Family frustrated with Air Canada over Jamaican vacation plans

By Nitish Bissonauth

A woman and her family were nearly forced to go ahead with a winter vacation in Montego Bay, Jamaica despite the Government of Canada advising travellers to stay away from the destination spot in light of the rise of violence and shootings in the region.

“A vacation we’ve been planning since July has turned into a total nightmare,” said Crystal Comande who booked a family trip with Air Canada Vacations.

She, along with three other families, were supposed to fly out to the tourist hotspot on Friday but decided to change their plans.

“Me being a parent, travelling with small children, we did not want to go to Montego Bay,” said Comande. “I begged and they said it’s business as usual, either you travel or you lose your $5,700 package.”

Comande says she spent hours on the phone and, despite having travel insurance, couldn’t negotiate with the airline. Her other friends who were travelling with them through WestJet were able to get a full credit for their trip without a problem.

“We weren’t asking for our money back, we were just asking for a credit so we can travel somewhere safer.”

CityNews reached out to Air Canada and in an email response they say they implemented a policy Friday for customers who no longer want to go to Montego Bay. They tell travelers:

“If you are scheduled to travel January 19 and January 31, 2018, you may contact Air Canada Reservations to change your flight, free of charge, to another date between now and February 14, 2018, subject to availability in the cabin you originally purchased. Otherwise, any fare difference will apply.”

One passenger advocate says that response isn’t ideal.

“What happens is that airlines offer some kind of interim policy,” says passenger right’s advocate Gabor Lukacs. “Legally it’s not clear if airlines have to do so, one can argue they should do so but there’s no clear precedent. I can’t say if there’s a clear rule they are breaking.”

Lukacs says there is no rule that says an airline has to refund passengers if there’s a natural disaster or riots.

Shortly after we contacted Air Canada about Crystal and her family, she says the airline offered her a compromise. Air Canada re-booked their trip to another destination, but Comande and her family are now separated from the rest of their party. They also have to reschedule time off and all this still comes at a price.

“Air Canada has let us down 100 per cent and I’m very upset that now we have to pay $1,800 out of our pocket to upgrade to a different hotel and a different destination,” she said. “They just do not care whatsoever. At this point, it’s for our safety and we did what we had to do.”

Comande and her family say they’re relieved they won’t be forced to go to Jamaica. Instead they’ll be heading to Punta Cana in two weeks time and say the next time they plan a vacation, they’ll be looking at other airlines.

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