Air Canada refuses to disclose sexual assault policy

A New Brunswick woman, who was groped on board an Air Canada flight and complained the airline botched the way it handled her situation, says the company will not disclose its sexual assault policy.

The woman, whose identity is protected under a court-ordered publication ban, said her problems with Air Canada began in March when she was making a bweekly flight to her job in the oil patch.

She awoke to the man sitting next to her, touching her crotch.

She told a flight attendant and she did change seats.

But she's outraged nothing more happened until she complained again inside Toronto's airport.

Peel police arrested the man before he caught another flight and the accused has since pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault and fined $1,000.

Two months after the incident, the woman says Air Canada still is not willing to reveal what its sexual assault policy is.

The woman, who is a frequent flyer, says she will only fly on WestJet now because of Air Canada's refusal to publicly disclose its sexual assault policy.

"WestJet is the only company that will say this is our sexual assault policy," she says.

"This is what will happen, if this happens on a plane. And we're going to stand by that. Whereas Air Canada says we don't have to release that policy."

CBC News also asked for Air Canada's policy and about what happened after the airline promised to review the incident.

The airline declined to comment publicly on either question.

Megan Walker, a women`s advocate, also asked the airline for a copy of sexual assault policy. Walker said she questions whether Air Canada actually has a policy.

"We believe Air Canada and other corporations need to protect women generally. So by allowing this perpetrator to get off the plane and to go into another stream to take another flight, we think is very irresponsible and places other women at risk," she said.