In the event that a flight is cancelled or delayed or a passenger is denied boarding (as defined below), we will make every effort to keep you well informed of the reason for the cancellation or delay. Based on the information we have, we will promptly provide timely status updates every 30 minutes and provide new information as soon as feasible until a new departure time is set for the flight or alternative travel arrangements have been made pursuant to this Customer Service Commitment.

Regardless of the reason for a flight cancellation or delay or a denial of boarding, Qatar Airways will provide passengers with the following key information.

1. The reason for the delay, cancellation or denial of boarding.  During flight delays, we will provide regular flight status updates until a new departure time or alternate flight arrangement has been confirmed.

2. The compensation to which a customer may be entitled for the inconvenience.

3. The standard of treatment to which a customer is entitled, if any; this includes food and drink in reasonable quantities and access to a means of communication (e.g. free Wi-fi); and 

4. The recourse available against us, your air carrier, including your recourse to the Canadian Transportation Agency, if any. 

Some flight cancellations and delays are within an airline’s control, whereas others, like airport operational issues or severe weather are outside our control.  Whatever the reason for the delay or cancellation, Qatar Airways’ agents will do everything possible to assist you in completing your journey.

When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to reasons outside our control, and once the delay has reached three (3) hours (referred to as an “extended delay”) Qatar Airways will offer to make alternate travel arrangements free of charge.  

We will accommodate your travel plans by rebooking you on one of the following:

• The next available Qatar Airways flight or a flight on another airline with which we have a commercial agreement on any reasonable route that departs within 48 hours of the event that caused the extended delay or cancellation; or, if we cannot do this
  

• A flight with another airline on any reasonable route that departs out of the same airport; or if we cannot do this, on a flight that departs from a nearby airport, and provide transport to that airport, free of charge.

Standards of Treatment:

When a flight delay or cancellation is within our control, even if required for safety purposes and passengers have waited two (2) hours after the departure time that is indicated on their original ticket, Qatar Airways will provide passengers with the following free of charge:

• Food and drink in reasonable quantities, taking into account the length of the wait, the time of day and the location of the passenger; 
  
• Access to a means of communication (e.g. free WiFi); and if required,
• Overnight accommodations and round trip transportation to the accommodations. Subject to availability with a reasonable distance from the airport 

However, we will only provide such treatment if it will not further delay the passenger.‎

Alternate Travel Arrangements 

When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to reasons within our control, even if required for safety purposes, and once the delay has reached three (3) hours (referred to as an “extended delay”) Qatar Airways will accommodate your travel plans by rebooking you on one of the following:

• the next available Qatar Airways flight or a flight on another airline with which we have a commercial agreement on any reasonable route that departs within nine (9) hours of the departure time on your original ticket, or if we cannot do this
  
• A flight with another airline on any reasonable route out of the same airport that departs  within 48 hours of the original departure time, or if we cannot do this, on a flight that departs as soon as possible from a nearby airport, and provide transport to that airport, free of charge.

In accordance with the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, ‎we will provide alternate travel arrangements that are comparable to those on the original ticket in case of an extended delay or cancellation. If the alternate travel arrangements provide for a higher class of service than the original ticket, we will not charge for the upgrade.  

If the alternate travel arrangements offered do not accommodate your travel needs, Qatar Airways will

• In the case where a passenger is no longer at the point of origin indicated on the ticket and the travel no longer serves a purpose, refund the ticket and if necessary, return our customer to their point of origin; and 
• In any other case, refund the unused portion of the ticket. 
  

Customers who choose to take a ticket refund instead of alternate travel arrangements may be entitled ‎to compensation in the amount of $400 (CAD) if their ticket is refunded due to an extended delay or ‎cancellation that is within our control even if required for safety reasons. ‎ In order to receive compensation, you must file a request for compensation with Qatar Airways within 1 year of the date of the extended delay or cancellation.  

Compensation for Flight Delay or Cancellation that is within our control

When a flight delay or cancellation is within our control  and is not required for safety purposes and passengers have been informed of the delay or cancellation 14 days or less before their original departure time, affected passengers may be entitled to compensation, calculated based on your arrival time at destination, as follows:

In order to receive compensation, you must file a request for compensation with Qatar Airways within 1 year of the date of the flight delay or cancellation.

