Pilot airline complaint program could help improve transparency

In early 2026, Air Canada launched a pilot program to resolve complaints through a third-party arbitrator, with the goal of making complaint resolution faster and more efficient. It’s a voluntary alternative to the existing government-run program operated by Canadian Transportation Agency, which has a backlog of 95,000 complaints.

The pilot program could be a good thing, according to Karl Moore, an Associate Professor of Strategy & Organization. Unlike the government-led program, the new approach does not force complainants to sign non-disclosure agreements, which could improve transparency, Moore told cbc.ca.