Residents awaiting refunds from Air Canada after flights were cancelled last March due to the start of the COVID-19 may soon receive their money back.
The Federal government announced earlier this week that an aid package of $5.9 billion will be given to Air Canada to assist with massive financial losses.
According to Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach this is good news for Canadians who have been fighting for the past year to receive their refunds.
He added this is a win for consumers but there is still more work that needs to be done.
Bachrach said the federal government should have made airlines pack back passengers for their airline tickets.
“This is the hard earned money of Canadians and people who are out thousands of dollars for expensive airline tickets obviously during a pandemic they need that cash to pay their bills, to make it through the pandemic and the airlines held on to that money for over a year, I think that’s wrong,” He said.
Bachrach added the NDP is working on ensuring the law gets changed so this doesn’t happen again.
He also said he hopes people start receiving their refunds soon.
“Hopefully it takes place in a timely way, it’s been too long already and for folks who have been waiting for a year to get back their hard earned money, it just can’t come soon enough,” Bachrach said.
Meanwhile, the aid package also includes Air Canada service to regional airports like in Prince Rupert and Sandspit on Haida Gwaii.
Bachrach also added questions regarding regional airlines who have also had impacts due to the pandemic.
The process to begin refunds for passengers can be done on the Air Canada website.