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OTTAWA - A Federal Court judge fined Air Canada $12,000 on Wednesday after an Ottawa man accused the airline of failing to serve him in French during several flights he took in 2009.

The court ruled Air Canada didn't respect its linguistic obligations under the Official Languages Act.

Air Canada was ordered to pay Michel Thibodeau, and also cover his $6,982 court costs.

However, the court stopped short of demanding the airline pay punitive and exemplary damages. The judged noted the air carrier acted in "good faith" and was making "significant efforts" to respect its linguistic obligations.

Michel Thibodeau poses for a photo in Ottawa July 14 2011. A Federal Court judge fined Air Canada $12,000 on Wednesday after Thibodeau accused the airline of failing to serve him in French during several flights he took in 2009. (ANDRE FORGET/QMI AGENCY)

Judge Marie-Josee Bedard also asked Air Canada to create a system that will identify, document and quantify any future violations of the company's duties under the country's language laws.

Thibodeau filed a similar language complaint against Air Canada in 2002 and won.