Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations

 

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Written Explanation of Denied Boarding Compensation

 

Compensation for Denied Boarding

If you have been denied a reserved seat on SATA Internacional – Azores Airlines, S.A., you are probably entitled to monetary compensation. This notice explains the airline’s obligation and the passenger’s rights in the case of an oversold flight, in accordance with regulations of the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA).

 

Volunteers and Boarding Priorities

If a flight is oversold (more passengers hold confirmed reservations than there are seats available), no one may be denied boarding against his or her will until airline personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservation willingly, in exchange of benefits agreed between the airline and the passenger. This benefit must be agreed, in writing, prior of the departure of your flight. If there are not enough volunteers, other passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with the following boarding priority of SATA Internacional – Azores Airlines, S.A.: passenger with special needs, booking and/or frequent flyer status, ease of re-accommodation, considering flight connections before or after the oversold flight.

 

Compensation for Involuntary Denied Boarding

If you are denied boarding involuntarily, you are entitled to a payment of “denied boarding compensation” from the airline unless:

  • (1) you have not fully complied with the airline’s ticketing, check-in and reconfirmation requirements, or you are not acceptable for transportation under the airline’s usual rules and practices; or
  • (2) you are denied boarding because the flight is canceled; or
  • (3) you are denied boarding because a smaller capacity aircraft was substituted for safety or operational reasons; or
  • (4) you are offered accommodations in a section of the aircraft other than specified in your ticket, at no extra charge (a passenger seated in a section for which a lower fare is charged must be given an appropriate refund); or

 

Amount of Denied Boarding Compensation

International Transportation

Passengers who are denied boarding involuntarily from an oversold are entitled to:

  • (1) $900 CAD if lthe arrival of the passenger´s flight at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by less than six hours;
  • (2) $1800CAD 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; and
  • (3) $2400CAD 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.

Alternate Transportation

 

Method of Payment

Except as provided below, the airline must give each passenger who qualifies for involuntary denied boarding compensation a payment by cash or check for the amount specified above, on the day and at the place the involuntary denied boarding occurs. If the airline arranges alternate transportation for the passenger’s convenience that departs before the payment can be made, the payment shall be sent to the passenger within 48 hours. The carrier may offer free or discounted transportation, or other type of agreed benefit, in place of the cash payment.

Customer Service for Canada in case of flight or baggage irregularities

 

If you are denied boarding or your baggage is lost or damaged, you may be entitled to certain standards of treatment and compensation under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations. For more information about your passenger rights please contact SATA International – Azores Airlines or visit the Canadian Transportation Agency’s website.

In compliance with Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) new regulation, SATA Internacional – Azores Airlines intends to present to you our customer service plan in case of flight and baggage irregularities. Below we indicate the details of this plan.

 

Notify customers of known delays, cancellations and diversions

We do our outmost to keep our flights on schedule. However, unexpected circumstances may occur, leading to flight delays, cancellations or diversions. In such occasions, we will make every effort to notify customers in a timely and accurate manner with the best available information including at the boarding gate at a Canadian airport, on the website and via our telephone reservation system. We will provide information within 30 minutes of becoming aware of a flight’s status change, meaning flight cancellations, diversions or a delay of 30 minutes or more.

 

Deliver bags on time

We understand the inconvenience caused to our customers when a checked baggage is delayed or misplaced. We will do every possible effort to locate and return mishandled baggage within 24 hours, compensating for reasonable expenses that result due to delay in delivery, as required for international flights.

The following guidelines apply:

  • Reimbursement for reasonable interim expenses, such as toiletries and clothing will be considered upon submission of receipts;
  • Interim expenses allowances is paid per ticketed customer, nor per bag.

In case of damage or loss of baggage will be reimbursed all fees applied for carriage of the baggage.

For more information regarding Losses and Damages Baggage

 

Provide prompt ticket refunds

We will provide prompt refunds when ticket refunds are due. Within 20 days for cash purchases and 7 business days for credit card purchases once we receive your request accompanied by any required documentation. We will also refund fees charged to a passenger for optional services that the passenger was unable to use due to an oversale situation or flight cancellation.

 

Meet customer’s essential needs during lengthy tarmac delays

We have adopted a Contingency Plan that meets our customer’s essential needs during lengthy tarmac delays

 

Handling passengers with fairness and respect in case of oversales

There may be rare occasions, when we are unable to provide you with a seat on a specific flight, even though you hold a confirmed reservation. This is referred to as oversales and may occur due to operational requirements, inventory control policies and varying degrees of no-show passengers. When such conditions occur, it is our policy to arrange the first available alternate accommodations and/or compensate eligible passengers in accordance with applicable Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) regulations and in accordance with our policies and boarding priority procedures. Check below the Denied Boarding Compensation notice for flights to/from Canada.

 

Disclosure of travel itinerary, cancellation policies, frequent flyer rules and aircraft configuration

We will provide clear information to customers about policies and services on our website and through our telephone reservation staff and representatives at the airport.

 

Notifying consumers in a timely manner of changes in their travel itineraries

There are occasions where we need to make changes to our schedules. On such case, our Reservation Representatives will make every attempt to contact you in advance at the phone number or email address provided in your reservation record.

Other useful information can be found below:

 

Responsiveness to consumer complaints

Anytime that you consider providing us your feedback about our services, please send your correspondence to the following address: 
SATA 
Customer Care 
Rua Dr. José Bruno Tavares Carreiro, n 6 |7º Piso 
9500-119 Ponta Delgada 
Azores - Portugal 
Complaint Form 
Fax: (+351) 296 672 098

 

Provide services to mitigate inconveniences resulting from cancellations and misconnections.

In the event of a long flight delay or cancellation we will make every effort to inform you in advance at the contact provided us within your reservation record.

 

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