THUNDER BAY — Air Canada says it will begin suspending flights on Thursday after the union representing 10,000 flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) served notice early Wednesday after talks stalled over wages and unpaid work hours. The strike is set to begin at 1:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, potentially disrupting up to 130,000 passengers per day during peak summer travel. Air Canada Express flights—which handle about 20% of daily customers—are not affected, but the airline warns of a “major risk” to operations.
What’s Changing for Travellers
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First cancellations: Select Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights on Thursday, with more on Friday; operations expected to cease Saturday if no deal is reached.
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Refunds & rebooking: Customers on cancelled flights will get full refunds and may be rebooked on other Canadian or international carriers, though alternatives could take time to arrange.
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Airports: Travellers without confirmed bookings are urged not to go to the airport. Toronto Pearson says it is monitoring the situation and advises passengers to check directly with the airline.
The Dispute
Air Canada says its latest proposal offered a 38% total compensation increase over four years, including 25% in year one. CUPE called the offer “below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage,” and says attendants would still not be paid for boarding and airport wait times. The union says it has bargained in good faith for more than eight months and accuses the airline of seeking government-imposed arbitration rather than true negotiations. Earlier this month, 99.7% of CUPE members voted in favour of strike action.
Airline Preparations
To speed recovery once the dispute ends, Air Canada will reposition aircraft and crews and carry out routine maintenance during the pause. The carrier is asking passengers to monitor their emails and booking portals for updates and avoid unnecessary airport visits unless travel is confirmed.
