Air Canada Flights Resume After Strike Ends, Full Restoration Expected in Days
Air Canada Flights Resume After Strike Ends, Full Restoration Expected in Days
Air Canada is gradually restarting operations after reaching a tentative agreement with its union representing 10,000 flight attendants, bringing an end to a strike that disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
The airline announced that flights would begin resuming Tuesday evening following the agreement, which was reached early Tuesday after talks resumed late Monday. The strike, which began over the weekend, significantly impacted approximately 130,000 travelers daily during the peak summer travel season.
A key issue resolved in the agreement guarantees flight attendants pay for work performed while planes are on the ground. The union stated, “Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power.”
Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau cautioned that a full restoration of regular service could take seven to ten days, with some flights remaining canceled until the schedule stabilizes. The agreement was facilitated by a mediator, and no further details were immediately disclosed pending the ratification process. The airline confirmed that no further strikes or lockouts are possible during this period.
The resolution comes after the union had defied earlier return-to-work orders from the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which had declared the strike illegal. The government had intervened, ordering the board to act, a move that labor leaders criticized as an infringement on workers’ right to strike.
Prior to the agreement, Air Canada had estimated that 500,000 customers would be affected by flight cancellations. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that over 2,500 domestic and international flights had been called off since last Thursday, when the carrier began suspending operations ahead of the strike.
Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest, is deploying additional staff to assist passengers as operations ramp up. Passengers whose flights were impacted are eligible for full refunds via the airline’s website or mobile app.
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