Leave Travel Policy

Travel Privileges while on a Leave due to Illness or Injury

This policy presents the rules governing travel privileges for employees of Air Canada (AC) who are on a company-approved leave of absence. Its objective is to help you make the most of the travel privileges to which you are entitled while also respecting any potential health and/or physical limitations.

Scope & Eligibility

This policy applies to employees who are on a company-approved leave from Air Canada, AC Rouge, AC Vacations, AC Express and Fasco.

To be eligible, these employees must have:

Completed 6 months of active service as a:

Permanent full-time employee, or;
Permanent part-time employee.

Helpful hint:

For safety reasons, an employee on leave who wishes to use their travel privileges must provide proof of their fitness to fly (see Procedure section for details). However, their eligible family members may continue using travel privileges as per the usual guidelines.

Useful Definitions

Fitness to Fly:

An assessment provided by the treating physician that determines whether the employee’s medical condition permits them to fly safely.

Rules & Limitations

While on an approved leave of absence, unless there is a medical reason that makes air travel unsafe and then the correct below process must be followed, you and your eligible family members can continue the use of your travel privileges.

Rules

Subject to the terms and conditions of AC’s Employee Travel Policy, including Dress Code and Code of Conduct.

Valid for travel on AC, AC Rouge and AC Express.

Valid for the following passes:

Employee, spouse, child
Personal (SA) passes
Parent
Partner

Valid for the following passes/programs:

Service Award
Upgrade Pass
Go AC
Go AC Family
Go AC Special (offers and eligibility will vary)

Valid for Air Canada Vacations packages.

Boarding priority and entitlement as per travel profile.

All travel requires credit card payment of applicable service charges, duties, taxes and fees.

Limitations

Not valid for travel on Star Alliance, code-sharing carriers, or other airlines (unless employee is on maternity/childcare leave).

Not valid for business or deadhead travel.

Not valid for Bereavement travel.

Not valid for advance seat selection.

Not valid for accumulation of frequent flyer points.

No compensation for denied boarding.

No online/interline protection for expenses caused by delays, cancellations, or service disruptions.

Procedure

Mandatory Requirement to Access Travel Privileges for Employees on Leave due to Illness or Injury

For your safety and that of other passengers, you must provide evidence demonstrating that your medical condition allows you to meet the demands of air travel without compromising your recovery and ability to return to work or endangering your health. Prior to booking any intended trips, you are required to obtain approval prior to accessing travel privileges.
Please note that your name, intended travel dates, flight duration, restrictions and limitations and fitness for air travel decision (approval or denial) will be shared as required to manage your employment and company-approved leave of absence:

Within Air Canada (including Occupational Health Services (OHS) and your direct manager), in all instances involving a leave of absence due to illness or injury or in cases of violation of these requirements.
With third parties (including the relevant group disability insurer and workers’ compensation boards), if you have applied for or are in receipt of disability or workers’ compensation benefits. Under such circumstances, you are also required to advise your disability insurer and/or workers’ compensation board of your upcoming travel plans. For additional information and requirements speak to your disability insurer and/or workers’ compensation board case manager.

Travel on partner airlines is not available while on leave.

Please note that the requirements and procedure below do not apply to eligible family members, who may continue to use travel privileges as per regular guidelines during your leave.

Failure to conform to this requirement is considered a serious offence by Air Canada and may result in cancellation of all travel privileges and/or possible disciplinary action. Audits will be conducted regularly.

Before your planned travel, contact the Disability Management team at travelondisability.voyagereinvalidite@aircanada.ca. They may request information on your travel plans, including the expected dates, destination, and reason for travel. Request approval for your intended travel while on leave at least 10 business days before your expected departure date.

The Disability Management team will contact you within three (3) business days of your email to discuss your request and may provide you with the 'Employee Fitness and Restriction Evaluation' (EFRE) form for completion, as required.

As required, print a copy of the EFRE form and provide, if possible, to the primary treating physician who previously completed your medical documentation for your leave due to illness or injury.

Submit the EFRE form at least seven (7) business days before the intended travel date. Please note that in exceptional cases, the company may only be able to provide approval within 10 business days. Please plan travel accordingly. Make sure the subject line of your email has your date of travel (day/month/year), last name, first name and employee number, (e.g. 25/SEPT/2024, Jones, Mary, AC123456). Please submit the form by fax or email as indicated on the EFRE form.

Changes to health or travel plans?

If you have any changes to your health, including a new medical condition, changes to your restrictions and limitations, you must contact Disability Management, and you may be required to submit an updated EFRE from your treating physician.

If your flight duration changes, notify Disability Management team, and you may be required to submit an updated EFRE from your treating physician.

Disability Management will contact you to confirm whether you are approved to travel for your upcoming travel booking.

If approval to travel is granted:

You may travel. Login to the Employee Travel Site to book your travel.
Tick the box confirming your completion of this process. Compliance audits are conducted regularly.

If approval to travel is not granted:

You may not travel.

If you have not received a response from Disability Management:

In the event you have not received information from Disability Management, you must contact them directly.
You may not travel until you have received approval to travel.

Under certain circumstances, you will also need to obtain additional medical approval via OHS. For more information, please refer to the Air Canada Medical Approval site.

Before any planned travel:

Air Canada Vacations employees must contact the Benefits team at avantages.benefits@vacv.com
Air Canada Rouge employees must contact the Benefits team at avantages.benefits@vacv.com
Jazz employees must contact Health Services at healthservices@flyjazz.ca

Exceptions & Unique Situations

Jazz employees: Instead of contacting OHS, Jazz employees must contact Jazz Health Services for approval.

Non-compliance

Any violation of this policy is considered a serious offence by Air Canada and shall result in cancellation of all travel privileges action for the guilty party and their eligible family members and/or possible disciplinary.

When in doubt, it’s better to contact actravel.voyageac@aircanada.ca or call 1-833-847- EMPL (3675) to ask for clarification than to risk making the wrong assumption.

This policy is subject to change without notice.
Last update: Feb 24, 2025