Air Canada will begin gradually suspending its flight operations from Thursday, in preparation for a 72-hour strike planned by its flight attendants this weekend. The airline said the move could lead to significant disruptions, including complete cessation of flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge over the weekend.
The strike, set to start at 1am EST (5am GMT) on Saturday, follows a breakdown in contract negotiations between the airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents around 10,000 flight attendants.
Union Vote and Demands
CUPE issued its strike notice on Wednesday after 99.7% of its members voted in favour of industrial action. The union says it has spent the past nine months presenting “data-driven” proposals focused on wage increases and addressing unpaid work, claiming these are in line with fairness and industry standards.
Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, said:
“Air Canada’s response to our proposals makes one thing clear: they are not interested in resolving these critical issues.”
Lockout Notice from Air Canada
In response, Air Canada issued a 72-hour lockout notice, accusing the union of seeking “exorbitant increases” and rejecting an offer for third-party arbitration.
The airline said the strike poses “a major risk” to its operations and employees. According to BBC, about 130,000 daily passengers — including 25,000 Canadians — could be affected at the peak of the summer travel season.
Contingency Plans and ‘Orderly Shutdown’
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Air Canada stated:
“To address ongoing labour uncertainty following strike notice by CUPE, Air Canada’s flight attendant union, a lockout notice was issued to CUPE today, effective Aug. 16. We will begin implementing our contingency plan to gradually begin an orderly wind down of operations.”
Air Canada operates with 259 aircraft serving destinations in 64 countries, making the strike one of the largest potential labour disruptions in its recent history.
The airline’s contingency measures will begin Thursday, leading to more cancellations Friday, and potentially a complete halt of operations over the weekend if no agreement is reached.
