Watch out for air ticket prices too good to be true, warns Quebec consumer protector

A traveller wheels their baggage through Trudeau airport in Montreal, Friday, January 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes.

MONTREAL — Quebec's consumer protection office is warning travellers to watch out for websites selling plane tickets at prices that seem too good to be true.

The Office de la protection du consommateur says it has seen a rise in complaints from people who booked cheap airline tickets, only to discover their reservations weren't upheld.

The office says some consumers were informed days before their trip that the original price won't be honoured and were offered new tickets at a higher price. It says some were also told that the original tickets can't be refunded, or that a large cancellation penalty will apply.

The office says the problems involve businesses that act as intermediaries and don't have a valid travel agent permit in Quebec.

It notes that British-based Flights & Holidays UK Ltd. was fined more than $6,000 in 2024 for violating Quebec consumer protection laws that bar sellers from charging customers a higher price than what's advertised.

Sara Eve Levac, a lawyer and analyst with consumer protection group Option consommateurs, said her organization has also received complaints about the issue, although she hasn't noticed an increase in recent weeks.

"People will book their trip on a website, like a platform that reserves travel, and they get informed that plane ticket cannot be honoured, they can't give them the trip," she said. "And then they charge them extra or they offer something else, but it's much more expensive."

She said the platforms are often foreign-based, which makes it harder for travellers to seek recourse.

The Quebec consumer protection office suggests that buyers verify that the sites they're using have a Quebec travel agent permit, which means buyers could be eligible for reimbursement from a compensation fund if they are overcharged. They say buyers whose reservations aren't honoured can also initiate a chargeback on their credit cards and can reach out to the office for guidance on how to get their money back.

Levac says some online retailers have the Quebec travel agent certification, though many don't. Another option is to book directly with the airline, which gives consumers some protection under air passenger rights rules. She also suggests that people should second-guess any price offered online that seems unnaturally low.

"If something looks too good to be true with the prices, it might be a sign that you should check a bit more information about the merchant," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2026.

The Canadian Press