Advocates and Air Canada害羞草研究所檚 CEO served up opposing views of on-board accessibility for passengers on Tuesday, though both sides agree that consistency remains a problem.

Michael Rousseau, who heads Canada害羞草研究所檚 largest airline, told a House of Commons transport committee an overwhelming majority of the 1.3 million passengers who requested special assistance last year had a positive experience. About 19,500 害羞草研究所� or 0.15 per cent 害羞草研究所� filed complaints.

害羞草研究所淭his is not to minimize the number of incidents nor the serious impacts the disruptions have on the individuals involved. But it is important context that indicates, first, we do a good job and, second, more importantly, we need and we will continue to get better,害羞草研究所� Rousseau said.

害羞草研究所淲e have concluded the chief issue was inconsistency,害羞草研究所� he added, citing training as the remedy.

Complaint statistics fail to reflect the travel experience of many people living with disabilities, who sometimes wait unassisted for hours or have to instruct employees on how to guide them, said disability rights advocate David Lepofsky.

害羞草研究所淚 personally have spent four hours parked at a gate waiting for a flight,害羞草研究所� said Heather Walkus, who heads the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.

害羞草研究所淣o one害羞草研究所檚 come to see me. There害羞草研究所檚 no way to contact anyone. I害羞草研究所檓 having to go to the washroom. I can害羞草研究所檛 get something to eat,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e moved like luggage from one end to the other.害羞草研究所�

Rousseau acknowledged that the issues are 害羞草研究所減robably underreported.害羞草研究所�

Lepofsky pushed back.

害羞草研究所淭o be able to say you害羞草研究所檙e doing a good job and these are the numbers is to be shockingly out of touch with our experience,害羞草研究所� he told the transport committee.

害羞草研究所淲e heard from Air Canada today that 害羞草研究所� the problems are few or infrequent and that really all they need is more education or training for their staff. Every single one of those statements is wrong,害羞草研究所� claimed Lepofsky, who heads the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance.

害羞草研究所淎s a blind person, I dread entering Canadian airspace.害羞草研究所�

Lepofsky called for an easily reachable hotline for travellers with disabilities at each airline, regulator-deployed 害羞草研究所渟ecret shoppers害羞草研究所� who pose as passengers to assess customer service practices and curb-to-gate assistance by a single employee 害羞草研究所� rather than being 害羞草研究所減assed like a baton害羞草研究所� by up to five workers.

Canada needs stricter rules and tougher enforcement to ensure consistency and accountability, the advocates said.

Multiple incidents surfaced at Canadian airlines over the past year, prompting the committee hearings.

A B.C. man with spastic cerebral palsy was forced to drag himself off of an Air Canada plane in Las Vegas. Canada害羞草研究所檚 chief accessibility officer Stephanie Cadieux arrived in Toronto to find the airline had left her wheelchair behind in Vancouver. Former Paralympian Sarah Morris-Probert hauled herself up WestJet aircraft stairs rather than being able to board using her wheelchair.

Under a three-year plan, Air Canada has pledged to roll out measures that range from establishing a customer accessibility director 害羞草研究所� now in place 害羞草研究所� to requiring annual training for its 10,000 front-line staff.

Earlier this year, the carrier formed an advisory committee made up of customers with disabilities and launched the 害羞草研究所渟unflower program害羞草研究所� where a lanyard worn by travellers indicates to staff they may need assistance 害羞草研究所� the first airline in North America to do so.

It also now allows customers to track their checked mobility aids in real time with an app.

Rousseau said he was open to more transparent rules around reporting complaints, though he said that other aviation players should be included and any measures should be 害羞草研究所渘on-punitive.害羞草研究所�

In the United States, all complaints submitted to airlines are handed over to the federal regulator. 害羞草研究所淚n Canada, we essentially have to take your word for it,害羞草研究所� said NDP transport critic Taylor Bachrach.

Rousseau also said Air Canada is speaking with plane-making giants Boeing Co. and Airbus SE about redesigns to ease accessibility to washrooms, particularly on narrow-body planes.

害羞草研究所淲ashrooms are not designed for use by anybody who is not in perfect physical condition, and they are certainly not wheelchair-accessible,害羞草研究所� said Liberal lawmaker Annie Koutrakis.

On Monday, the government announced a summit on air accessibility slated for May 9. But Lepofsky seemed to concur with Conservative committee member Dan Muys, who questioned the point of the gathering.

害羞草研究所淎 summit is a photo op,害羞草研究所� Lepofsky said.

Advocates also called for stronger deterrence actions by the Canadian Transportation Agency.

Penalties against large airlines over disabilities violations occasionally top $100,000. Earlier this year, the agency fined Air Transat to the tune of $11,000 after it failed to quickly provide a suitable replacement for a passenger害羞草研究所檚 mobility aid that had been lost on arrival in Venice.

Airline owner Transat A.T. Inc. took in $3 billion in revenue last year. Air Canada made $21.8 billion.

害羞草研究所淭he regulator has failed to achieve the result that we are entitled to,害羞草研究所� Lepofsky said.

The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The problems go beyond a single airline or regulator, as 害羞草研究所済aping holes害羞草研究所� in the Accessible Canada Act allow problems to persist in areas ranging from consultation to assistance protocols, said Walkus 害羞草研究所� despite a regulatory overhaul in 2020 brought on by that legislation.