Oct 23, 2026
Most travellers just pick their seats, hit “pay” and never give it another thought. Michael Pogor did something different: he kept a record.
Before picking seats for an upcoming trip to Europe, the retired Fonthill, Ontario math and tech teacher checked Air Canada’s site and saw standard seats going for $56.75 each. So, he selected eight in total — four for the flight over and four for the return. The charge that followed was $274 more than expected.
Advertisement
Air Canada initially pointed to dynamic pricing, but later claimed the discrepancy was caused by a technical glitch. Either way, the episode raises a question for anyone booking travel online: if the price changed between your click and your credit card statement, could you prove it?
Thanks for subscribing!
The best of Money.ca delivered weekly.
By signing up, you accept Money.ca Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.
What went wrong with the seat fee Air Canada showed?
According to the Toronto Star’s consumer column The Advocate, Pogor checked the $56.75 seat fee with his wife and the couple they’re travelling with before booking. At that rate, eight seats should’ve come out to $454 before taxes. Instead, he was slapped with an extra charge that jacked up his expected price by about 60%.
Air Canada later told The Advocate that Pogor would be getting a refund, and he confirmed the airline returned his money.
Must Read
- A single line on your car insurance policy could be inflating your premium by up to 30% — here's what to change
- Here are 5 'must-haves' that Canadians constantly overpay for. How many of these are sabotaging your budget every single month?
- Here are the 5 biggest differences between rich and poor Canadians — which side do you fall on?
Join 20,000+ readers and get Money.ca’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
Can an airline change the price after you’ve seen it?
Dynamic pricing is legal. Fares shift in real time based on supply and demand, and there’s surprisingly little oversight on how airlines actually set those rates. John Gradek, a faculty lecturer in aviation management at McGill University, told Global News that Canada lacks governance or oversight of airline pricing, adding that airlines “can charge whatever they feel like.”
Sticking a customer with a bill higher than the advertised price is where things get tricky. The Competition Bureau is the independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces the Competition Act. It points out that under amendments added back in June 2022, drip pricing is officially called out as a harmful tactic.
Air Canada is no stranger to legal pushback on this. In 2025, the Quebec Court of Appeal ordered the airline to pay passengers more than $10 million in damages in a class action alleging they were charged more than the advertised ticket price, CBC News reported.
Advertisement
Regulators are watching algorithmic pricing closely. In a January 2026 report, acting commissioner of competition Jeanne Pratt said algorithmic pricing can improve efficiency and choice but also carries risks for fairness, transparency and competition.
Why does a screenshot matter so much?
With real-time price updates, the company keeps the paper trail while you’re left with no proof. Pogor’s notes gave him something concrete to push back with. Without proof, you’ve got nothing to show what price you were actually quoted.
The formal fallback is slow. If you file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), be prepared to wait: the regulator warns it can take over 24 months to start a review. Under the Canada Transportation Act, passengers must first complain to the airline in writing and allow 30 days for a response before going to the CTA.
What to do now
A few minutes of record-keeping can save you hundreds of dollars and months of frustration:
- Screenshot the price at seat selection and again at final payment
- Compare your confirmation email to your screenshots before closing the browser
- Pay with credit so you can dispute sneaky charges through your card provider
- Complain to the airline in writing, attach your evidence and keep copies of all replies
- If the airline won’t make it right, reach out to your credit card company and request a chargeback
- Report pricing you believe is misleading to the Competition Bureau
Pogor’s refund came through. But he doubts his case is a one-off. “There’s no way,” he told the Star, “that I’m the first person this has happened to.”
You May Also Like
- This 7-step plan from Dave Ramsey is designed to help you ditch debt, save more and build wealth — here’s how it works
- Prioritize these 4 critical investments and watch your net worth skyrocket
- Here are 8 solid money moves that could free up real cash every month — here's where to start
- Millionaires under 43 are reshaping investing — just 25% of their portfolios are in stocks. Here’s where their money is going
The most expensive financial mistakes are often the ones you don't see coming. Join 19,000+ Canadians who get the money moves, risks and opportunities shaping their finances — delivered free each week. Subscribe now.
Amy Tokic is an SEO content editor for Money.ca. She holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Windsor. Amy is an award-winning author and has been writing professionally for 15 years, publishing articles in the lifestyle and health sectors.
