Air Canada flight attendants threaten strike amid stalled contract talks

Air Canada faces a potential systemwide strike by its unionised flight attendants, with a strike deadline looming just hours away.

The airline has warned it could cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, affecting around 100,000 passengers. As of 11:20 a.m. ET, FlightAware reported 164 flights had already been cancelled, Caliber.Az reports per Reuters. 

The airline’s 10,000 flight attendants are pressing for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work, including hours spent boarding passengers and waiting at airports. Air Canada has requested government intervention to avert the strike.

Robyn Flynn, 38, whose flight from St. John’s to Montreal was delayed twice on August 15, expressed support for the attendants:

“They deserve a salary increase ...and if our flight gets cancelled, I 100% blame Air Canada, not the flight attendants.”

Canada’s Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has the authority under the Canada Labour Code to request binding arbitration through the Industrial Relations Board, a process that can take several days. The Toronto Region Board of Trade urged Ottawa to act, warning that a strike could damage Canada’s global reputation.

Analyst Tom Fitzgerald of TD Cowen estimated that a three-day strike could cost Air Canada C$300 million in EBITDA. Despite the looming disruption, the airline’s shares were trading up by just over 1 per cent at midday on August 15.

Air Canada and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge typically serve around 130,000 passengers daily and operate the largest number of Canadian flights to the US, despite recent travel reductions caused by trade tensions.

By Sabina Mammadli