Disabled Canadians to pay single fare; Severely obese no longer charged double on domestic flights

Tiffany Crawford
Ottawa Citizen, Jan. 11, 2008

GATINEAU - Canadian airline passengers with disabilities, including passengers in wheelchairs and the severely obese, will no longer have to pay double fares for an extra seat on domestic flights, the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled yesterday.

The agency has ordered Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet to adopt a one-person, one-fare policy to allow people with severe disabilities to travel on flights within Canada without having to pay twice.

One of the Canadians who launched the case, a B.C. woman who uses a wheelchair, was thrilled with the decision.

"It means we have the same rights as everyone else," said Joanne Neubauer from her home in Victoria.

"I've always wanted to go to the Maritimes," she said. "I've seen pictures, but I've never been because I haven't been able to afford (two seats)."

The airlines have one year to implement the policy, which states that an airline must not charge more than one fare for passengers accompanied by an attendant for their personal safety or those who require additional seating -- including those disabled by obesity.

The decision does not affect those who are disabled and want to travel with a companion or those deemed obese but not disabled.

"We are confident that the airlines will come up with a plan for eligibility," said agency spokesman Jadrino Huot.

A spokeswoman for WestJet said the company had received the nearly 180-page decision and would read it through before issuing a statement.

"We have no comment at this time, but we are reviewing it," said Gillian Bentley yesterday.

The airlines are expected to develop a screening process to assess eligibility of the attendants. That includes the parameters of what would be considered severe obesity.

In the ruling, the transportation agency said the airlines failed to demonstrate that a one-person, one-fare policy would impose undue hardship on them.

The agency estimates the cost of implementing the policy represents 0.09 per cent of Air Canada's annual passenger revenues of $8.2 billion and 0.16 per cent of WestJet's equivalent revenues of $1.4 billion.

The agency said it would work with the airlines to develop a strategy to implement the policy and screening process.

"We encourage creative solutions," said Mr. Huot. He said one option could be for the airlines to train their own staff to be attendants but that it would be their decision after one year.

Up until now, Canadians who travelled by train, bus or ferry could bring an attendant at no extra cost. However, prior to the decision, if a disabled person needed to fly, they had to purchase an extra seat if they required one.