Latest news with #Air Canada Rouge
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hundreds of flights grounded as Air Canada staff strike
Air Canada has suspended all its flights as a strike by cabin staff begins - a move the airline said will disrupt travel plans for around 130,000 passengers a day. The union representing more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants confirmed the start of industrial action early on Saturday morning. The airline said it had suspended all flights, including those under its budget arm Air Canada Rouge, and advised affected customers not to travel to the airport unless flying with a different airline. Air Canada's flight attendants are calling for higher salaries and to be paid for work when aircraft are on the ground. The strike took effect at 00:58 ET (04:58 GMT) on Saturday, though Air Canada began scaling back its operations before then. The airline says around 500 flights will be affected per day. Flight attendants will picket at major Canadian airports, where passengers were already trying to secure new bookings earlier in the week. Air Canada, which flies directly to 180 cities worldwide, said it had "suspended all operations" and that it was "strongly advising affected customers not to go to the airport". It added that Air Canada Jazz, PAL Airlines and Air Canada Express flights were unaffected by the strike. "Air Canada deeply regrets the effect the strike is having on customers," it said. By Friday night, the airline said it had cancelled 623 flights affecting more than 100,000 passengers, as part of a winding down of operations ahead of the strike. In contract negotiations, the airline said it had offered flight attendants a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year. CUPE said the offer was "below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage" and would still leave flight attendants unpaid for some hours of work, including boarding and waiting at airports ahead of flights. The union and the airline have publicly traded barbs about each other's willingness to reach an agreement. Earlier this month, 99.7% of employees represented by the union voted for a strike. Canadian jobs minister Patty Hajdu this week urged Air Canada and the union to return to the bargaining table to avoid a strike. She also said in a statement that Air Canada had asked her to refer the dispute to binding arbitration. CUPE has asserted that it had been negotiating in good faith for more than eight months, but that Air Canada instead sought government-directed arbitration. "When we stood strong together, Air Canada didn't come to the table in good faith," the union said in a statement to its members. "Instead, they called on the federal government to step in and take those rights away." Air Canada begins cancelling flights ahead of potential strike
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hundreds of flights suffer cancellation for Canada - Wetin cause am and why
Air Canada don suspend all dia flights becos of strike by dia cabin staff and di move fit disturb travel plans for around 130,000 passengers per day, according to di airline. Di union wey dey represent more dan 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants bin confam di 72-hour industrial action early Saturday morning. Di airline say dem don suspend all flights, wey include dose wey dey under dia budget arm Air Canada Rouge, and advise customers wey dey affected make dem no travel to di airport unless dem dey fly wit different airline. Canada largest airline bin begin dey suspend dia flights on Thursday afta di the union of flight attendants bin issue 72-hour strike notice. Air Canada say dem dey extremely disappointed by di decision to strike. During one press conference for Thursday, di union bin force dia way into di center and stop wetin di Air Canada executive vice president dey tok. "Dis na situation wey dey avoidable," Air Canada executive vice president Arielle Meloul tok during di press conference. Although, Canadian jobs minister Patty Hajdu say make Air Canada and di union return to negotiation to avoid di strike, but e no work. Why Air Canada flight attendants go on strike Di Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) wey get 10,000 Air Canada attendants bin provide strike notice on Wednesday afta. Di union say dem bargain in good faith but Air Canada no address issues wey surround wages and unpaid work. Why Air Canada flight attendants dey strike be say dem dey call for higher salaries. Also, dem want make dem get paid for work wen aircraft dey for ground. Earlier dis month, 99.7% of employees by di union bin vote for strike. Sake of dis strike, di airline say around 500 flights go dey affected per day. Flight attendants show for major Canadian airports, wia passengers dey try find new bookings earlier dis week. Air Canada wey dey fly directly to 180 cities worldwide, say dem "suspend all operations". By Friday night, di airline say e don cancel 623 flights wey affect more dan 100,000 passengers. Di airline say e offer flight attendants 38% increase in total compensation ova four years, wit 25% raise for di first year. But di union say di offer dey "below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage" and go still leave flight attendants unpaid for some hours of work wey include boarding and waiting for airports ahead of flights. Wetin go happun to passengers of Air Canada Customers wey dia flights dey cancelled go get notification and dem go receive full refund, according to di airline. Di company say dem don also make arrangements wit oda Canadian and foreign carriers to provide customers wit alternative travel options. Customers go dey notified of di alternative options, but if fit take time or fit no dey immediately possible. Who go dey affected by di Air Canada strike Air Canada dey operate for 64 kontris wit fleet of 259 aircrafts. And dem say di unplanned shutdown na "major risk" to di company and dia employees. Di flight cancellation dey expected to affect 130,000 daily customers, wey include 25,000 Canadians, wey dey travel during di summer period. According to di airline, dem say about 623 flights don dey cancelled and e go affect more dan 100,000 passengers. Reporting by George Wright
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Air Canada to cancel flights ahead of possible cabin crew strike
Air Canada is preparing for a complete shutdown of its operations by the weekend, announcing a gradual suspension of flights ahead of a potential work stoppage by its flight attendants. The country's largest airline confirmed that cancellations will begin on Thursday, escalating through Friday, with a full cessation of services for both Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge expected by Saturday. This drastic measure follows a 72-hour strike notice issued on Wednesday by the union representing approximately 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants. In response, the airline promptly issued a lockout notice. Customers whose flights are cancelled will receive notification and are eligible for a full refund. Air Canada also stated it has made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide alternative travel options where possible. Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau said in a statement: 'We regret the impact a disruption will have on our customers, our stakeholders and the communities we serve'. On Tuesday, Air Canada said it had reached an impasse with the union as the two sides remained far apart in contract talks. The union has said its main sticking points revolve around what it calls flight attendants' 'poverty wages' and unpaid labor when planes aren't in the air. 'Despite our best efforts, Air Canada refused to address our core issues,' the union said in a bargaining update posted online. The union rejected a proposal from the airline to enter a binding arbitration process, saying it prefers to negotiate a deal that its members can then vote on. Corinne Pohlmann, Executive Vice-President of Advocacy at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), called for calm ahead of the looming Air Canada strike. She said: "Small businesses are deeply concerned with the prospect of an Air Canada strike given the massive economic uncertainty currently facing the country. 'One-third of Canadian small firms depend on the summer tourism season for their revenues, and we cannot afford to lose a single day. 'Given the ongoing tariff disputes with the United States and China, Canadian businesses are scrambling to find new suppliers and customers in other provinces or other countries. 'Removing Canada's major domestic and international carrier from service would be another blow at this critical time. 'We are calling on the airline and union to resolve this issue with no disruption to service. If this is unsuccessful, Ottawa needs to immediately intervene to avoid the significant economic damage a strike would have on Canada's economy."
