GATINEAU – Got something to say about air passenger rights? You’ll have your chance to be heard at in-person consultations across the country where the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is inviting the public to voice their concerns.

The first session will take place in Toronto on June 14, followed by Vancouver (June 18), Calgary (June 20), Yellowknife (June 22), Winnipeg (June 25), Montreal (June 27), Halifax (June 29) and Ottawa (July 4), before ending with a call-in session on July 5.

The in-person and call-in sessions form part of the consultation process that CTA launched on May 28, just a few days after the amendments to the Canada Transportation Act took effect, giving the CTA the authority to make Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

The consultation process has started strong, with more than 4,500 Canadians visiting CTA’s website so far, and more than 1,350 completing its online questionnaire. According to the CTA, it wants to build on this momentum and hear from as many Canadians as possible.

“We know air travel issues are important to Canadians and they want to see new air passenger protection regulations in place as soon as possible. We also know that they want their say on the content of those regulations,” said Scott Streiner, Chair and CEO of the CTA. “Our three-month consultation process will achieve both goals: it gives individuals, consumer organizations, and airlines multiple channels for offering input, while being focused and facilitating timely development of the regulations. We’re committed to ensuring that airlines’ obligations to passengers are clear, transparent, fair, and consistent.”

The consultation process will continue until Aug. 28, 2018. Once it concludes, all the input received will be considered and the new regulations will be drafted. The regulations will require approval from both the CTA and the Governor in Council to come into force.

Members of the public who wish to attend in person are encouraged to register on the consultation web site and provide a written synopsis of the topics they wish to discuss.

Anyone requiring accommodations for accessibility and communication support at the sessions, such as assistive listening devices and sign language interpretation, should indicate their requirements when registering, no later than 10 calendar days prior to the sessions.

Individuals wishing to participate but who cannot attend the public consultations in-person, can participate via an audio live session on July 5, 2018, starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

For more information or to participate in the online consultation, go to http://www.airpassengerprotection.ca/.