Air Passenger Protection Regulation

Denied boarding occurs when the number of passengers present for boarding exceeds the number of seats available on a flight. This does not include situations where a passenger is refused transport for safety, security or health reasons.

For more information visit our Denied Boarding page

If a flight is delayed or cancelled due to an unforeseen problem, we'll do our best to keep you well-informed at the airport and on board the affected aircraft. We will promptly provide timely updates, including the reason for the delay or cancellation:

• as soon as we're aware of such a delay or cancellation, and then;
• at regular intervals of 30 minutes until a new departure time for the flight is set, or new travel arrangements for passengers have been made;
• as soon as possible when new information is available.

Standards of Treatment

Some delays and cancellations are within an airline's control, whereas others, like those caused by severe weather or airport and air traffic disruptions, are simply out of our hands. Whatever the reason for the delay or cancellation, our agents will do everything possible to assist you.

When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to reasons outside of Air Inuit's control, such as meteorological conditions, we will provide you with the following:

• alternate travel arrangements on Air Inuit's next available flights, as well as change the return, if necessary, at no additional cost; or a refund of the unused portions of your ticket;
• access to a means of communication.

As of September 8, 2022, if a delay of three hours or more or a cancellation is outside the airline’s control, and the airline cannot provide the passenger with a confirmed reservation on the next available flight operated by them or a partner airline leaving within 48 hours of the departure time on the passenger's original ticket, the airline will be required to, at the passenger's choice:

• Provide a refund; or
• Make alternate travel arrangements for the passenger, free of charge.

Passengers will be free to change their decision and choose a refund at any time before being provided a confirmed reservation on an alternate flight.

When a passenger chooses to receive a refund, the airline will be required to refund the unused portion of their ticket, including any unused add-on services paid for (such as additional checked luggage).

If the passenger is no longer at their point of origin, and their travel no longer serves a purpose, the airline will be required to refund the ticket, including any unused additional services, and book the passenger on a flight back to their point of origin, free of charge.

When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to reasons within Air Inuit's control but required for safety, such as a technical issue discovered right before the flight and you have waited two hours after the departure time indicated on your ticket, we'll provide you, additionally to the items mentioned above, with the following:

• food and drink in reasonable quantities, considering the length of the wait, the time of day and location of the airport;
• hotel or comparable accommodations for overnight delays, for out of town passengers, subject to availability and within reasonable distance from airport, along with transportation to the hotel or other accommodation, and back to the airport.

When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to reasons within Air Inuit's control, such as a commercial decision and you have waited two hours after the departure time indicated on your ticket, we'll provide you, additionally to the items mentioned above, with the following:

• alternate travel arrangements on Air Inuit's next available flights or with another airline with which Air Inuit has an agreement for such transportation, as well as change the return, if necessary, at no additional cost, or a refund of the unused portions of your ticket;
• you could also be eligible for compensation based on the length of delay at arrival at your final destination:

Tarmac Delays

If your flight is delayed on the tarmac after the doors of the aircraft are closed, we will do our best to ensure your comfort.

• We will provide you with:
• Access to working lavatories;
• Proper ventilation and heating or cooling;
• Food and drink, in reasonable quantities, considering the length of the delay, the time of day and the location of the airport;
• A mean of communication with people outside the aircraft free of charge, when feasible;
• If you require urgent medical assistance during a tarmac delay, we will take all reasonable steps to facilitate its access .

After a 3-hour tarmac delay at an airport in Canada, the aircraft will return to the gate so you can disembark if safe to do so. A plane can stay on the tarmac for up to 45 additional minutes, if it is likely that it will take off within that period and we are able to continue providing the same services as above, when feasible.

If it is not likely that the plane can take off within the additional 45-minute window, the plane will return to the gate, unless it is prevented for reasons related to safety, security, customs control or air traffic control.

Depending on the circumstances, it may not be possible for us to allow you to disembark from the aircraft during a Tarmac Delay, for reasons including, but not limited to concerns related to safety, security, or due to directions by Air Traffic Control or Customs Control.

For more information visit our Delays, Cancellations and Refunds page

We will always do our best to transport your baggage to your destination on time and to handle it with the utmost care. Occasionally, baggage may be lost, delayed or damaged due to unexpected circumstances.

Missing or delayed baggage must be reported to an Air Inuit agent immediately upon your flight's arrival. A loss or damage report must be filed right away.

