Aug 30, 2026
Vivian’s flight to the Maldives was cancelled while she was sitting on the plane. Sitting there, waiting to deboard, she assumed the hardest part would soon be over. The airline had confirmed she was entitled to a full refund. What she didn’t expect was spending the next five months chasing $9,934 — a refund that had already been issued, just not returned to her bank account.
Eventually, CTV News picked up on her frustrating tale — highlighting the dangers of booking a vacation through a third-party site.
A cancelled flight and a stalled refund
Initially, Vivian, a Mississauga resident, and her husband had booked round-trip tickets to the Maldives through Expedia. At the time of booking, she paid $9,934 for two seats. The first part of her trip went smoothly enough. She flew to Poland in March to meet her husband, with a plan for the two of them to continue on together to the Maldives with a layover in Abu Dhabi. But after boarding the plane in Poland, they were told that all flights were grounded as a result of regional conflict in Abu Dhabi that prompted airspace closures.
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“Unfortunately, the war broke out, and we got stuck on the plane, and the flight got cancelled,” Vivian shared. Etihad Airways confirmed the couple was entitled to a complete reimbursement. However, because the reservation was processed via Expedia, the airline was required to return the funds to the booking platform rather than directly to the passenger.
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Why the funds got trapped
Etihad Airways transferred the $9,934 refund to Expedia, and Vivian was advised to expect the credit within four to eight weeks.
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Despite repeated status and update checks, months passed without payment.
The situation shifted only after CTV News Toronto intervened on her behalf. A company spokesperson explained that Vivian’s initial request had been incorrectly submitted to the airline. Expedia apologized for the oversight, resubmitted the claim and confirmed a full refund was finalized alongside a $400 travel voucher for the disruption.
What Canadian travellers are entitled to
Under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), airlines must process eligible refunds within 30 days. However, these regulatory rules bind the operating air carrier — they do not automatically govern independent online travel agencies sitting between the traveller and the airline.
This gap represents the core financial risk of third-party bookings: Your statutory rights apply to the airline, but your transaction sits with an intermediary.
How to protect your money before booking
- Book directly when possible: Purchasing tickets straight from the airline or hotel ensures a direct customer relationship, simplifying cancellations, schedule changes and refund requests.
- Keep detailed paper trails: Save confirmation emails, ticket numbers, cancellation notices, and written communications from both the airline and the booking agent.
- Confirm processing workflows: Before confirming a third-party reservation, review whether refunds are issued directly to your credit card or funnelled through the agency first.
- Escalate in writing: If a promised refund exceeds the stated timeline, submit formal written follow-ups to both the third-party agency and the operating carrier.
- Reference statutory timelines: Use the 30-day benchmark established under the APPR to establish clear expectations when tracking stalled claims.
While Vivian ultimately recovered the nearly $10,000 she’d spent on this trip, doing so required months of persistence and media intervention. The lesson for all Canadian travellers is to keep records, use trusted brands and become familiar with the process for recovering fees or funds, should plans fall through.
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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.
Managing Money • Aug 29
