Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge cancelled nearly 200 flights by midday Friday as the airline prepared for its flight attendants to go on strike Saturday.
The airline said it would begin winding down service ahead of the strike as it worked to position aircraft in preparation for the standstill. Air Canada was scheduled to operate 721 flights Friday, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Regional Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz Aviation and PAL Airlines were not expected to be affected.
On Thursday, the airline’s chief operating officer said that it could take a week to fully restart the airline’s operations even after it reaches a deal to end the strike, according to Reuters.
“It’s simply not the kind of system that we can start or stop at the push of a button,” COO Mark Nasr said. “So in order to have a safe and orderly wind down, we need to begin now.”
The airline said it would cancel 500 trips on Friday ahead of a total stoppage by Saturday, and it said that up to 130,000 passengers would be affected each day of a stoppage. The strike comes at the peak of the summer travel season and as families prepare for school to restart after the summer break.
The strike is occurring because flight attendants and the airline failed to reach an agreement over compensation for cabin crew. A key sticking point has been whether — and how much — flight attendants are paid when the plane is on the ground, such as during boarding and deplaning, according to CTV News.
What Air Canada passengers need to know
Although there is still time for an 11th-hour deal, those with flights booked on Air Canada should be prepared for cancellations.
Air Canada issued a preemptive travel waiver allowing passengers with flights between Aug. 15 and 18 to change their flights to another date between Aug. 21 and Sept. 12 without any fare differences. Travelers can also cancel their flights altogether and get travel credits for any unused flights in their itinerary.
If you are scheduled to travel on those dates and do not rebook, Air Canada said that it will attempt to rebook you on a flight with a different airline; however, it warned that capacity is extremely limited and your ticket will most likely be cancelled. The airline will issue you a refund once your flight is cancelled.
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The airline said it will notify passengers if their flight is cancelled, but even if you don’t receive a notification, double-check your flight status before heading to the airport.
United Airlines, which codeshares with Air Canada through the Star Alliance network, issued a travel waiver allowing customers with flights to Canada scheduled Aug. 15-18 to rebook with no fees for travel by Aug. 27.
Note that both waivers could be extended depending on the length of the strike and the time it takes Air Canada to fully resume its operations once the stoppage ends.
If your travel is disrupted, be sure to check in with your travel insurance or credit card, which may cover some incurred expenses. If you don’t have insurance, Air Canada will not cover things like hotels or meals. According to the Associated Press, Canadian regulations do not consider cancellations caused by a strike to fall under the airline’s control, meaning customers are not entitled to compensation.
Stay tuned to TPG for more on the strike as the situation develops.
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