Federal budget promises to improve air travel — but advocates are skeptical

Tuesday's federal budget included a number of proposals aimed at improving air travel after a year of chaos at Canada's airports. But advocates for both airlines and passengers are skeptical about the measures.

Ottawa has earmarked an extra $1.8 billion over the next five years for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) to "maintain and increase its level of service" in airport screening and overall security.

But those improvements to airport security are coming at a price to Canadian travellers. The government is set to increase the Air Travel Security Charge — one of many fees that flyers pay when they buy a plane ticket — by nearly 33 per cent next year.

First implemented in 2002 after the Sept. 11 attacks, the security fees have not increased since 2010, when they jumped by more than 52 per cent to their current level.

Starting in May 2024, the added fee on a one-way ticket within Canada will increase to $9.94, on a flight to the U.S. to $16.89, and on a trip overseas to $34.42.

Ian Jack, a spokesperson for the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), a non-profit travel agency, said the government should show they can improve security screening before they introduce new fees.

"The system is in such a sad state right now that we think they should be more focused on fixing the system than on nickel-and-diming travellers for a few extra dollars here and there that by themselves are not going to fix the system," he said.

Jeff Morrison, president of the National Airlines Council of Canada, said he's happy to see the government investing more in airport security but disappointed it's coming with an increased fee. He argued that the extra charge can put Canadian airlines at a competitive disadvantage with their international rivals.

"Over the past several months we've seen this almost kind of drip, drip, drip effect of a long list of fees and charges that are getting increased," he said, citing increased airport and navigation fees airlines have to pay.

"It's a bit ironic when the federal government was saying [Tuesday's] budget was meant to address affordability, but yet it was contributing to this slow march towards increasing fares."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the increase to the fee Wednesday, arguing that the only other way to fund investments would be to increase taxes across the board.

WATCH | Trudeau defends increase to airport security fees

"There need to be investments to improve the experience of air travellers," Trudeau said. "But we feel it's only fair that those Canadians who are travelling are shouldering a little bit more of that burden, because the alternative would be all Canadians would be contributing with their tax dollars."

Jack said the government should be considering the benefits of an efficient air travel system when deciding how to pay for its improvements.