Canceled flights: 35,000 Quebec residents compensated by FICAV

After 16 months of waiting, Quebecers have finally woken up and will start compensating Quebecers who had to cancel a flight due to the pandemic.

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The Office of Consumer Protection (OPC) announced Tuesday that those are the more than 35,000 travelers that will be compensated by the Travel Agent Customer Compensation Fund (FICAV) in September. “This process should continue until December,” the organization said.

Sun Wing, trigger

It will be the agreement between Ottawa and Sunwing on 25 June that prompted FICAV, which reports to the OPC as well as to Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, to act.

“The agreement reached with Sunwing last Friday allows us to move forward,” one of them explained to the office of Attorney General Jolin Barrett.

The liberal opposition can claim victory, with MP Lise Terreault denouncing the inaction of FICAV for two weeks.

“Finally! It’s time! The world has waited long enough. The government had to announce something. Well done for them! Now, I will remain vigilant to ensure that the Kickers receive all their money,” says the woman who held the Consumer Protection portfolio when she was in power.

constant pursuit

OPC is the subject of a class action authorization application in this case. Attorney Eric Perrier took the case to court last December, “because FICAV has been silent for 8 months”.

The travel agent’s compensation fund later asked the court to suspend the case. At 3:02 p.m. on Tuesday, the judge denied FICAV’s request. At 3:16 p.m., the Consumer Protection Bureau issued a press release announcing that 35,000 travelers would finally be compensated.

It does not end our demand for teamwork. In addition to repayment, interest is claimed, because repayment was due a few days after the request. We also demand compensation for the lost time we incurred due to the many actions and the many follow-ups that people had to take,” explains attorney Eric Perrier.