No. H 055/09
For release - April 1, 2009
OTTAWA — Regulatory amendments introduced today will help further protect Canadians during air travel. Canada's Transport Minister, John Baird, announced amendments to the Canadian Aviation Regulations that will strengthen air operators' ability to protect the safety of all passengers and crew by refusing to board individuals who may represent a threat to safety.
These amendments are aimed at passengers who, with their words or actions, indicate behaviour that could interfere with the safe operation of the aircraft and create an unintended hazard for the passengers and crew aboard aircraft.
"Passengers and crew members should feel safe in an aircraft," said Minister Baird. "These new amendments proposed by the Government of Canada take further action to keep Canadians safe and secure while they are travelling."
The amendments also require that air operators improve training for crew. There is guidance in the regulations for air operators to develop programs to recognize and prevent potential incidents of disruptive and unruly passenger behaviour, and to effectively manage such incidents when they do occur.
The proposed amendments were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on May 19, 2007. After careful consideration of all comments received, Transport Canada finalized the regulations and they became law with publication in the Canada Gazette, Part II on April 1st, 2009.
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