“Air Transat said that it’s the airport of Ottawa, and Ottawa airport says it is Air Transat who didn’t ask for help,” said Blaise Pascal Irutingabo, one of the passengers who endured trying conditions during a six-hour delay. “Usually it goes smoothly, but if it doesn’t, passengers have rights.”Senior Air Transat officials are scheduled to testify Thursday. The airport authority said gates were available if Air Transat pilots wanted to let passengers disembark and rejected suggestions that it helped other planes refuel while neglecting Air Transat. “I hope that Air Transat will be clear to everyone what they are responsible for: They are responsible for refuelling, catering, decision to gate or to deplane, those are their responsibilities. The backdrop to the hearings is the federal government’s proposed air passenger bill of rights, which it hopes to have made law by the end of the year.

Source: National Post August 31, 2017 01:53 UTC