Air Canada to resume flights as cabin crew strike ends

Air Canada will begin resuming flights on Sunday (Aug. 17) after the Canadian government ordered an end to the strike by flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

The walkout, which started on August 16, led to the cancellation of more than 700 flights, forcing the airline to temporarily halt operations. The government’s intervention came after Labour Minister Patty Hajdu referred the stalled contract talks to a process of final binding arbitration.

According to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants were required to return to duty by 2:00 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday. The CIRB also extended the expired collective agreement, which lapsed on March 31, until a new contract is reached.

With aircraft and crews displaced from their scheduled rotations, Air Canada said the restart of operations will be gradual. The first flights will depart Sunday evening, but it will take seven to ten days for the schedule to fully stabilize, with some cancellations expected during the transition.

The airline urged customers to go to the airport only with a confirmed booking and to use its website or mobile app to check flight status.

It also reminded passengers that under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations, airlines are not required to provide compensation for delays or cancellations caused by events outside their control, such as a labour disruption.

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Ricardo Meier

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