Air Canada’s new check-in rule frustrates travellers, causing delays and missed flights

Air Canada has implemented a new rule requiring passengers to check-in at least one hour before their departure time for domestic flights as of Wednesday. People arriving later will not be allowed to board their flight.

“They don’t want to take delays and want to minimize delays,” said John Gradek, professor of Operations and Integrated Aviation Management at McGill University.

The airline said the changes ensure an efficient boarding and baggage loading process. Prior to the change, the airline required travellers check-in 45 minutes before departure.

Dakota Clarke, a passenger flying out of Halifax Stanfield International Airport, learned about the new rule the hard way. Despite arriving 45 minutes before her scheduled flight to Toronto, she was unable to board and spent six hours waiting for another flight.

“It’s kind of frustrating,” said Clarke. “I have work tomorrow that I am not going to and I had appointments to get to that needed to get changed.”

Clarke said she did not know about the changes to the airline’s regulation.

“I don’t know the way here. I don’t know how long it takes from where I am to get to the airport and it makes it more confusing than it needs to be,” said Clarke.

Gradek said longer wait times at the airport are avoidable but it requires the right technology which has not been implemented.

“The world has changed,” Gradek said. “I thought 25-years after 9/11 that we would have gotten our act together and making sure we’ve got technology that is transparent to passengers. We are not there yet. We haven’t really achieved a level of biometrics that does scan people walking through the airport. There are issues with personal data.”

Gradek said the technology exists at other airports around the world.

Staff at Halifax airport advise travellers to arrive two hours early to ensure they have enough time to make their flight.

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