Pets in baggage holds. Credit: Twitter handle Munaf Mughal
Montreal/CMEDIA: Owing to the longer than usual delays at airports and as carriers and airports are overwhelmed with complaints over lost luggage and long lines, Air Canada reportedly said on July 6 that it will not allow animals in the baggage hold until Sept. 12.
“Due to longer than usual airport delays, and for the safety and comfort of pets, we will not be accepting new requests for pets traveling in the baggage compartment until Sept. 12, 2022,” Air Canada said in an emailed statement. Current pet bookings will be honored, it said.
Staffing shortages at airlines in Europe, the United States, and Canada have caused cancellations and delays in flights while aviation is burdened with a stronger than expected surge in traffic after a pandemic-induced slowdown.
Air Canada’s smaller rival WestJet Airlines said it will continue accepting animals.
Passengers at airports from Toronto to Frankfurt have been sharing photos of piled-up luggage near baggage belts on social media.
With the changes on largely domestic routes going into effect on Wednesday, Canada’s largest airline recently said it would cut flights by 15 per cent in July and August,
Around 70 percent of Air Canada’s U.S. flights were delayed over the long holiday weekend, the highest proportion of any carrier, according to data from FlightAware.
#AirCanada; #AnimalsInBaggageHold
