What is a tour operator? Are tour operators under our jurisdiction?
Carriers operating international charters are not able to sell the seats on their flights directly to the public in the way that scheduled carriers can. To buy seats for an international charter, a consumer must buy them though a travel agent or a tour operator. A tour operator often combines the flights with other elements of a vacation (such as hotels or ground transportation) to make a “package” to sell to the public. Tour operators can also sell just air travel (“air only”). The Agency’s jurisdiction is limited to the air portion of the travel package. So if consumers have a complaint about this portion of their package, they may contact the Agency. (However, the Agency does not have jurisdiction over the level or quality of service offered by the air carrier — these are subjective matters that are left to the discretion of the air carrier.) Complaints about the land portion of the package or services offered by the tour operator come under provincial jurisdiction and should be ad
