If you are denied boarding, your flight is cancelled or delayed for at least two hours, or your baggage is lost or damaged, you may be entitled to certain standards of treatment and compensation under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations. For more information about your passenger rights please visit the Canadian Transportation Agency’s website.
General terms and conditions relating to flight delays, cancellations, denied boarding, seating of children, and lost or damaged baggage can be found here.
For flight delays, cancellations, denied boarding, seating of children, and lost or damaged baggage.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, we’ll inform you of the reason.
See below for information on the compensation and standards of treatment to which you may be entitled, as well as the recourse you have available.
Rebooking
Situations within our control or required for safety
If your flight is delayed 3 (three) hours or more, or cancelled, we’ll rebook you for the next available Azores Airlines flight or one of our partner airlines within 9 (nine) hours of your original departure time. If that is not possible, we’ll rebook you with any carrier that departs within 48 hours of your original departure time.
Situations outside our control
If, due to a situation that is outside our control, your flight is delayed 3 (three) hours or more, or cancelled, we’ll rebook you on the next available Azores Airlines flight or on one carrier with which we have a commercial agreement and is travelling on any reasonable air route from your departure airport to your final destination.
It is important that you contact us if you are not satisfied with your alternate travel arrangements so that we may look for an alternate solution.
Refund
If you refuse the rebooking options we offer, we can refund the unused portion of your ticket.
If your trip no longer serves a purpose because of the delay or cancellation, we can also return you to your point of origin and refund the used portion.
Standards of Treatment
If, due to a situation within Azores Airlines control or required for safety purposes,
- You have been informed of the delay or cancellation less than 12 (twelve) hours before the departure time indicated on your ticket, and
- you have waited 2 (two) hours after the departure time indicated on your ticket, we’ll provide you with the following:
- Food and drink in reasonable quantities, considering the length of the wait, the time of day, and the location;
- Access to a means of communication; and
- Hotel or other comparable accommodation that is reasonable in relation to the location of the passenger, as well as transportation to the hotel or other accommodation and back to the airport.
Compensation
If, due to a situation within Azores Airlines control, your flight was delayed 3 (three) hours or more, or cancelled, you’ll be entitled to receive compensation, unless:
- You do not have a confirmed booking or are travelling on a fare that isn’t available, directly or indirectly, to the public;
- You are informed of the delay or cancellation at least 15 days before the scheduled time of departure;
- Your flight was delayed or cancelled due to a situation outside our control or required for safety purposes;
- You have already been paid denied boarding compensation;
- You have already been paid under another passenger rights regime for the same event;
- You failed to submit your claim within one year of the flight delay or cancellation.
Compensation for delays and cancellations is calculated based on your arrival time at your final destination and is:
- 125 CAD for delays at arrival between 3 and 6 hours;
- 250 CAD for delays at arrival between 6 and 9 hours; and
- 500 CAD for delays at arrival of 9 hours and more.
Tarmac delay
During prolonged delays on the tarmac after boarding, Azores Airlines will provide adequate food and water before 2 (two) hours of delay on the tarmac after leaving the boarding gate (in the case of departure) or having reached the ground (in the case of arrival), unless the flight captain determines that there are safety reasons that prevent the provision of this service. We will provide operational sanitary facilities, as well as adequate medical assistance, when necessary and while the aircraft remains on the runway.
Passengers will be given information every 30 minutes of delay, including the reason for the delay on the runway, if known.
The flight is scheduled to take off within a maximum of 45 minutes. However, if take-off is not scheduled within this maximum period of 45 minutes, the aircraft must return to the boarding gate. It is not permitted to extend this time (3h00 plus 45 minutes) unless:
- The flight captaindetermines that there are safety reasons that prevent the aircraft from leaving its position on the runway to allow passengers to disembark; or
- Air traffic control informs the pilot that returning the aircraft to the boarding gate or any other disembarkation point will significantly disrupt airport operations; or
- Due to customs impositions and/or limitations.
Recourse
Please contact Azores Airlines Customer Care to file a claim or for any concerns and complaints at Customer Care | Azores Airlines
If you feel that we have not resolved your issue to your satisfaction, you may also contact the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). You can visit the website of the CTA to learn more about your rights at otc-cta.gc.ca/eng or call the CTA for advice at 1-888-222-2592.
Full details can be found at General Conditions of Carriage | Azores Airlines
SATA_Internacional_Azores_Airlines_Tariff_December_19_2024.pdf
Proceedings
If you’re denied boarding, we’ll tell you why you were denied boarding. Information on the compensation and standards of treatment to which you may be entitled, as well as the recourse you have available, is contained herein.
During a denied boarding situation, Azores Airlines will first ask for volunteers willing to give up their seat in exchange for compensation.
If there aren’t enough volunteers, we may deny boarding to passengers holding a confirmed booking in accordance with our policy on denied boarding priority.
In particular, we’ll give boarding priority, in the following order, to:
- unaccompanied minors;
- passengers with a disability and their support person or service animal, if any;
- passengers travelling with family members; and
- passengers who were previously denied boarding on the same ticket, provided the carrier is informed.
More detailed information on boarding priorities and denied boarding can be found in our tariffs denied boarding rule at General Conditions of Carriage | Azores Airlines _ SATA_Internacional_Azores_Airlines_Tariff_December_19_2024.pdf. To help reduce your chances of being denied boarding on future travel, we recommend that you check in early or that you pre-select your seat when booking.
