Two Flair passengers in B.C. were told a bird strike cancelled their flight. Then they did their own research

Flair Airlines was ordered to compensate two passengers after a B.C. tribunal found there was no evidence a bird strike actually caused a flight cancellation. In August of last year, Olivia Donner and James Broadhurst were told by the airline that their flight from Calgary to Vancouver was cancelled, according to a decision from the Civil Resolution Tribunal(opens in a new tab) posted online Wednesday. Under Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations, travellers can be compensated for delayed and cancelled flights, provided the disruption is a result of something over which the airline has control. In this case, the regulations entitled each applicant to claim $500. But the airline argued that it should not have to pay. "Flair says it cancelled the flight because the airplane for the flight experienced bird strikes while landing in Vancouver," tribunal member Jeffrey Drozdiak's decision said. "Flair claims its flight crew took the required steps to notify the tower that a strike may have occurred. Flair says an aircraft maintenance expert identified that multiple bird strikes caused damage and documented it through an internal SMS system. So, Flair argues the cancellation was outside its control."<br/>