* “Required for safety purposes” means required by law in order to reduce risk to passenger safety and includes required by safety decisions made within the authority of the pilot of the aircraft or any decision made in accordance with a safety management system as defined in subsection 101.01(1) of the Canadian Aviation Regulations but does not include scheduled maintenance in compliance with legal requirements.  

Your Recourse

Should you wish to file a complaint about our services, please complete the web form available here and a Qatar Airways representative will contact you shortly. You may also file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency [https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng].

It is never our intention to cause you to be inconvenienced and certainly not when you hold a confirmed reservation on our flight. However, due to operational requirements and a varying degree of "no-show" customers, there will be times when you may not be accommodated on your booked flight (i.e. Denial of Boarding).

A Denial of Boarding is a situation where, a passenger is not permitted to occupy a seat on board a flight because the number of seats that may be occupied on the flight is less than the number of passengers who have checked in by the required time, hold a confirmed reservation and valid travel documentation and are present at the boarding gate at the required boarding time.

During a denied boarding situation, we will first solicit volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for compensation. If we do not receive enough volunteers, we may deny boarding involuntarily to passengers holding a confirmed reservation (as described above). Where the cause of the denial of boarding is within our control, even if required for safety purposes, we will give priority for boarding to the following passengers in the following order:

• Unaccompanied minors;

• Persons with disabilities and their support person, service animal, or emotional support animal, if any;

• Persons travelling with family members; and

• Passengers who were previously denied boarding on the same ticket.

A situation “outside” of our control includes, but is not limited to: war or political instability; illegal acts or sabotage; meteorological conditions or natural disasters that make the safe operation of the aircraft impossible; instructions from air traffic control; a NOTAM, as defined in subsection 101.01(1) of the Canadian Aviation Regulations; a security threat; airport operation issues; a medical emergency; a collision with wildlife; a labour disruption within the carrier or within an essential service provider such as an airport or an air navigation service provider; a manufacturing defect in an aircraft that reduces the safety of passengers and that was identified by the manufacturer of the aircraft concerned, or by a competent authority; and an order or instruction from an official of a state or a law enforcement agency or from a person responsible for airport security.

To keep passengers informed, we will provide passengers with the following information when denied boarding involuntarily:

• The reason for denial of boarding

• The compensation to which the passenger may be entitled for the inconvenience;

• The standard of treatment for passengers, if any; this includes food and drink in reasonable quantities and electronic means of communication (e.g. free Wi-fi)

• The recourse available against us, your air carrier, including your recourse to the Canadian Transportation Agency.

Standard of Treatment

When a passenger is denied boarding involuntarily, and the cause of the denial of boarding is within our control even if required for safety reasons, Qatar Airways will provide the following standard of treatment, free of charge: 

• Food and drink in reasonable quantities, taking into account the length of the wait, the time of day and location of the passenger, 
• Access to a means of communication (e.g. free Wi-Fi), and if required, 
• Overnight accommodations and round trip transportation to the accommodations, subject to availability with a reasonable distance from the airport. 

However, we will only provide such treatment if it will not further delay the passenger.

Alternate Travel Arrangements 

In addition, when a passenger is denied boarding involuntarily, and the cause of the denial of boarding is within our control even if required for safety reasons, Qatar Airways will offer to make alternate travel arrangements free of charge.  We will accommodate your travel plans by rebooking you on one of the following:

• The next available Qatar Airways flight or a flight on another airline with which we have a commercial agreement on any reasonable route that departs within nine (9) hours of the departure time on your original ticket, or if we cannot do this
• A flight with another airline on any reasonable route out of the same airport that departs  within 48 hours of the original departure time, or if we cannot do this, on a flight that departs as soon as possible from a nearby airport, and provide transport to that airport, free of charge.

If the alternate travel arrangements offered do not accommodate your travel needs, Qatar Airways will

• In the case where a passenger is no longer at the point of origin indicated on the ticket and the travel no longer serves a purpose, refund the ticket and if necessary, return our customer to their point of origin; and 
• In any other case, refund the unused portion of the ticket. 

In accordance with the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, ‎we will provide alternate travel arrangements that are comparable to those on the original ticket in case of a denial of boarding. If the alternate travel arrangements provide for a higher class of service than the original ticket, we will not charge for the upgrade. 

