Let's Talk: Interference with CATSA Screening at Airports

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Consultation has concluded

Transport Canada is proud to be a leader in the aviation security sector. In Canada, a person must pass through security screening before entering the airport’s restricted area. For the past 20 years, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) has done this screening.

CATSA requires screening officers to follow conduct standards and be professional and polite to both passengers and non-passengers.

Interfering with CATSA screeners at checkpoints

We’ve seen a rise in the number of passengers who are unruly (violent towards others at a screening checkpoint) with screening officers in recent years. Unruly passengers at screening checkpoints who continue to be unruly after they enter restricted areas can lead to serious safety and security incidents elsewhere in the airport or on board an aircraft. Preventing ongoing unruliness is important and necessary to protect civil aviation, the safety of airport and airline workers, as well as the travelling public.

Transport Canada wants to add regulations that would fine and ban people when they are unruly and interfere with CATSA’s screening process at airport screening checkpoints. Examples of unruly behaviour include:

  • racist and offensive language
  • intimidation
  • bullying
  • verbal and physical harassment
  • hostility
  • violent behavior, and
  • damaging screening equipment

We want to hear from you

Your opinions and feedback are important.

To participate and have your say:

  • Please go to "register" at the top of the page or sign in.
  • Please take a moment to answer our survey to help us propose or amend regulations (rules).
  • Participate in our discussion forum through the “Have your say” tab. The forum will be open until June 11, 2023.
  • You can also submit your comments in a Word or PDF document through the “Submissions” tab. You can upload more than one document.

As set out in Sections 19 and 20 of the Access to Information Act, be sure to identify any parts of your comments that we shouldn’t make public because they include personal information or third-party information. Explain why your comments should be kept private, and for how long.

Unless you tell us that a portion of your comments is private, it could appear in any regulatory proposal that Transport Canada publishes in the Canada Gazette.

Transport Canada is proud to be a leader in the aviation security sector. In Canada, a person must pass through security screening before entering the airport’s restricted area. For the past 20 years, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) has done this screening.

CATSA requires screening officers to follow conduct standards and be professional and polite to both passengers and non-passengers.

Interfering with CATSA screeners at checkpoints

We’ve seen a rise in the number of passengers who are unruly (violent towards others at a screening checkpoint) with screening officers in recent years. Unruly passengers at screening checkpoints who continue to be unruly after they enter restricted areas can lead to serious safety and security incidents elsewhere in the airport or on board an aircraft. Preventing ongoing unruliness is important and necessary to protect civil aviation, the safety of airport and airline workers, as well as the travelling public.

Transport Canada wants to add regulations that would fine and ban people when they are unruly and interfere with CATSA’s screening process at airport screening checkpoints. Examples of unruly behaviour include:

  • racist and offensive language
  • intimidation
  • bullying
  • verbal and physical harassment
  • hostility
  • violent behavior, and
  • damaging screening equipment

We want to hear from you

Your opinions and feedback are important.

To participate and have your say:

  • Please go to "register" at the top of the page or sign in.
  • Please take a moment to answer our survey to help us propose or amend regulations (rules).
  • Participate in our discussion forum through the “Have your say” tab. The forum will be open until June 11, 2023.
  • You can also submit your comments in a Word or PDF document through the “Submissions” tab. You can upload more than one document.

As set out in Sections 19 and 20 of the Access to Information Act, be sure to identify any parts of your comments that we shouldn’t make public because they include personal information or third-party information. Explain why your comments should be kept private, and for how long.

Unless you tell us that a portion of your comments is private, it could appear in any regulatory proposal that Transport Canada publishes in the Canada Gazette.

Discussions: All (4) Open (4)
  • Should unruly behaviour at security screening checkpoints be banned?

    over 1 year ago
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  • Do you agree that unruly people at Canada’s airport security screening checkpoints should be fined?

    over 1 year ago
    Share Do you agree that unruly people at Canada’s airport security screening checkpoints should be fined? on Facebook Share Do you agree that unruly people at Canada’s airport security screening checkpoints should be fined? on Twitter Share Do you agree that unruly people at Canada’s airport security screening checkpoints should be fined? on Linkedin Email Do you agree that unruly people at Canada’s airport security screening checkpoints should be fined? link

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  • Have you ever seen someone being unruly at a security screening checkpoint in Canada?

    over 1 year ago
    Share Have you ever seen someone being unruly at a security screening checkpoint in Canada? on Facebook Share Have you ever seen someone being unruly at a security screening checkpoint in Canada? on Twitter Share Have you ever seen someone being unruly at a security screening checkpoint in Canada? on Linkedin Email Have you ever seen someone being unruly at a security screening checkpoint in Canada? link

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  • Should unruly passengers (passengers that are violent towards someone at a screening checkpoint) be kept from boarding their flight?

    over 1 year ago
    Share Should unruly passengers (passengers that are violent towards someone at a screening checkpoint) be kept from boarding their flight? on Facebook Share Should unruly passengers (passengers that are violent towards someone at a screening checkpoint) be kept from boarding their flight? on Twitter Share Should unruly passengers (passengers that are violent towards someone at a screening checkpoint) be kept from boarding their flight? on Linkedin Email Should unruly passengers (passengers that are violent towards someone at a screening checkpoint) be kept from boarding their flight? link

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