Clarification regarding a passenger denied boarding in Lyon

A passenger was denied boarding on an Air Transat flight departing from Lyon, France, on Thursday, June 11, 2015. Because this flight was scheduled or could have had to overfly the US airspace, our staff had no choice but to apply the provisions of the U.S. Secure Flight program—as all airlines must, and would have for this particular route.

It is not uncommon for a flight plan to change en route, because of weather or fluctuations in air traffic, for example.

Decisions like these are not made arbitrarily. There are rules and protocols governing civil aviation, and carriers that infringe upon them face sanctions.

Air carriers do not decide which routes are subject to enforcement of the Secure Flight provisions.

It is not up to us to explain the whys and wherefores of the Secure Flight program.