Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP and Transportation Critic Taylor Bachrach rose in Parliament yesterday to call out the Minister of Transportation for allegedly allowing Canadian airlines to get away with mistreating passengers on airlines;
Taylor Bachrach used his time in Parliament to bring to attention that last week, the US department of transport fined American Airlines $50 million Dollars for its treatment of people with disabilities.
"Well, here in Canada. People have been dropped on the floor, they've had their wheelchairs broken, and last one even had to drag themselves off a plane by their arms. And this government's response? Wait for it. The minister held a summit with plenty of nice words and zero action. Why is it that the Americans get a Secretary of Transport that stands up for passengers? Well, here in Canada, we get Ministers of Transport that continually cave to the big airlines here."
The Minister of Transport MP Anita Anand responded denying a lack of action;
“I beg to differ. I'm standing up in this House today after meeting with our government's chief accessibility officer, to definitively emphasize how important passenger safety and accessibility is for this government. And I will repeat that over and over again in this House and outside of this House. There is nothing more important than non-discrimination and more accessibility and safety for our air passengers, rail passengers, and freight passengers also.”
A study was done at the transport committee on the issue of accessible air transport for people with disabilities. There were reports of passenger mistreatment being common. Airlines in attendance maintained that they prioritized accessibility for passengers and had protocol in place.
[Evidence - TRAN (44-1) - No. 105 - House of Commons of Canada]
MP Bachrach maintains that he wants to see airlines held accountable, and changes in Federal policy - to ensure people with disabilities can travel safely and with dignity.
