CanadaAm I entitled to be served in French or English on a Canadian airline?
Yes, you are entitled to receive services, including notices and documentation, in either English or French from Canadian airlines operating domestically or internationally, as required by the Official Languages Act and the Air Transportation Regulations.
What the Law Says
Federal law requires Canadian air carriers to provide services and communications in both official languages where there is significant demand or where the service is offered in a bilingual region.
The Official Languages Act requires federal institutions — including Crown corporations and entities subject to federal regulation like airlines — to ensure that services are available in both English and French in designated bilingual regions and upon request elsewhere.
The Air Transportation Regulations (SOR/85-308), made under the Canada Transportation Act, specifically require air carriers to provide notices, tickets, boarding passes, safety briefings, and other passenger-facing materials in both official languages when operating in Canada.
Section 22 of the Air Transportation Regulations states: "Every air carrier shall ensure that all notices, tickets, boarding passes, safety briefings and other documents provided to passengers are available in both official languages."
Section 32 of the Official Languages Act states: "Any member of the public has the right to communicate with and obtain available services from any federal institution in either official language."
Statutory TextEvery air carrier shall ensure that all notices, tickets, boarding passes, safety briefings and other documents provided to passengers are available in both official languages.
— Air Transportation Regulations, s. 22 — Language of documents
Statutory TextAny member of the public has the right to communicate with and obtain available services from any federal institution in either official language.
— Official Languages Act, s. 32 — Rights of the public
What Courts Have Said
While Thibodeau v. Air Canada did not directly address language rights, the Supreme Court affirmed that Air Canada remains subject to Canadian statutory obligations — including official languages requirements — even when operating under international conventions like the Montreal Convention.
The Court confirmed that international air carriage conventions (e.g., Montreal Convention) do not displace or override domestic Canadian laws such as the Official Languages Act or Air Transportation Regulations unless there is an irreconcilable conflict — and no such conflict exists regarding language of service.
What to Do
Request service in your preferred official language (English or French) at check-in, online, or onboard.
If denied, ask for the airline’s official languages policy and note the incident (date, flight number, staff name if possible).
File a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) within one year — they enforce language obligations under the Air Transportation Regulations.
You may also contact the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for systemic language service issues.
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.