Airline execs, transport minister to be grilled by MPs over travel chaos: what to expect – National

Canada’s transport minister and executives of the country’s major airlines, including Sunwing, will face questioning from lawmakers on Thursday over the chaos faced by travellers over the winter holidays.

The House of Commons Transport, Infrastructure and Communities committee is probing the lengthy travel delays and the treatment of thousands of air and rail passengers who faced cancellations and rescheduled trips.

Although severe storms across the country were a major factor, the committee is looking into how the air and rail industries could better prepare for worsening winter conditions and improve their customer relations services, and whether the government is properly protecting travellers who face interruptions to their plans.

From 10:30 a.m. to noon ET on Thursday, executives with Air Canada, WestJet and Sunwing will appear.

They include Kevin O’Connor, vice-president of system operations control with Air Canada, and David Rheault, vice-president of government and community relations at Air Canada; Andrew Gibbons, vice-president of external affairs with WestJet, and Scott Wilson, vice-president of flight operations at Westjet; and Len Corrado, president of Sunwing, and Andrew Dawson, president of tour operations at Sunwing Travel Group.

After the executives testify, officials with Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver’s airport authorities will appear from noon to 1:30 p.m. ET.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and transport department officials will testify from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. ET. More department officials and members of the Canadian Transportation Agency will then speak from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET.

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Canada travel chaos: Transport committee calls treatment of passengers ‘unacceptable’

The meeting will be televised by parliamentary services for Canadians to watch live.