Air Canada enforces 45 minute check-in rule

Air Canada is telling customers they must be checked in45 minutes before a flight and the policy isn't open to exceptions.

Over the weekend in Whitehorse,passengerswho had arrivedabout an hour before the flightbut were stillwaiting in line at thecut-off timefound themselvesout of luck.

Passengers said customer service agents told themtheir computers shut down automatically at the 45-minute deadline and will not accept any further check-ins.

On July 20 in Whitehorse,Chris Hall discovered he wasn't going anywhere with Air Canada when he arrived at the check-in counter five minutes late for the 45-minute deadline to check in.

"It's frustrating because the plane is still here for another 40 minutes and I can't get on it and it really doesn't make much sense. Five minutes and now I have to pay $250," he said.

Air Canada declined an interview with CBC but did send an e-mail directing to its website to read the check-in policy.

Hall booked a flight with a competing carrier.

The Air Canada flight was delayed and departed for Vancouver 12 minutes late.