Airline Begins to Suspend Flights As Union Tension Rises

Air Canada is battening down the hatches, suspending multiple flights after the union representing its cabin crew finalized a 72-hour strike notice. This follows countless failed contract negotiations and a 99.7-percent vote in favor of job action.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents roughly 10,000 cabin crew members, announced the notice early on August 13 after more than eight months of unsuccessful contract talks. The strike is set to begin at 01:00 EST on Saturday, August 16.

The airline responded with its own 72-hour lockout notice, saying CUPE’s latest counteroffer demanded “exorbitant increases.” CUPE countered that Air Canada has refused to address core issues, including pay and unpaid work hours…particularly time spent boarding passengers and waiting at airports. The union says the airline’s proposed 38% compensation increase over four years, with a 25% raise in year one, still falls short of inflation, market rates, and in some cases even minimum wage.

In anticipation of the strike, Air Canada will begin canceling mainline and Air Canada Rouge flights on Thursday, with more cancellations on Friday, leading to a complete halt of those operations on Saturday. The airline estimates up to 130,000 daily passengers could be affected worldwide, including about 25,000 Canadians, at the height of the summer travel season. Air Canada Express flights, which handle about 20% of the airline’s daily customers, will continue to operate.

The carrier says early cancellations will allow it to reposition aircraft and crews for routine maintenance and to restart operations more quickly once the dispute is resolved. It has also arranged limited capacity with other Canadian and foreign airlines to help rebook passengers, though options may not be immediate. Passengers whose flights are canceled will receive full refunds. In the meantime, Toronto Pearson, Vancouver International, and other airports are advising travelers to check flight status directly with the airline.

Air Canada operates a fleet of 259 aircraft serving 64 countries. The company warns that the strike poses a “major risk” to employees and operations, but the flight attendants almost unanimously agreed that the issue at hand takes priority: CUPE members voted 99.7% in favor of a strike earlier this month.

Unless there’s a last-minute deal, Air Canada’s mainline and Rouge service could be grounded by the weekend, leaving tens of thousands of travelers scrambling for alternatives and the airline’s summer schedule in disarray.

FMI: www.aircanada.com