The Court of Appeal of Quebec has ordered Air Canada to pay CAD10m in punitive damages for violating the province’s Consumer Protection Act related to misleading pricing practices.
The decision, announced in late April 2025, reverses a lower court ruling that found a breach but concluded no harm was caused, negating the need for punitive damages.
The court ruled that misleading pricing affects consumers’ decision-making and violates their right to clear pricing information, impacting their purchasing choices.
Air Canada was found to have improperly advertised ticket prices without mandatory fees, selling 692,241 tickets to Quebec consumers between June 2010 and February 2012.
The airline is currently reviewing the court’s decision, arguing it stems from a disagreement over the interpretation of federal and provincial laws prior to February 2012.
Air Canada shared: “We are currently reviewing this decision, which is based primarily on a difference over the interpretation of the articulation and interaction of federal and provincial laws prior to February 8, 2012. The circumstances that gave rise to the decision, therefore, have not existed since 2012.”
