The Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) has jurisdiction (legal authority) over most small claims disputes of $5,000 and under in BC. People often file claims about disputes with airlines.
On October 30, 2025, the BC Supreme Court found that claims for flight delays, cancellations, or being denied boarding must be handled by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), not the CRT. See Air Passenger Rights v WestJet Airlines Ltd., 2025 BCSC 2145.
Air Passenger Rights, the non-profit organization that started that court proceeding, appealed that decision.
On August 26, 2026, the BC Court of Appeal (BCCA) published its decision disagreeing with the BCSC. See Air Passenger Rights v. WestJet Airlines Ltd., 2026 BCCA 357. The BCCA determined the CRT has jurisdiction to resolve compensation claims related to flight disputes. This decision has not been appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, so the BCCA decisions stands as is.
The BCCA decision is binding on the CRT. Tribunal members are independent decision-makers. They make decisions based on the law, and the evidence and arguments from participants.
If you have a flight-related dispute
If you already made a claim and it is on hold, the CRT will contact you about next steps.
If you are interested in making a claim, you can use the CRT’s Small Claims Solution Explorer and choose “Buying goods and services”.