Canada Proposing New Legislation Following United Bumping Incident
By now, you've probably seen or at least heard about the United incident from this past weekend. As TPG pointed out in his response to how he got the United situation wrong, this wasn't the traditional overbooking ordeal. The seats weren't oversold, but instead, it was a full flight but four employees needed to get to Louisville (SDF), prompting the airline to remove four seated passengers from the aircraft.
Regardless of how it happened, the gruesome scene that ensued when a man was forcibly dragged down the aisle and off the plane was caused because passengers needed to be bumped from the flight. This has, of course, brought the issue of bumping to light — and more specifically, how few rights passengers have when it comes to the Contract of Carriage rules of a specific airline.
According to CBC, Canada is set to introduce new legislation that will take a step in solving the bumping issue. The legislation, which is set to be introduced this spring, will be in direct response to the United incident that took place this weekend, and according to a spokesman for Transport Minister Marc Garneau, the new legislation will include bumping rules.
While the issue was raised in response to the United news, in fact, it's the continuation of an air passenger bill of rights that was promised last fall. The airline passenger bill of rights will establish new guidelines on minimum requirements for compensation when flights are oversold or when luggage is lost — when it comes to getting bumped, currently airlines in Canada are required to compensate passengers up to $800, depending on how long they're delayed.
Coincidentally enough, Garneau didn't comment directly on the United situation from this weekend. However, it's especially notable given that this new proposal comes just days after the incident. It'll be interesting to see if the US or other countries follow suit with more protection for passengers when they board a plane.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.