure and unable to communicate in English, Lim had no choice but to buy a new ticket for $2,550. Her niece, Ai Li Lim, said the unexpected expense caused significant financial stress.
Lim is not alone. At least five other travelers have reported similar experiences, where Air Canada canceled their return flights despite them having taken all prior flights as scheduled. Some even provided evidence, such as boarding passes, luggage tags, and selfies taken inside the plane.
Garth Jackson, another passenger, was marked as a "no-show" for his flight from Toronto to Tampa, Florida, in September. Even a selfie taken from his seat wasn’t enough to convince the airline. He had to purchase another ticket to return home.
Christopher Bailey, a Vancouver resident, took legal action after Air Canada wrongly canceled his flight in October 2023. Despite showing his boarding pass and a receipt for drinks he purchased on the plane, the airline refused to refund his ticket. Only after suing in small claims court did he win $2,000 in damages. The judge ruled that Bailey had overwhelming proof of his presence on the flight and criticized Air Canada for its handling of the situation.
John Milne, an aviation expert, believes these incidents could indicate a larger problem within Air Canada's booking and tracking system. Airlines must accurately account for all passengers, especially in emergencies.
“If there’s a system failure, they need to fix it,” Milne said. “You can’t cancel flights based on unreliable records.”
Air Canada admitted that the passengers’ flights were not properly recorded due to “human error or a technical malfunction.” A spokesperson insisted there was no safety risk, as passengers still went through airport security and ID checks before boarding. However, the airline did not address why it ignored evidence from affected travelers.
After receiving multiple complaints, Air Canada has started reaching out to the impacted customers to offer apologies and compensation.
