Cancellations begin at YVR as Air Canada strike looms
Long-hail flights were the first to be cancelled as Vancouver's airport braces for the potential impact of a full shutdown of Air Canada operations.
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Ottawa Citizen
24 minutes ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Air Canada flight attendants go on strike, planes grounded
Air Canada grounded hundreds of flights and locked out flight attendants after they went on strike, disrupting some 130,000 passengers a day during the summer vacation season. Article content About 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job early Saturday after pay talks between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the country's biggest airline fell through. At Toronto Pearson, Canada's busiest airport, the departure board showed one cancellation after another. Article content Article content Air Canada suspended operations of its main line and Rouge budget brand as the strike began at 12:58 a.m. Eastern time. The Montreal-based carrier had scrapped hundreds of flights in the days before the deadline and said it imposed a lockout in response to the stoppage. Article content Article content 'We are now officially on strike,' the union's Air Canada component said on its website. Article content It's a major interruption to the nation's air travel system. Air Canada is the country's biggest airline, with a 50 per cent share of domestic passengers at Toronto Pearson and about 61 per cent at Montreal's primary airport, according to a recent report from the country's competition watchdog, based on 2023 data. Article content The strike may cost Air Canada $75 million daily in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, TD Cowen analyst Tom Fitzgerald said in a note on Friday. Cargo operations will also be affected. Article content Article content Regional flights by Air Canada Express aren't affected because they're operated by third-party airlines, allowing some flights to US destinations such as Newark and Boston to go ahead. Article content Pay dispute at heart of labour action Article content Pay is a major sticking point in the negotiations. Air Canada said it offered to increase total compensation, including benefits and bonuses, by 25 per cent in the first year and 38 per cent over four years, and agreed to pay workers for some of the time they spend on the ground. Air Canada flight attendants are paid only when the aircraft is in motion and not for work such as boarding — a common practice in the industry. Article content Patty Hajdu, Canada's minister of jobs and families, said she met with both sides late Friday and urged them to keep working to make a deal. 'It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made,' she said in a social media post.
Calgary Herald
24 minutes ago
- Calgary Herald
Air Canada flight attendants go on strike, planes grounded
Air Canada grounded hundreds of flights and locked out flight attendants after they went on strike, disrupting some 130,000 passengers a day during the summer vacation season. Article content About 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job early Saturday after pay talks between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the country's biggest airline fell through. At Toronto Pearson, Canada's busiest airport, the departure board showed one cancellation after another. Article content Article content Air Canada suspended operations of its main line and Rouge budget brand as the strike began at 12:58 a.m. Eastern time. The Montreal-based carrier had scrapped hundreds of flights in the days before the deadline and said it imposed a lockout in response to the stoppage. Article content Article content 'We are now officially on strike,' the union's Air Canada component said on its website. Article content It's a major interruption to the nation's air travel system. Air Canada is the country's biggest airline, with a 50 per cent share of domestic passengers at Toronto Pearson and about 61 per cent at Montreal's primary airport, according to a recent report from the country's competition watchdog, based on 2023 data. Article content The strike may cost Air Canada $75 million daily in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, TD Cowen analyst Tom Fitzgerald said in a note on Friday. Cargo operations will also be affected. Article content Article content Regional flights by Air Canada Express aren't affected because they're operated by third-party airlines, allowing some flights to US destinations such as Newark and Boston to go ahead. Article content Pay dispute at heart of labour action Article content Pay is a major sticking point in the negotiations. Air Canada said it offered to increase total compensation, including benefits and bonuses, by 25 per cent in the first year and 38 per cent over four years, and agreed to pay workers for some of the time they spend on the ground. Air Canada flight attendants are paid only when the aircraft is in motion and not for work such as boarding — a common practice in the industry. Article content Patty Hajdu, Canada's minister of jobs and families, said she met with both sides late Friday and urged them to keep working to make a deal. 'It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made,' she said in a social media post.
