Four airline CEOs will face questions about carry-on baggage fees when they appear before of the House of Commons transport committee today.
Earlier this month, Air Canada announced plans to eliminate complimentary carry-on luggage from its cheapest tickets on some flights. WestJet made a similar move earlier this year.
Porter, Flair and Sunwing — which was bought by WestJet in 2023 — charge passengers an extra fee for carry-on luggage.
Airlines that have eliminated free carry-on baggage on their lowest fares still allow those passengers to bring a small “personal item,” such as a purse or a computer bag, free of charge.
The CEOs of Air Canada, WestJet, Porter and Air Transat will appear before the committee this afternoon. MPs from every party agreed to call on them to testify last week in a rare moment of cross-party unity.
The CEOs of Porter, AirCanada and Air Transat are set to appear virtually. WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech is expected to attend in person.
In an open letter to the committee members on Thursday, von Hoensbroech said “over a million Canadians” have opted for the airline’s cheaper fares, which do not allow passengers a carry-on bag but do allow them to bring a “personal item” on board.
Von Hoensbroech argued that WestJet has always sought to make air travel more affordable but the company’s efforts “have been undermined by government policies and third-party fees and taxes.”
“These hidden fees, including navigation, security and airport improvement charges, make Canadian air travel among the most expensive globally — more than triple the fees in the U.S.” von Hoensbroech wrote.
He called on the government to freeze and reform airline taxes and fees. He also said the government should stop collecting rent from airports and allow those funds to be reinvested in airport infrastructure.