In a January 31, 2006 decision, the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled on the efficacy of a carrier’s rules regarding check-in times and gate appearance times. It decided that Air Canada: a) did not have the right to deny boarding to passengers who arrived after the carrier’s “recommended” target of checking in at least 60 minutes prior to departure, but b) would have had the right to deny boarding to a passenger who did not comply with the carrier’s rule that he “must” be at the gate at least 25 minutes prior to flight. The decision can be found at:http://www.cta-otc.gc.ca/rulings-decisions/decisions/2006/A/C/54-C-A-2006_e.htmlShortly after the decision was released, news coverage of it caused the CTA concern that its ruling had been interpreted as meaning that check-in times need not be honoured. As a result, it issued a clarifying Press Release, which can be found at:http://www.cta-otc.gc.ca/media/communique/2006/060203_e.html
