As many members are likely aware, there was a recent incident onboard an Air Canada flight in which passengers filmed the crew despite clear rules to the contrary. Now it has gone “viral” and media outlets have and continue to pick it up.
Of course, the situation must be reviewed with care and there are often many angles to any investigation. With this said, it is the Union’s position that when addressing onboard situations, it doesn’t help to have passengers filming. It may embolden and promote certain behaviours both on and off-board. Such video clips may portray but one moment in time, oversimplifying scenarios that also incorporate countless other elements. There is no consideration for the privacy rights of individual members who find themselves publicly exposed and judged on potentially misleading information.
The personal and psychological impact that this kind of filming and subsequent fallout has on those filmed cannot be understated. The security impact is equally important, as members may find themselves targeted.
If you find yourself facing similar or other work-related stressors, what can you do?
- Seek support from your peer assistance EAP team (https://accomponent.ca/employee-assistance-program/). You may also reach out to Telus Health EAP services to speak with a professional counsellor at 1-833-754-3884.
- Document the symptoms related to work, including any specific incident. Depending on the situation this might include:
- Work-related injury illness e-report (you don’t need to book off to file one)
- Health and Safety Complaint e-report (to flag potential hazards)
- Disruptive passenger e-report (which can be filed by any crew member)
- Other reports as appropriate and in line with the FAM (ex. OBR for service-related issues).
Are there any protections specific to passengers filming onboard?
Air Canada has rules, known as tariffs, that govern the transportation of passengers and certain requirements and expectations. There is a domestic and an international version. Both include provisions related to the refusal to transport passengers. An excerpt of the DOMESTIC TARIFF GENERAL RULES APPLICABLE TO THE TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS AND BAGGAGE reads:
RULE 75 – REFUSAL TO TRANSPORT states at Section B. 1h) Prohibited Conduct:
h) The person is filming, photographing, or recording the image by any other electronic means of other passengers and/or employees of the carrier without the express consent of the person(s) being filmed, photographed or recorded, or continues to film, photograph or record the image of other passengers and/or employees of the carrier after being advised to cease such conduct by a member of the employees of the carrier.
There are various sanctions noted in this document which passengers may face should they film crew members without express consent. Unfortunately, our members are often busy dealing with an imminent threat and/or pressing matter which does not give them time to tell the passengers to cease and desist. Many customers may continue to do it secretly regardless.
What will the Union do if I am filmed without my consent?
The Union will support any member who finds themselves in the unavoidable position of being recorded by passengers who may then post their videos on social media. In our opinion, it is completely unacceptable.
What is the Union doing to address this issue?
The Union is here to advocate for its members rights. We intend to pursue the following points with the company:
- There should be more meaningful and realistic education provided to passengers. There is little benefit to having the requirement in a document that very few people read. This position is backed up by the industry’s own association, IATA, which noted in 2023 that disruptive passenger incidents were increasing and cited traveler education regarding behaviour and consequences as an important mitigation.
- Clear direction must be given to workers, to foster a position of authority on board that empowers crews to proactively deal with these issues.
In closing, we urge our members to remain aware of their rights. They should speak up and report any concerns. If in doubt reach out to the Union to inquire. We can always be reached:
Contact@accomponent.ca
247@accomponent.ca
1 (866) 764-0192
In solidarity,