• If your baggage is delayed and found within 21 days of your arrival Air Inuit will reimburse any fees paid for transportation of the baggage, if applicable.
• If your baggage is not found within this delay, a detailed claim must be filed and submitted to the Air Inuit Baggage Claim Department within 30 days of the arrival date. As per the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, you could be eligible to a reimbursement of up to 1288 Special Drawing Rights (SDR), equivalent to approximately $2,300 CAD.
• If your baggage is damaged, a claim must be filed within 7 days of reception of the baggage. As per the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, you could be eligible to a reimbursement of up to 1288 Special Drawing Rights (SDR), equivalent to approximately $2,300 CAD.
• Failure to report the damage or loss of your baggage within the prescribed time limit shall relieve Air Inuit of any liability, unless the applicant can prove, to Air Inuit's satisfaction, that it was impossible for to give such notice.

For more information visit our Damaged or Missing Baggage page

Air Inuit accepts properly packaged musical instruments as either checked or carry-on baggage, depending on its weight, size and shape.

In Carry-on Baggage

Seats cannot be purchased for musical instruments, however small musical instruments (e.g. clarinet, flute, oboe, trumpet, guitar or violin) may be permitted as part of your standard carry-on baggage allowance as long as it meets the current Air Inuit Carry-on size requirements and:

• They are in its hard-shell case for appropriate protection.
• They do not weigh more than 5 kg (11 lb.).
• They fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin.

Due to cabin storage space limitations, we cannot guarantee that a musical instrument can be accommodated on board. Storage is provided on a "first come, first serve" basis, so it is always a good idea to arrive for boarding early.

Your instrument may need to be checked at the gate and transported as checked baggage if the airport agent or cabin crew determines that it cannot be safely stowed in the cabin. For this reason, musical instruments should always be properly packed in a hard-shell case specifically designed for that type of instrument.

A musical instrument you take on board will count as part of your carry-on baggage allowance, as either a personal or standard article (depending on the size and dimensions of the instrument).

In Checked Baggage

We know how important your musical instrument is to you, and we'll treat it with special care. If you are checking in a large instrument, please allow some extra time so that it can be safely and securely handed over to our baggage staff.

Your musical instrument is part of your checked-in baggage allowance, meaning if the total amount of your bags (including the musical instrument) exceeds the maximum weight limit per passenger, excess charges will apply. The maximum weight of musical instruments we can carry is 32kg (70lb).

For more information visit our Special Baggage page

We will do our best to facilitate the assignment of a seat to a child who is under the age of 14 years in close proximity to a parent, guardian or tutor at no additional.

We encourage you to take advantage of our pre-boarding, in order to be seated close together as the majority of our flights are operated without seat assignment.

For flights with seating assignments, if it is not possible for us to assign seats within close proximity at the time of check-in, we will ask for volunteers to change seats at the time of boarding.

If it is not possible to assign seats at the time of check-in and no passenger has volunteered to change seats at the time of boarding, we will ask again for volunteers to change seats on the aircraft before departure. 

Seating assignments of children under 14 years of age, will follow the guidelines listed below:

• In the case of a child who is four years of age or younger, we will assign a seat that is adjacent to their parent, guardian or tutor’s seat;
• In the case of a child who is 5 to 11 years of age, we will assign a seat that is in the same row as their parent, guardian or tutor’s seat, and that is separated from that parent, guardian or tutor’s seat by no more than one seat; and
• In the case of a child who is 12 or 13 years of age, we will assign a seat that is in a row that is separated from the row of their parent, guardian or tutor’s seat by no more than one row.

• Situations within airline control are any situations not covered by the two categories below. For example, they include commercial overbooking; scheduled maintenance of an aircraft that is necessary to comply with legal requirements; or mechanical malfunction of the aircraft identified during scheduled maintenance.
• Situations within airline control but required for safety purposes are typically unforeseen events legally required to reduce safety risk to passengers. While this includes mechanical problems, it does not include scheduled maintenance or mechanical problems identified during scheduled maintenance. Safety decisions made by the pilot and those made under an airline's Safety Management System would also fall into this category.
• Situations outside airline control include: war or political instability; illegal acts or sabotage; meteorological conditions or natural disasters that make the safe operation of the aircraft impossible; instructions from air traffic control; a Notice to Airmen (as defined in the Canadian Aviation Regulations); a security threat; airport operation issues; a medical emergency; a collision with wildlife; a labour disruption within the carrier or within an essential service provider such as an airport or an air navigation service provider; a manufacturing defect in an aircraft that reduces the safety of passengers and that was identified by the manufacturer of the aircraft concerned, or by a competent authority; and an order or instruction from an official of a state or a law enforcement agency or from a person responsible for airport security.