Air Canada Faces Major Disruptions Due to Flight Attendant Strike
Air Canada has experienced a significant disruption in its operations after a large-scale strike by unionized flight attendants. The airline was forced to cancel hundreds of flights and suspend all operations as over 10,000 staff members walked out in protest over a long-standing contract dispute. The industrial action began early on Saturday, around 1 a.m. ET, leading to the immediate cancellation of all 700 daily flights operated by the airline.
The impact of the strike is expected to be felt by approximately 130,000 travelers each day that the strike continues. Air Canada, which operates one of the largest numbers of international flights to the United States, is now facing a major challenge in managing its schedule and accommodating affected passengers.
Flight attendants are demanding changes to their working conditions, specifically seeking compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and assisting passengers with boarding. These issues have been at the heart of the negotiations for months, but no resolution has been reached.
The situation escalated when the union rejected Air Canada’s request to enter into government-directed arbitration. This process would have eliminated the union’s right to strike and allowed a third-party mediator to determine the terms of a new contract. According to Hugh Pouliot, a spokesperson for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the strike began after no agreement could be reached, and operations were halted shortly after.
Air Canada announced plans to lock flight attendants out of airports as the walkout commenced. Meanwhile, Canada’s Federal Jobs Minister, Patty Hajdu, met with both the airline and the union on Friday night, urging them to work harder to reach a lasting agreement. “It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made,” she stated on social media. “Canadians are counting on both parties to put forward their best efforts.”
Pouliot confirmed that the union had engaged with a mediator to express their willingness to continue bargaining. He emphasized that the union had not received any counteroffers from Air Canada since Tuesday, despite having submitted two offers. “We’re here to bargain a deal, not to go on strike,” he said in an email.
The complete shutdown of operations is expected to affect about 130,000 people daily, with some 25,000 Canadians potentially stranded abroad. Montreal resident Alex Laroche, 21, and his girlfriend had been saving for their European vacation since Christmas. Their $8,000 trip, which includes nonrefundable lodging, is now in jeopardy as they wait to hear about the fate of their Saturday night flight to Nice, France.
Air Canada CEO Mark Nasr has indicated that it could take up to a week to fully restart operations once a tentative deal is reached. Affected passengers will be eligible for full refunds through the airline’s website or mobile app. Additionally, Air Canada will attempt to offer alternative travel options via other Canadian and foreign airlines, though it warned that rebooking may not be possible immediately due to high demand during the summer travel peak.
Laroche initially expressed frustration over the strike but changed his perspective after learning more about the key issues, including wages. “Their wage is barely livable,” he said.
Air Canada and CUPE have been engaged in contract negotiations for nearly eight months without reaching a tentative agreement. Both sides remain far apart on issues related to pay and the unpaid work flight attendants perform when planes are not in the air.
Air Canada’s latest offer included a 38 percent increase in total compensation over four years, including benefits and pensions, which the airline claimed would make flight attendants the best-compensated in Canada. However, the union argued that the proposed 8 percent raise in the first year was insufficient given current inflation rates.
