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The official name of IAIR is the International Association of IATA Retirees.

We were incorporated in 2000 by a Canadian federal charter with two principal objectives:

1) to promote and defend the interests and benefits of IATA retirees; and

2) to foster communication between IATA retirees.

In 2012 in response to legislative changes, we officially became a Not-for-Profit corporation so as to protect our status with the Canadian federal government.

Today, we enjoy excellent relations with IATA through our participation on the Montreal Pension Committee and maintain contact with other national organizations with the intent of remaining current on defined benefit pension and healthcare insurance issues.

Administration

The regulations by which IAIR operates are laid out in the corporation by-laws which are mandated and approved by the federal government.

Articles 25, 26, 31, 32, 33 and 34 govern the principal issues relating to election and duties of Directors and Officers of the company. A copy of the by-laws is available to retirees upon an e-mail request to the Vice President & Secretary.

IAIR is administered by a Board of Directors who also double as the officers of the corporation. The Board is elected annually by the members of IAIR at the Annual General Meeting, which takes place on the first Monday of October. Please consult the list of Directors and their contact emails, which feature as links throughout this website.

Should you encounter any problems with email links please read Windows 2010 mail default problem and how to fix it

Criteria for IAIR Membership

Anyone who has officially retired from IATA and receives a pension (or will receive a deferred pension) from the IATA pension fund (Canadian and International), is entitled to become a member of IAIR and receives a welcome letter from the membership secretary.

If you have retired (or are about to retire) and would like information on becoming a member of IAIR, please contact the Membership Secretary

IAIR Board Members work voluntarily with a small budget generated from membership dues. IAIR Members are invoiced annually in January. To encourage prompt payment of member dues, there are two (2) options available (see Membership Dues below).

Benefits of IAIR Membership

1) IAIR maintains regular communication with IATA People, Performance and Development Department (PPD) on retiree matters. This has proven beneficial on several occasions.

2) IAIR participates in the IATA Pension Committee. We are represented by two qualified individuals, a Primary Representative and an Alternate.

3) Through our participation in the IATA Pension Committee, we have access to individual IATA administrators of the DB Pension Plan to review information and to voice retiree issues as applicable.

4) Conditional access to reduced air fares and other travel industry discount opportunities.
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5) The IAIR Board benefits from its association with other Canadian retiree organizations including membership of the Canadian Federation of Pensioners (CFP).

6) Issuance on application to IATA (through IAIR) for an IATA Retiree ID Card to obtain applicable and available discount fares and services.

Membership Dues

Annual membership dues are CA$20 per year per member

There are two (3) methods of payment:

1) Request the Treasurer to instruct RBC Investor Services (who pay your pension) to henceforth deduct the $20 directly from your February pension payment;

2) By personal cheque or money order drawn on a Canadian bank.

3) By E-Transfer to iaircanada2@gmail.com

Administration

The day to day administration of the Canadian defined benefits pension fund is outsourced by the Sponsor (IATA). This is an accepted business practice.
The Administrator company appointed by IATA is Normandin Beaudry.

The principal responsibility of the administrator is to make sure that the banking institution that disburses the pension funds:

a) Has all relevant information about each retiree (name, address, phone, e-mail etc.);

b) That the retiree gets paid..

If you have any issue concerning your pension, then it should be addressed to:

Normandin Beaudry
630 boulevard René-Levesque Ouest, 30th floor, Montréal, (Québec) H3B 1S6

Tel: (514) 285-1122 Outside Montreal: 1-800-355-917
Email: iata@normandin-beaudry.ca

Please note that the pension administrator does NOT handle Health Care Insurance enquiries, claims or other medical insurance queries.

When to Contact the Administrator

1) You change your address;
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2) You die (hopefully handled by your Mandatee);

a. This is necessary for your estate to obtain the Life Insurance
b. To ensure that your spouse or partner receives the spousal pension

3) You have an issue with your pension;

4) You experience what Manulife calls a "life event". These "events" are recognized by Manulife as being one of the following: Marriage, Divorce, Birth or adoption of a child, Spouse gets new benefits coverage, or the death of a spouse or covered child. Please note that any "life event" changes that will affect your coverage must be conveyed to Normandin Beaudry within the 31 day limit set by Manulife in order to enable Normandin Beaudry to effect these changes with Manulife on your behalf.

If you do not receive an answer within five (5) business days, contact the IAIR President

IATA Pension Committee

IAIR members are represented on the IATA Pension Committee. We have one vote on all matters pertaining to the IATA Plan and are represented by two IAIR members who are also members of the IAIR Board of Directors.

The Primary IAIR representative is empowered to speak, question and vote on matters pertaining to both the Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution pensions within the IATA Plan.. The Alternate IAIR representative may replace the Primary representative when required. He may otherwise only listen to proceedings and offer counsel to the Primary representative.

A copy of the Canadian DB Pension Plan Rules can be found here

Health Care Insurance

Health Care Insurance is delivered by Manulife.

