Passengers face uncertainty as Air Canada strike looms
As Air Canada flight cancellations are piling up and for many passengers, the uncertainty is growing. CTV's Kamil Karamali reports.
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Cision Canada
an hour ago
- Cision Canada
Air Canada Suspends Plans to Restart Operations after CUPE Defies CIRB Directive to Return to Work
Flight attendant union urges its members to refuse to report for work MONTREAL, Aug. 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Air Canada said it has suspended its plan to resume limited flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge today after the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) illegally directed its flight attendant members to defy a direction from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to return to work. The airline will resume flights as of tomorrow evening. All operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge were suspended August 16, 2025, due to a strike by CUPE. In accordance with the Government of Canada's direction, the CIRB ordered a resumption of our activities and directed our flight attendants to return to work. This order ended both CUPE's strike and the lockout Air Canada had imposed in response. Approximately 240 flights scheduled to operate beginning this afternoon have now been cancelled. Typically, the carriers operate 700 flights a day. Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and are strongly advised not to go the airport unless they have confirmed flights on other airlines. Air Canada will offer those with cancelled flights options, including obtaining a full refund or receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook customers on other carriers, although capacity is currently limited due to the peak summer travel season. Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL continue to operate as normal. About Air Canada Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada's Aeroplan program is Canada's premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada's climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada's TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US. Sign up for Air Canada news: Media Resources: Photos Videos B-Roll Articles SOURCE Air Canada
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Waning cross-border travel hurting Canada's already beleaguered duty-free industry
Article content Article content Barrett added that duty-free stores are often a microcosm of what is happening at the border. Article content 'This should be our busy season during the summer, but it is not; it is pandemic-level traffic in the parking lots, and it has led to one store closing in the east. We are unfortunately afraid that we will likely see more closures as we draw to the end of the summer,' she said. Article content Unlike airport stores, which are often owned by international companies, Barrett noted all of the land border stores are independently owned and are often family-run businesses. While Canadians shun U.S. trips, travel expert Claire Newell said many are opting for domestic and other international destinations. Article content 'We live in a country where it's still very expensive to travel domestically. And while there are many people who are choosing to travel within Canada, we also see more people heading to popular destinations,' she said. Article content She said she doesn't see Canadians changing their travel habits back to normal until there is a trade deal 'that feels fair.' Article content Article content As lower border traffic weighs on the industry, Barrett said she is advocating for 'small regulatory changes.' Article content 'We have some taxes on our products that, believe it or not, in a tax- and duty-free industry that our U.S. competitors don't have. So we're asking for those to be changed so we can be more competitive,' she said. Article content 'Also, we're asking to qualify for some of these tariff relief programs or pandemic-level supports along the lines of what they did during the pandemic with wage subsidy or rent subsidy.' Article content Article content Barrett said the government is the landlord for many duty-free stores and said a rent deferral or subsidy would help the industry until travel patterns normalize. She added that there have been conversations between her organization and senior government officials. Article content Barrett said those officials agreed the association was putting forward 'small asks' to support the industry. Article content An Aug. 2 release announcing the Woodstock Duty Free Shop's closure mentioned that the federal and provincial governments had promised tariff relief support programs to help businesses impacted by trade tensions. Article content Article content 'I pinned a lot of hopes on those when both levels of government made those announcements. I was reminded of the pandemic support programs,' Slipp said, adding that his business had benefited from such programs. Article content His attention has now turned to advocating for rent deferral programs for duty-free shops renting land from either the federal government or from a bridge authority as well as loan programs for duty-free stores. Article content When he looks at the future of the industry, he said the prospects 'are not bright.' Article content 'I'm grieving the loss of my business, but I'm also accepting the reality that the business environment has changed and there is nothing in the bag of tricks that would suggest positive changes in this industry in the short to medium term,' Slipp said. Article content 'I'm feeling bad that I was not able to succeed in the end and that I am having to lay to rest this business that my father and I have built and spent so many years working so hard on.' Article content
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Air Canada flight cancellations continue at Vancouver airport
Passengers use a kiosk to check in for an Air Canada flight at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. Air Canada is preparing to gradually suspend flights ahead of a potential work stoppage on Saturday. The airline said the first flights will be cancelled Thursday, with more on Friday and a complete cessation of flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge by the weekend if it doesn't reach a last-minute deal with the flight attendants' union. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Dozens of Air Canada flights into and out of Vancouver are cancelled Sunday and would-be travellers are being told not to come to the airport unless they have a confirmed itinerary. A statement from Vancouver International airport said Air Canada is working on a plan to resume operations amid a labour dispute between the airline and the union representing flight attendants. 'We anticipate a full return of flight schedules at YVR to take several days with the full network gradually returning to service,' an update to the airport's website Sunday morning said. 'YVR continues to have increased terminal staffing to assist travellers who are in the terminal, although the best source for up-to-date flight information is Air Canada directly.' The federal government has intervened in the labour dispute, imposing a back-to-work order that comes into effect at 11 a.m. Sunday However, the union said its members plan to defy the order and remain on strike.
