A 84-year-old woman was stunned when she received a $450 bill from Alberta Health Services after asking an Air Canada attendant for an ice pack at the check-in desk.
Mary Marshall, who was traveling from Calgary to Vancouver Island, was boarding a flight at Calgary International Airport in January, when she twisted her back lifting a large carry-on on the ramp. Fortunately, she had some over-the-counter medications, which she took for the pain.
However, she knew that having some heat or ice would help as well, as that’s her usual remedy, and asked the attendant at the desk for an ice pack.
To her surprise, her request would prompt a $450 medical assistance bill, which is similar to the cost of an out-of-province ambulance.
Marshall immediately declined the additional medical assistance, stating that she’d dealt with the ailment before and that she only needed some ice.
Faced with such a bill, Marshall took it upon herself to contact Air Canada directly. While the company acknowledged that the service she received ‘did not meet the airline’s expectations’, they told her that she had to pay the $450 charge and that it was not their responsibility.
That was when Marshall decided to share her story to the public.
Media outlets contacted Air Canada on her behalf and soon received an email saying that the airline’s customer service team is reviewing the incident and that they would be contacting the customer directly.
Around the same time, Marshall received a message from Air Canada, stating that they’ve finished reviewing her case again and that they ‘would be happy to reimburse her for the $450 bill’.
Importance of Documenting Airline Interactions
Gabor Lukacs, an airline passenger rights advocate, said Marshall’s case emphasizes how important it is to document every interaction you have with an airline. He also urges passengers to speak up if they feel wronged by the company.
He recommends passengers to document everything that happens to them, and to keep audio recordings, photos, videos, emails, receipts, anything that may help with their case, even if it’s just a simple dispute.
He added that with airlines, passengers often need ‘a reporter on their right and a lawyer on their left’ to be treated well.
Having been reimbursed the $450 bill, Marshall no longer has any complaints with the airline’s response. However, she believes Air Canada should have acted as soon as she told them about the issue, and not only after she contacted media outlets.
Marshall is encouraging other passengers who come across these situations to speak up as their story must be listened to and heard.
