Air Canada has announced it will begin cancelling flights starting Thursday in preparation for a potential strike that could see over 10,000 flight attendants walk off the job this weekend.
The airline said it will implement a gradual reduction in service, with more cancellations expected Friday and a full shutdown of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights by the weekend if no agreement is reached. An estimated 130,000 passengers per day could be affected.
The move follows a 72-hour strike notice issued by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), after negotiations stalled on Tuesday. CUPE represents Air Canada’s flight attendants, who are legally allowed to strike starting Saturday at 12:58 a.m. ET. In response, Air Canada has issued a lockout notice effective 1:30 a.m. ET Saturday.
Flights operated by Air Canada Express (Jazz and PAL Airlines) are expected to continue unaffected.
Contract talks have been ongoing since March, focusing on wages, working conditions, and unpaid time. While Air Canada says it offered a compensation increase of more than 38%, the union argues it falls short of inflation and fails to address core concerns. CUPE also rejected a proposal for binding arbitration earlier this week.
More updates will follow as the situation develops. In the meantime, if you’re planning to move cargo by air or have an existing air shipment, we encourage you to reach out to our Airfreight team. We’re ready to support you with tailored solutions to keep your shipments on track during this period of uncertainty.
Read More: CBC News
Source: CIFFA Bulletin