Legal and Ethical Issues

Signed Legal Documents

All relevant signed legal documents can be found in the repository under the admin/ directory.

The only exception is the project's licence, which can be found here.

Important! We withdrew from the stakeholder as of January 22 2026 and continued this project as a startup due to the unavailability of the stakeholder. Legal documents and NDA are for record keeping and archiving purposes.

Airline Flight Delay Legal Compensation Outline

Passenger rights for flight delay and cancellation compensation are generally determined by the country of departure, and the operating airline is responsible for providing compensation, not any partner airline that issued the ticket.

The following table outlines some of the differences between Canada, USA, and the EU. See their corresponding official websites to verify accordingly.

	🇨🇦 Canada – Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR)	🇺🇸 United States – Department of Transportation (DOT)	🇪🇺 European Union – Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (EU261)
Website	APPR Website	DOT Website	EU261 Website
Responsible Airline	Operating carrier only; codeshare/partner airlines not responsible	Operating carrier only; codeshare/partner airlines not responsible	Operating carrier only; codeshare/partner airlines not responsible
Delays – Cash Compensation	Yes, if delay is within airline control and arrival delayed ≥3 hours: Large airlines: • 3–6 h → CAD 400 • 6–9 h → CAD 700 • 9+ h → CAD 1,000 Small airlines: • Half these amounts	No statutory cash compensation; only voluntary airline policies	Yes, if delay is within airline control and arrival delayed ≥3 hours: • ≤1,500 km → €250 • 1,500–3,500 km → €400 • >3,500 km → €600
Cancellations – Cash Compensation	Yes, if cancellation is within airline control and arrival delayed ≥3 hours; amount as above	No statutory cash compensation; passengers entitled to refund or rebooking	Yes, if cancellation is within airline control and notice <14 days: €250–€600 based on distance
Rebooking / Refund Rights	Passenger may choose: • Rebooking on next available flight (same airline or competitor) • Full refund (even for non-refundable tickets)	Full refund required for cancellations or significant schedule changes; rebooking offered at airline discretion	Passenger may choose: • Rebooking at earliest opportunity • Rebooking at convenience • Full refund
Care & Assistance	Meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation, and ground transport required if delay or cancellation causes wait >2 hours or overnight	Generally not mandated except for long tarmac delays; some voluntary assistance	Meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation, and communication assistance required for delays/cancellations; mandatory if overnight
Compensation Exemptions	• Weather conditions affecting flight safety (e.g. storms, fog, heavy snow) • Air traffic control restrictions or congestion • Security risks or emergencies • Labor disruptions beyond airline's control (e.g. strikes at the airport from outside groups, not airline staff) • Mechanical issues related to manufacturer defects or unforeseeable technical failures (not mechanical issues within airline control such as maintenance) Note: airlines must still provide care and assistance when passengers are stranded	• Weather conditions affecting flight safety (e.g. storms, fog, heavy snow) • Air traffic control or congestion • Security risks or emergencies • Mechanical issues and maintenance outside airline control	• Manufacturer defects that could not have been detected by regular maintenance • Hidden or sudden technical failures that are unpredictable and unavoidable
Notice Periods (Cancellations)	No compensation if passenger notified ≥14 days in advance	N/A (refund required regardless)	No compensation if passenger notified ≥14 days in advance
Applies Regardless of Citizenship?	Yes	Yes	Yes

IMPORTANT! DELAYS ARE MEASURED BASED ON THE ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIME AT THE DESTINATION
For compensation purposes, a flight delay is determined by the difference between the scheduled arrival time and the actual arrival time at the passenger's final destination.
In the case of connecting flights:
• The airline that caused the delay is responsible for compensation.
• For example: If a delay on the first flight causes the passenger to arrive at the final destination ≥3 hours later than the scheduled arrival time of their original itinerary, compensation is due by the airline of the first flight.

Other Notes Regarding the Canada APPR:
• Passengers have 1 year to make a complaint.
• The airline has 30 days to respond by issuing a payment or explaining why it believes compensation is not owed.
• See full list of situations outside the airline's control that make passengers ineligible for monetary compensation: https://rppa-appr.ca/eng/obligations-and-level-control
• The APPR applies to all flight to, from, and within Canada.
• OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION: Canadian Transportation Agency, Government of Canada Justice Laws