Thousands of flight attendants can cancel flights to Air Canada after starting a strike early Saturday morning.
The company says that the work stagnation means that all Air Canada and Air Canada Roose flights will be canceled between the work stoppage. Every day around 130,000 customers will be affected that the strike is going on.
Summer travelers are worried about what it means for their plans, what you should know here.
Has the strike started?
Yes. More than 10,000 flight attendants working for Air Canada have come out of the job.
The Air Canada component of the Canadian Association public employees said that the two sides were unable to reach a deal before the ET time limit on Saturday at 12:58 pm.
Will all air Canada flights be canceled?
The work stagnation affects Air Canada’s main operation and air Canada rose.
Air Canada began a gradual suspension of flights before the strike deadline to allow a systematic shutdown by Saturday. More than 600 flights affected by 100,100 customers were canceled.
Flight attendants working for Jazz and Pal, who operate Air Canada Express flights, are not part of the strike. Flights under those banners will continue to operate normally.
What should I know about my upcoming flight?
Air Canada has said that it will inform customers through email and text messages if their flights have been canceled.
The airline has stated that passengers are canceled, whose flights are canceled, they will be given the opportunity to change their travel plans without a full -fledged or without fee.
The company also said that it has arranged with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide alternative travel options with other Canadian and foreign carriers. This includes passengers whose journey programs change the middle-jorni.
“However, other carriers are already very full due to summer travel peaks, it will take time to secure such a capacity and in many cases, it will not be possible immediately,” it said.
Air Canada said it advises strongly affected customers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmation ticket on an airline besides Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge.
For customers whose flights have not yet been canceled due to traveling soon, Air Canada said it would allow them to re -book their journey or receive credit for future travel.
The airline has warned that under the airline passenger protection rules of Canada, delays for the conditions outside the customer carrier or canceled flights, food, are not eligible for compensation for hotels, such as strikes or lockouts.
How did we get here?
Both sides have been in contract talks since the beginning of the year, but concluded a reconciliation process without reaching a deal.
On July 28, the Sangh’s strike mandate was closed. It wrapped on August 5, CUPE voted 99.7 percent in favor of the strike mandate with its members’ announcement.
At first, both sides seemed optimistic that they could avoid a work stagnation despite a strong strike mandate. He returned to the bargaining table on 8 August.
But on Tuesday, Air Canada said it had reached “deadlock” in a conversation with the Sangh as the two sides were “far” on major issues. The Sangh told its members that the company “decided that they no longer wanted to talk.”
CUPE dismissed a proposal by Air Canada to enter a binding arbitration process. This would have suspended the Sangh’s strike rights, as well as Air Canada will also have the right to close the union members. While Air Canada argued that there was an example of going on that route, the couple said that it prefers to interact on a contract that its members can vote then.
The union issued a strike notice a few hours after the talks broke, while Air Canada issued a 72 -hour lockout notice. The parties were not able to reach a deal in those days, after which both did not want to talk to each other.
Air Canada has requested the government -directed arbitration to end the dispute, although job minister Patty Hazdu has not said whether Ottawa will oblige.
What is this dispute?
The Sangh has said that its main sticking points revolve around the fact that these flight attendants call the hostess “poverty wages” and unpaid labor when the aircraft are not in the air. It told the members that it has put up a proposal, seeking a cost of living growth every year, “with a catch-up” where we should be for 2025. ,
The Kapa said that the wages of entry-level Air Canada flight attendants have increased by 10 percent or $ 3 per hour in the last 25 years, which is far from inflation.
It is also stated that flight attendants are not paid “for an important part of their time”, such as when conducting security checks, to participate in medical and safety emergency situations, and help passengers with boarding and decline.
Air Canada said that its latest proposal includes total compensation 38 percent compensation in four years, including 25 percent in the first year. It said that the proposal also addressed the issue of ground pay, better pension and benefits, other promotion for the comfort and work-life balance of the crew.
The airline said that the proposal would give the best compensation to its flight attendant in Canada. But it said that the Sangh demanded excessive growth from those presented in the first presentations to a counter-offer. “
This report of Canadian Press was first published on 16 August 2025.
Companies in this story: (TSX: AC)
Sammy Hades, Canadian Press