By Peter Omopo
Air Canada faced widespread travel disruption on Saturday as its flight attendants went on strike, forcing the airline to suspend all operations and leaving more than 130,000 passengers stranded.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, confirmed the walkout, stating, “We are now officially on strike.” The strike began at 12:58 a.m. local time, following a 72-hour notice issued on Wednesday.
In response, Air Canada, which operates direct flights to 180 cities globally, announced it had “suspended all operations” and advised affected passengers not to go to airports. By 8:00 p.m. Friday, the airline had already cancelled 623 flights affecting over 100,000 travellers, and its full 700-flight schedule for Saturday was scrapped.
Union Demands and Dispute Background
CUPE cited unpaid ground duties—such as assisting passengers during boarding—as a major issue alongside wage increases. Currently, flight attendants are paid only for time spent in the air. Rafael Gomez, head of the University of Toronto’s Centre for Industrial Relations, noted that the union’s focus on these unpaid duties had struck a chord with passengers, emphasizing the fairness of compensation for all work performed.
Air Canada had proposed that senior flight attendants earn an average of CAN$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027, but CUPE rejected the offer, calling it “below inflation and below market value.” The union also declined federal government and airline requests to submit the dispute to independent arbitration.
Economic Impact and Outlook
Observers warn that the strike could significantly impact Canada’s economy, which is already under pressure from U.S. tariffs affecting industries like auto, aluminum, and steel. The Business Council of Canada noted that an Air Canada shutdown “would cause immediate and extensive harm to all Canadians,” affecting both passenger travel and cargo transport.
Despite the disruption, analysts believe the strike may not last long. Gomez noted, “This is peak season. The airline does not want to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue… They’re almost playing chicken with the flight attendants.”
The strike highlights growing tensions between airline workers and management over pay, working conditions, and fair compensation, and could set a precedent for labour negotiations in Canada’s aviation sector.
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