Those travelers who have booked with their registered travel agency in Québec, Ontario and British Columbia will be entitled to compensation ranging from $3,000 (Québec) to $5,000 (Ontario and B.C.) per passenger. Respective provincial authorities, TICO in Ontario, OPC in Québec and BPCPA in BC have or will be issuing advisories to consumers through their respective Web site as to how to file a claim.

Those travelers who have bought their ticket in other provinces or directly from JetsGo are not entitled to any compensation and will have to appeal to their credit card issuer hoping for relief if they have purchased their tickets using their credit card. “We keep reminding consumers of the advantages of using the services of a travel professional,” said Charlebois, “ and the value of these services becomes even more obvious in crisis situations like the one we face today.”

The demise of JetsGo could not have happened at a worst time. March is traditionally a month of high demand for air travel because so many students are on holidays. To compound the problem, airlines are reporting brisk bookings for the Easter holiday. Travelers left stranded by JetsGo will be able to make alternate arrangements to return home through the other major carriers. It is important to note that neither Air Canada, WestJet, nor CanJet are under any obligation to accommodate affected travelers. However, these airlines have committed to accepting reservations at their best possible fare available at the time of booking and are increasing capacity where warranted. Travelers are urged to make alternate flight arrangements through their travel agent at the earliest, given the high demand created by holidays compounded by JetsGo’s failure.

Marc-André Charlebois, President and CEO of ACTA, is also seizing this opportunity to remind Federal Transport Minister, the Honorable Jean Lapierre, of ACTA’s longstanding position regarding the need to establish a national traveler protection program designed to protect all Canadian travelers against the failure of travel services providers. Said Mr. Charlebois, “Back in August of last year, on the heels of Honorable Lapierre’s appointment to Cabinet, we wrote to the Minister requesting, among other things, that he consider the urgency of putting in place a Traveler Protection Fund. At that time, Air Canada was in the midst of restructuring its operations, under bankruptcy protection, and it appeared to us that no carrier was impervious to failure. Our advice went unheeded but sadly, today’s events have demonstrated the urgency of this matter.”

ACTA will be monitoring the situation and will keep both travel agencies and their clients informed of developments on its website at www.acta.ca.