Rebooking
Situations within our control or required for safety:
If you are denied boarding due to a situation that is within our control or required for safety, we’ll rebook you on the next available Azores Airlines flight or on one carrier with which we have a commercial agreement and is travelling on any reasonable air route from your departure airport to your final destination.
Refund
If you refuse the rebooking options we offer, we can refund the unused portion of your ticket.
If your trip no longer serves a purpose because of the delay or cancellation, we can also return you to your point of origin and refund the used portion.
Standards of Treatment
If, due to a situation within Azores Airlines control or required for safety purposes, you're denied boarding, we'll provide you with the following before you board your next flight booked as part of your alternate travel arrangements, unless this would further delay you:
- Food and drink in reasonable quantities, considering the length of the wait, the time of day, and the location;
- Access to a means of communication; and
- Hotel or comparable accommodation within a reasonable distance from the airport for overnight delays for out-of-town passengers, subject to availability.
Compensation
If you’re a passenger who is denied boarding because of a situation within our control, you’ll be entitled to receive denied boarding compensation, unless:
- You haven’t fully complied with ticketing and check-in requirements, or you do not satisfy the conditions for transportation under Air Canada’s tariff and general conditions of carriage.
For more information, consult our tariffs’ refusal to transport rule at General Conditions of Carriage | Azores Airlines
- You’re offered transportation on another seat on the same flight as the one specified on your ticket, at no extra charge.
Applicable amounts:
Denied boarding compensation is calculated based on your arrival time at the destination and is:
- 900 CAD (if delayed by less than 6 hours);
- 1,800 CAD (if delayed between 6 and 9 hours);
- 2,400 CAD (if delayed by 9 hours or more).
*Please note that you are not entitled to receive delay or cancellation compensation if you have already been paid denied boarding compensation.
Recourse
Please contact Azores Airlines Customer Care for any concerns or complaints at Customer Care | Azores Airlines
If you feel that we have not resolved your issue to your satisfaction, you may also contact the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). You can visit the website of the CTA to learn more about your rights at www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng or call the CTA for advice on 1-888-222-2592.
Redeeming travel vouchers
You may accept payment of denied boarding compensation in the form of travel vouchers. Travel vouchers can only be used towards payment of the base fare when you purchase an Azores Airlines ticket for travel on Azores Airlines.
Travel vouchers do not expire but you might need to call Azores Airlines customer service to re-activate them if you don’t use them within one year from the date of issue. Travel vouchers are fully transferable to the person of your choice.
Lost, Delayed or Damaged baggage
Delayed baggage
Azores Airlines always do their best to make sure your belongings arrive at your destination with you. If this doesn’t happen, Azores Airline’ team will support you. Follow the steps below to find out how we can help.
What should you do?
Report at the airport
If you’ve arrived at your final destination on an Azores Airlines flight and can’t find your checked bag, please report it to SATA Azores Airlines’ Lost & Found Services or the handling agent at the airport of arrival. If you have not done so before, you must submit a complaint by email to the airline as soon as possible. In situations where checked baggage is delayed, it must be done within 21 days and, in case of damage, within 7 days. In both situations, it must count from the date on which the baggage was delivered.
Processing
Once you have an Irregularity report number (ex. YYZSP12345) you can review or update your Delayed Baggage/damaged baggage File by using the link below.
WorldTracerWeb Internet
If you incur any expenses due to baggage delay, you must file a written claim with the airline, including all supporting documentation.
Delivery and pick-up
Once your baggage arrives, our baggage agents will make arrangements for delivery. Pickup at the airport is only available if you’ve already arranged in advance with one of our baggage agents.
If your baggage is being delivered, our delivery service will reach out by email, SMS, or phone using the contact information you’ve provided, then arrange a suitable time for delivery to the address on file.
If you select the pick-up option with one of our baggage agents at the airport, you’ll be contacted to arrange a pick-up time.
Customs clearance can affect delivery processing times and may also require the passengers to collect their luggage.
In case of damage, we'll either have your bag replaced or repaired, as deemed appropriate.
Refund for baggage fees
If your checked bag is delayed or damaged and your baggage fee was collected by Azores Airlines, you can request the refund to our Customer Care.
More details can be found at Damaged, delayed or lost baggage | Azores Airlines
Limits of responsibility
For lost or delayed baggage, the limits of liability and related terms and conditions are those set out by the Montreal Convention, unless a special declaration of value has been made by the passenger.
Azores Airlines has a comprehensive policy that ensures every reasonable effort is made by our airport staff, flight attendants and through in-flight procedures, to seat children under the age of 14 next to their accompanying adult. Please note that this policy does not apply to families who have opted to pay the advance seat selection fee.
Thus, Azores Airlines, at no extra cost and at the earliest opportunity, will ensure children under the age of 14 are near to their parent, guardian, or tutor. The proximity depends on the age of the child:
- Under the age of 5:
in a seat adjacent to their parent, guardian or tutor. - Aged 5 to 11:
in the same row and separated by no more than one seat from their parent, guardian or tutor. - Aged 12 or 13:
separated by no more than a row from the parent, guardian, or tutor.
Azores Airlines also have established a policy for unaccompanied minors and prohibit minors under the age of five from travelling without their parent or an accompanying person who is at least 18 years old. For more details, please visit Unaccompanied Children Transportation | Azores Airlines.