IF you receive a pension from the IATA Defined Benefits plan AND opted to REMAIN IN the IATA Health Care Insurance program, please read the following:

IATA provides Health Care Insurance through Manulife for retirees who have opted to remain in the medical benefits plan on retirement. The premium is paid 50% by IATA and 50% by the retiree. There is a taxable benefit to retirees in the arrangement (see below “Tax deduction”).

Health Care Insurance consists of two “parts”:

1) coverage of drug costs not covered by RAMQ (for residents of Quebec). All retirees are issued with a pay-direct card to facilitate the purchase of your prescription drugs at your local pharmacy;.

2) medical costs for a wide variety of services. Claim forms can be completed and submitted online from within your Manulife account.

Medical Services Coverage

For retirees, two plans are provided, known as Plan C and Plan D. Plan D applies to those who retired prior to 1 January 2008 and who elected to remain in that plan, while Plan C applies to all retirees who retired after that date. There are minor differences between the two plans.

You can check the Manulife website for insurance coverage details of the medical service plan applicable to you.

You can also set up direct refund payments to your bank account on the Manulife website at the same time.

Please note that Claims to Manulife for Dental work can only be made as a result of an accident.

Income Tax Deductions

It is assumed that a retiree’s income tax return is prepared by either a professional accounting service, a tax filing service or independently using tax filing computer software. The following is general information only and is not tax advice, interpretation of tax regulation law or instructions for filing personal income tax returns. This information is provided to remind retirees to a) keep prescription and medical service receipts and b) check the income tax printouts to be sure that your tax deductions have been recorded.

Medical insurance premiums that you pay can be claimed as a medical expense deduction in your income taxes at both federal and provincial level. You will find the amount that you paid for the year on the December 1 statement (or pay slip) that you received from RBC Investor Services (“Medical Deduction”).

Medical Expenses (Quebec income tax only)

1) In Quebec the Health Care premium paid by the employer (IATA) is a taxable benefit which means it is an addition to your pension income.

2) The portion of Health Care Premium (50%) that a retiree pays (IATA pays the other 50%) is a Medical Expense

3) The annual charge by RAMQ Prescription Drug Insurance Plan is a medical expense. In Quebec the charge for the current year can be claimed as a medical expense. For Federal income and expense reporting, the RAMQ charge for the previous year is reported as a medical expense.

4) The total of all amounts paid by a retiree for prescription medication (Cost of medication less the portion paid by RAMQ, less the portion paid by private Health Care insurance, equals the amount paid by the retiree) as well as for Medical Services (the amount charged by the service provider LESS the amount paid or refunded by Manulife) is a medical expense.

ID Cards

There are two classes of retiree ID Card:

1) Retiree ID Cards with reduced fare air travel privileges. These retiree ID Cards that permit reduced fare air travel are issued based on the number of pensionable years a retiree was employed at IATA (minimum 10 years) AND your age at the date of retirement was 55 years old or greater OR you had at least 25 years of continuous employment at the time of leaving IATA.

2) Retiree ID Cards without reduced fare air travel privileges. These retiree ID cards can be used to prove retirement from IATA where other travel or travel related services; e.g. cruise lines or resort hotels, offer travel industry discounts. These cards are endorsed with the restriction; “Eligible for non airline reduced travel rates only”.

How to obtain an IATA Retiree ID Card

Members who are interested in obtaining an IATA Retiree ID Card should consult IATA Retiree ID Card Application.

Request for Reduced Air Fare Tickets

A password is required to view all documentation relating to reduced air travel for retirees. This password must be obtained first by e-mailing a request to the webmaster.

If you have not previously requested a reduced fare (ZED) air ticket, the complete procedure is detailed separately. Please click here to see a copy of the procedure.

For those who have used the procedure in the past, you are cautioned to check the IATA Guidelines for changes to listed carriers or to reduced fares.

Discounted fares and/or charges by other forms of passenger transport or services; e.g. cruise lines or resort hotels, are at the discretion of the carrier or service, either of the IATA ID Cards notwithstanding. The retiree ID card does not entitle the holder to discounted fare or service charges by any organization regardless of the type of ID card.

Travel Insurance

IAIR members are reminded that Manulife provides retiree medical coverage whilst on a cruise. Manulife will provide a written confirmation of this coverage, if required by a cruise operator.

Members are also reminded that Emergency Travel Assistance identification is issued to retirees for use when travelling away from home. This card may also be used by a family member, covered by the IATA Health care Insurance policy, who is travelling alone.

Please see "Get Emergency Travel Assistance" at Manulife.

Before making your travel plans, it is important that you read "What you should know and expect when travelling outside Canada".

Important Travel Information

From time to time, the government of Canada and IATA issue important travel information.
It is therefore recommended that retirees consult the following sites before making any travel plans:

1) https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories

2) https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/home.htm

3) https://www.iata.org/travelers/pages/index.aspx
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Upcoming Travel Restrictions for Non-European Union Passport Holders

By the end of 2022, all visitors who currently do not need a visa to enter Europe will be required to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver..

Canadian Passport holders should read the CTV news article:and

https://www.etiasvisa.com/etias-requirements/canadians