Nearly 300 Air Canada flights cancelled as strike deadline by flight attendants nears
'As of 12 pm on Aug. 15, 2025, this is the operational wind down impact due to the impending CUPE strike: Total flights cancelled: | 294 People impacted: 55,726,' Air Canada wrote on X.
Canada's largest carrier has said it expects to cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, ahead of a threatened strike just before 1:00am ET on Saturday.
The carrier's 10,000 flight attendants are gearing up to walk off the job over stalled contract talks. The union is demanding higher wages and compensation for unpaid work, according to Reuters.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants, said that in addition to wage increases, it wants to address uncompensated ground work, including during the boarding process.
'An average passenger, not familiar with common industry practice, could think, 'I'm waiting to board the plane and there's a flight attendant helping me, but they're technically not being paid for that work,'' Rafael Gomez, who heads the University of Toronto's Center for Industrial Relations, told AFP.
He added that it is "common practice, even around the world," to compensate flight attendants based on their time in the air.
Air Canada asks Canadian govt to intervene
According to Bloomberg, Air Canada has asked the Canadian government to send the parties to binding arbitration, which would force flight attendants back to work and eventually lead to a final determination.
The union, affiliated with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, however, has asked Prime Minister Mark Carney 'to refrain from intervening in this constitutionally protected process for workers to be able to freely negotiate a collective agreement with their employer.'
Patty Hajdu, Canada's labour minister, said in a statement posted to social media that 'deals that are made at the bargaining table are the best ones", according to Bloomberg.
'I urged both parties to put their differences aside, come back to the bargaining table and get this done now for the many travelers who are counting on you,' Hajdu said.
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Time of India
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130,000 stranded daily: How Air Canada's pay dispute is wrecking summer travel
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Even before the strike officially began, Air Canada had started cancelling long-haul services. In a post on Thursday, it said the union had rejected a temporary agreement to allow stranded passengers to return from overseas. 'As a result, 25,000 additional passengers are going to be stranded abroad,' the airline posted. Air Canada normally runs daily flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kochi from Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. What lies ahead Air Canada's chief operating officer Mark Nasr has warned that even once a deal is reached, it could take up to a week to restore full operations. With a fleet of 259 aircraft and flights to 180 cities across 64 countries, the impact of the shutdown is vast. Industry experts believe neither side can afford a long stoppage. Rafael Gomez, director of the University of Toronto's Centre for Industrial Relations, told AFP that while unpaid pre-flight work is a common issue worldwide, CUPE has effectively presented it as one of fairness. He added, 'That's a very good issue to highlight.' He also suggested the strike would not last long. '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.' For now, passengers remain caught in the middle, their plans upended and their patience tested, as one of the busiest travel seasons in years grinds to a halt.
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Flight chaos in Canada: 10,000 Air Canada attendants strike; operations suspended, thousands of travelers stranded
Over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants begin strike, grounding all mainline flights and disrupting travel for thousands nationwide Air Canada suspended operations on Saturday as more than 10,000 flight attendants went on strike, leaving travelers stranded during the peak summer travel season. Strike begins after failed negotiations Flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), walked off the job around 1 am EDT after failing to reach a new contract deal. The union rejected Air Canada's request for government-directed arbitration, which would have removed the right to strike and allowed a third-party mediator to decide the terms. CUPE spokesman Hugh Pouliot confirmed the strike, while Air Canada simultaneously announced it would begin locking flight attendants out of airports. Government intervenes Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu met with both parties Friday night, urging them to reach an agreement. 'It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made. Canadians are counting on both parties to put forward their best efforts,' Hajdu said. The federal government previously forced Canada's major railroads into arbitration during a labor dispute, and some business groups are calling for similar action in this case. Travelers in limbo The shutdown affects about 130,000 people per day, including some 25,000 Canadians potentially stranded abroad. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mystical Forest Vase: Hot Sale topgadgetlife Shop Now Undo Air Canada operates roughly 700 flights daily, making the strike a major disruption in a country where flying is often the only practical travel option. Montreal resident Alex Laroche, 21, described his frustration as he awaited news on his $8,000 nonrefundable trip to Europe. 'At this point, it's just a waiting game,' he said, noting that alternative flights are scarce and expensive. Sticking points in negotiations The dispute centers on pay and compensation for unpaid work when planes are not in the air. Air Canada's latest offer included a 38% total compensation increase over four years, which it said would make attendants the best compensated in Canada. The union argued the proposed 8% raise in the first year did not keep pace with inflation. Recovery uncertain Air Canada COO Mark Nasr warned it could take up to a week to resume operations once a tentative deal is reached fully. Passengers affected are eligible for refunds or alternative travel options where possible, though full rebooking cannot be guaranteed due to the summer travel peak. The strike marks a dramatic escalation in a bitter contract fight that has lasted eight months, with both sides showing no immediate signs of compromise.
