Every Friday, Lynda Steele dips into the viewer mailbag to answer your questions. This week, Steele on Your Side investigates a damaged parcel and the scanning code of practice.
Damaged cargo
Marion wrote us when a box she had checked onto an Air Canada flight in London, Ont. was badly damaged and the airline refused to compensate her.
When the box arrived in Vancouver it had been ripped apart. Marion says it got stuck in the baggage chute, holding up the luggage for nearly an hour.
Inside that battered box was a table that had broken and cracked legs.
Marion was shocked when Air Canada refused to pay for the damage. The airline told her in an email, "Airline Tariff regulations preclude any liability for damage to articles such as boxed items and other valuables regardless of the circumstances."
Air Canada suggested Marion report the damage to her homeowner insurance or try to get compensated through her credit card.
But after Steele on Your Side contacted the airline for an explanation, Air Canada wrote to say "agents in London erred in accepting the item as checked baggage...and agents in Vancouver erred in handling the piece as regular baggage when it should have been handled manually as we normally do for oversized items.”
Because of that, the airline has changed its mind and agreed to compensate Marion for repairs. The bill is estimated to be around $700.
Scanning Code of Practice
Bob had a question about items that scan at the wrong price at the grocery store. He remembers hearing about a policy where you get the item for free and wants to know if that still exists.
The policy is called the Scanning Code of Practice and many major retailers in Canada follow it.
Basically, the code states if an item scans at the wrong price, you get it for free up to $10.
So if you see a wrong price, mention it to the cashier. Sometimes they're not aware of the code, so you'll have to ask to speak to a manager.
If the store still won't comply you can make a complaint to the Retail Council of Canada.
