The Financial Post reports in its Friday edition that to apply for compensation from an airline, an Internet search with the words "compensation claim" followed by the name of the airline should bring up a link to the company site where customers can fill out a form. A Canadian Press dispatch to the Post says that airlines have 30 days to reply, and must include an explanation for a rejection. If the claim, which must be filed within a year of the flight disruption, is turned down, travellers have several options. One is to submit a complaint to the Canadian Transportation Agency. The process includes an eligibility review by a complaints resolution officer, who then leads a mediation stage that can result in a compensation deal. Should an agreement fail to materialize, the mediator will issue a final decision within 90 days of the start of the process. However, the complaints backlog is so long -- 63,600 as of Jan. 10 -- that it can take a year-and-a-half for the process to "start." A second option is to go to small claims court, after or instead of the transportation agency. While no guarantee of success, passenger-rights advocates say this avenue results in quicker and sometimes bigger compensations.