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Air Canada hit with $150K fine for flying passengers without valid documents to Zurich

A costly oversight or systemic failure? Air Canada's latest fine exposes gaps in airline checks—despite years of warnings. Will stricter measures finally take off?

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The image shows a group of people walking through an airport, with some of them carrying bags. The...
The image shows a group of people walking through an airport, with some of them carrying bags. The image is in black and white, and there are sofas, a dustbin, pillars, and glass windows in the background.

Air Canada hit with $150K fine for flying passengers without valid documents to Zurich

Air Canada has been fined 144,000 Swiss francs (around 150,000 USD) for transporting nine passengers without valid entry documents to Zurich in early 2019. The ruling comes after years of repeated sanctions for similar violations dating back to 2015.

The airline contested the penalty, claiming it had taken steps to reduce risks and improve staff training. However, Swiss authorities found these measures insufficient to prevent further breaches.

The latest fine stems from an incident in the first half of 2019, when Air Canada flew nine passengers to Switzerland without the required travel documents. Under Swiss regulations, airlines face warnings for first-time offences, but repeat violations result in fines of 4,000 Swiss francs per inadmissible passenger.

This is not the first time the carrier has faced such penalties. In 2018, Air Canada was fined 224,000 francs for transporting 14 passengers without proper documentation. The Federal Administrative Court ruled that while the frequency of incidents matters, it does not excuse weak organisational controls.

Air Canada argued that it had implemented training and risk management procedures to address the issue. However, the court determined that the airline failed to demonstrate reliable follow-up systems for problematic cases. The decision is not yet final, as the airline may still appeal to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.

The 144,000-franc fine reinforces Switzerland's strict enforcement of airline responsibility for passenger documentation. Air Canada must now either strengthen its compliance measures or pursue further legal action. The case highlights ongoing challenges in preventing inadmissible passengers from boarding flights to Switzerland.

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