CTV News
24 minutes ago
- CTV News
‘Super disappointed': Customers around the world vent frustration following Air Canada strike
Travellers wait in line for the next available agent at the Air Canada counter in Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval, Que., Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi For Emily Ramos, a Toronto teacher travelling with her husband and two children, a long-planned summer trip to Nova Scotia has turned into a nightmare of cancellations, skyrocketing costs, and unanswered calls. She is not alone. Already, CTV News Toronto has heard from nearly 100 Air Canada customers Saturday morning, including families stuck abroad, passengers stranded at airports and travellers left on hold for hours. Many say they remain in limbo, citing that their flights have not yet been cancelled, leaving them unable to claim refunds or rebook elsewhere. The strike by Air Canada's flight attendants — which began at 12:58 a.m. ET Saturday — has suspended all operations by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, disrupting an estimated 130,000 passengers each day. Across the country, hundreds are gathered at airports picketing and raising awareness for workers' rights. Air Canada Air Canada flight attendants picket at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan (The Canadian Press) 'Our Canadian airline is now abandoning us' Ramos says her family's six-day vacation could now come at a loss of thousands of dollars. They've booked non-refundable hotels in Nova Scotia but are unable to confirm if their Monday morning flight will depart. 'The one airline that is … our Canadian airline is now abandoning us and it really is frustrating,' Ramos said. 'We're looking at either losing all non-refundable hotel money to the tune of two or $3,000 and not going on the trip, or spending five or $6,000 to get ourselves there and hoping to figure out the way back later.' With children aged eight and 13, she says flexibility isn't an option. 'We try to do one family vacation every year, and this is it,' Ramos said. Emily Ramos Emily Ramos, a Toronto teacher is seen pictured with her family. She along with many others are dealing with the results of widespread Air Canada strike (CTV News photo). Her frustration goes beyond her own disrupted trip. 'I'm super disappointed them as a company.' she said. 'Air Canada is usually the most reliable up until this point … there aren't as many airlines that we can rely on.' Other passengers voiced similar concerns. A traveller returning from the Czech Republic said they received notice their flight was cancelled, but Air Canada could not rebook them within 48 hours. 'They urged me to accept the refund, or call them if my travel is flexible. I tried calling, but it's impossible to get through so now I'm stuck in limbo,' the passenger said. 'Extremely disappointed' Some travellers say they have lost confidence in the airline altogether. Anat Baron, a Canadian traveller scheduled to fly home to Los Angeles on Sunday, said she has received no updates about whether her flight will operate. Despite the strike, she says she was still able to check in through the Air Canada app. 'I'm extremely frustrated. I have been on the app non-stop,' Baron said. 'Why am I able to check into my flight right now when my plane is clearly not going? They have the technology. They have the know-how … what are they doing?' Baron said her recent experiences with the airline have been riddled with cancellations, delays and lost luggage in years past. AC Luggage is seen as travellers wait in line at the Air Canada counter in Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval, Que., Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi (The Canadian Press) 'I think the mark of any great company that's in the service business is, what do you do when things go wrong — and they fail every single time,' she said. 'Air Canada does not make you feel like they care about their passengers. Period.' Air Canada's response In a statement issued Saturday, Air Canada urged passengers not to head to the airport unless they already had a confirmed ticket on another airline. 'Air Canada will notify customers with imminent travel of additional cancelled flights and their options,' the airline said. 'For those customers due to travel soon whose flights are not yet cancelled, Air Canada has put in place a goodwill policy to allow them to rebook their travel or obtain a credit for future travel.' The airline also says it offers its sincere regret for the impact the strike has had on customers. 'Air Canada deeply regrets the effect the labour disruption is having on customers.' Share your story with us Has your Air Canada flight been cancelled? Are you stuck abroad waiting to get home? How has the strike disrupted your travel plans? Share your story by emailing us at torontonews@ with your name, general location, and phone number in case we want to follow up. If you're from outside Toronto, share your story by emailing us at dotcom@ with your name, general location and phone number. Your comments may be used in a future story.