Compensation for Denial of Boarding that is within our control

When a passenger is denied boarding involuntarily, and the cause of the denial of boarding is within our control  and is not required for safety purposes, Qatar Airways will compensate the affected passengers based on the length of the delay caused by the denial of boarding as follows:

• CAD 900, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by less than six hours;

• CAD 1,800, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by six hours or more, but less than nine hours;

• CAD 2,400, if the arrival of the passenger’s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by nine hours or more.

* “Required for safety purposes” means required by law in order to reduce risk to passenger safety and includes required by safety decisions made within the authority of the pilot of the aircraft or any decision made in accordance with a safety management system as defined in subsection 101.01(1) of the Canadian Aviation Regulations but does not include scheduled maintenance in compliance with legal requirements.  

Your Recourse

Should you wish to file a complaint about our services, please complete the web form available here [https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/contact-us.contactusform-7.html] and a Qatar Airways representative will contact you shortly.  You may also file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency [https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng].

We will provide passengers with adequate food and potable water, free of charge, no later than two (2) hours after the aircraft leaves the gate (in the case of departure) or touches down (in the case of arrival and diversions) if the aircraft is delayed on the tarmac after the doors of the aircraft are closed for take-off or after the flight has landed, unless the pilot-in-command determines that safety or security considerations preclude such service. For all flights, we will ensure that while the aircraft is delayed on the tarmac there is:

• Available operable lavatory facilities; 

• proper ventilation and cooling or heating of the aircraft; 

We will also ensure adequate medical attention is available, if needed.

Further if a flight is delayed on a tarmac at an airport in Canada, the carrier must provide an opportunity for passengers to disembark three (3) hours after the doors have closed for take-off or three (3) hours after the flight has landed or at any earlier time if it is feasible unless:

• Take-off will occur less than three hours and 45 minutes after the doors of the aircraft are closed for take-off or after the flight has landed and we can continue to provide our passengers with the applicable standard of care; or
• Providing an opportunity for passengers to disembark is not possible, including if it is not possible for reasons related to safety and security or to air traffic or customs control.

Note that the requirement to allow passengers to disembark the aircraft only applies at Canadian airports. The prescribed treatment (e.g. free food and drinks) required is not limited to airports in Canada.

We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that your checked baggage arrives with you. In the event that your checked baggage is delayed, we will make every reasonable effort to deliver it at the earliest possible opportunity. You must inform our staff if you cannot locate your checked baggage upon arrival from a flight operated by us.

In the case of lost, delayed or damaged baggage:

• You will be reimbursed for reasonable interim out-of-pocket expenses upon submitting your receipts.
• You will be compensated in accordance with the entitlements under the Montreal Convention (as applicable) and according to our Conditions of Carriage.
• You will be reimbursed for any fees paid for carrying such baggage.

Qatar Airways will ensure that children under the age of 14 years are assigned a seat in close proximity to their parent, guardian or tutor in accordance with the following chart at no additional cost:

All of our terms and conditions of carriage for flights to, from or within Canada (including connecting flights) can be found in our Tariff, online here: https://www.qatarairways.com/content/dam/documents/legal/general-rules-canada.pdf

We aim to ensure that passengers enjoy their experience travelling with us. However, if you feel that you have received unfair treatment you may contact us on our website online here: https://www.qatarairways.com/en-ca/contact-us.html

In addition, passengers are always entitled to file a complaint online with the Canadian Transportation Agency: https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/air-travel-complaints-overview

Qatar Airways strives to cater for our customers with special needs.  For travel to/from Canada, we are subject to the requirements of the ATPDR (Part 2).

Special assistance

Special dietary requirements

Travelling while pregnant

Travelling with children

Wheelchair and mobility aid

Medical information form

Travelling with a service dog

Passengers with allergies

Sensory impairments

Travelling with oxygen

On board facilities for passengers with reduced mobility

Electronic respiratory devices

If you wish to share your feedback regarding the handling of your disability service request, please contact our Customer Care team.

Air travel in Canada is regulated by a number of government agencies that oversee aviation safety, security, border services, taxes, and other key areas. YYZlaw has extensive experience navigating these regulatory processes and provides expert guidance on the requirements and procedures set by each authority.