A new piece of legislation has been passed in Canada which will see airlines cut the extra costs charged to disabled passengers.
The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has given Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet one year to implement a one-person-one-fare policy. Under the new rules, airlines will not be able to charge more than one ticket fare to passengers who are accompanied by a career or those who are functionally disabled by obesity and require additional seating.
The CTA has said that the decision will not apply to passengers with disabilities who choose to travel with a companion due to personal reasons, those who do not need in-flight carer and those who are obese but not classed as disabled as a result.
All three airlines will have to develop a screening process for eligibility, similar to the system used by Southwest Airlines which determines additional seat requirements based on whether or not a passenger can lower the armrests of seats.
Geoffrey Hare, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Agency, said a “co-operative approach would be potentially beneficial to Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, WestJet”, suggesting the airlines work alongside the Gander International Airport Authority and any other carriers or airport that choose to adopt the policy.
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