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San Francisco Chronicle
10 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Air Canada travelers brace for impact: What to know if your flight is canceled
Summer travelers are facing uncertainty as the clock winds down on a possible strike by Air Canada flight attendants, which the airline said would force it to cancel almost all of its scheduled flights as soon as Saturday. The Canadian carrier said it was suspending its schedule and trying to get passengers booked with other airlines to limit disruptions. Hundreds of flights have been canceled since Thursday as part of what the airline described as a 'phased wind down' of most operations. By Friday's end, it expected to call off 500 flights. Both the union that represents about 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants and the airline say disagreements over key issues, including pay raises, have brought contract talks to a standstill. A complete shutdown of the country's largest airline threatens to impact about 130,000 people a day. Here's what to know about the cancellations and your rights as a passenger: Impacted passengers will be notified Air Canada said it would reach out via email or text to let customers know if their flights are canceled. By late Friday afternoon, Air Canada had called off at least 128 domestic flights and 194 international flights that were scheduled to depart on Friday and Saturday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. On Thursday, 18 domestic flights and four international flights were canceled. Flight attendants are threatening to strike at 1 a.m. EDT Saturday if they don't have a new contract by then. If the walkout happens, the airline said it would suspend all of its Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights, but not the regional Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz Aviation and PAL Airlines. How long the airline's planes will be grounded remains to be seen. Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Mark Nasr said the decision to lock out the union members even if it meant halting flights would help facilitate an orderly restart, 'which under the best circumstances will take a full week to complete.' A complete grounding would affect 25,000 Canadians a day who traveled abroad and may become stranded. You have options if your flight is canceled Passengers whose travel is impacted will be eligible to request a full refund on the airline's website or mobile app, according to Air Canada. The airline said it would also offer alternative travel options through other Canadian and foreign airlines when possible. But it warned that it could not guarantee immediate rebooking because flights on other airlines are already full 'due to the summer travel peak.' Passengers with the flexibility to reschedule their travel plans can also rebook their flights for dates between Aug. 21 and Sept. 12 at no additional cost, Air Canada said. The airline says that under federal regulations, flight cancellations caused by a strike or lockout are considered outside the carrier's control, meaning customers are not eligible for compensation for food and lodging expenses incurred during the labor dispute. United Airlines, one of Air Canada's Star Alliance partners, said it would step in to help passengers who might be stranded at airports in cities across Canada: Edmonton, Halifax, Ottawa, Québec City, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary and Toronto. On its travel alert page, United said it was waiving fees for eligible customers to rebook travel on a United flight departing through Aug. 27. United said the new flights must be between the same cities as the original tickets. The Star Alliance is a global network of major airlines that offer coordinated schedules and other travel benefits. Most of the union voted to strike Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have been in contract talks for about eight months, but they have yet to reach a tentative deal. By the end of July, the union put it to a vote, and 99.7% approved a strike. The union on Wednesday gave Air Canada a 72-hour strike notice. The airline responded with a so-called lockout notice, saying it would prevent the flight attendants from working on Saturday. The union said Friday it rejected a proposal from the airline to enter a binding arbitration process, which would prevent flight attendants from walking off the job and allow a mediator to decide the terms of the new contract. The union says it prefers to negotiate directly with the airline on a deal that its members can then vote on. Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Air Canada's head of human resources, said the company was weighing all of its options, including asking for government intervention. Negotiations break down over pay Both the union and the airline say they remain far apart on the issue of pay and the unpaid work flight attendants do when planes aren't in the air. The airline said its latest offer included a 38% increase in total compensation, including benefits and pensions over four years. But the union pushed back, saying the proposed 8% raise in the first year didn't go far enough because of inflation. Vancouver-based flight attendant Henly Larden, who has worked for Air Canada since 2017, said the union also won't back down on its goal to get flight attendants paid for the time they're on the ground. Larden, 33, called it a "very archaic expectation' to work for free during the boarding process.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Deadline looms to avert Air Canada strike
Air Canada faced a midnight deadline Friday to avert a flight attendants strike that would shut down service, creating summer travel chaos for the carrier's 130,000 daily passengers. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants, says that in addition to wage increases it wants to address uncompensated ground work, including during the boarding process. Rafael Gomez, who heads the University of Toronto's Center for Industrial Relations, told AFP it's "common practice, even around the world" to compensate flights attendants based on time in the air. He said the union had built an effective communication campaign around the issue, creating a public perception of unfairness. 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,'" he said. "That's a very good issue to highlight." Air Canada detailed its latest offer in a Thursday statement, specifying that under the terms a senior flight attendant would on average make CAN$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027. CUPE has described Air Canada's offers as "below inflation (and) below market value." The airline, which flies to 180 airports worldwide, began cancelling isolated flights on Thursday, part of what it called a gradual wind-down of service ahead of a potential full shutdown. Chief operating officer Mark Nasr told reporters that "all flights will be paused by Saturday early morning," without a deal. CUPE issued a 72-hour strike notice at 12:01 am (0401 GMT) Wednesday, meaning the labor action could begin one minute past midnight on Saturday. Gomez said both sides were engaging in "brinkmanship." "This is peak season," he said. "The airline does not want to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue... They're almost playing chicken with the flight attendants." CUPE rejected a request to settle outstanding issues through arbitration.
Time Magazine
13 hours ago
- Business
- Time Magazine
What to Know About the Planned Air Canada Strike
Air Canada has warned its customers that their travel over the next few days could be disrupted because of a planned strike by its unionized flight attendants. The planned action comes after contract negotiations between the union representing Air Canada's roughly 10,000 flight attendants, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and the air carrier have stalled. The union filed a notice on Wednesday that it planned to strike starting around 1 a.m. ET on Saturday, and the airline responded in kind, filing its own notice that said it would lock out flight attendants, blocking them from going into work. Air Canada is Canada's largest air carrier, running both domestic and international flights. The airline and its affiliate, Air Canada Rouge, typically serve about 130,000 customers a day, and a grounding of all flights run directly by Air Canada would leave those passengers scrambling to make alternative travel arrangements. Mark Nasr, Chief Operations Officer for Air Canada, was quoted as saying on Thursday that the impact of a total shutdown would be 'profound.' Here's what to know about the planned strike and how it stands to impact travelers. Why is the union representing Air Canada planning to go on strike? Flight attendants are demanding better wages and compensation for unpaid work. Currently, Air Canada only compensates flight attendants for the time they are in the air, but its attendants are seeking pay for the work they do before take-off and after landing, too. Many North American airlines only compensate flight attendants for the time spent in the air, but Delta Air Lines in 2022 agreed to pay for the work flight attendants do while passengers are boarding the plane. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines have since followed suit. Both CUPE and the airline maintain that negotiations have reached an impasse. Air Canada said it offered a 38% increase in total compensation—that includes wages, benefits, and pensions—over four years. CUPE, though, said the airline's offer of an 8% raise in the first year wasn't enough to make up for the impact of inflation. CUPE also said it turned down the company's proposal to enter a binding arbitration process because it would rather work out a deal that the unionized flight attendants would be able to vote on, according to the Associated Press. Patty Hajdu, Canada's Jobs Minister, has encouraged both parties to negotiate and reach an agreement. 'To the parties: I strongly urge you to come to an agreement—do not waste this precious time. Canadians are counting on you,' Hajdu said in a statement posted on X. 'To Canadians: I understand this dispute is causing a great deal of frustration and anxiety. I am closely monitoring this evolving situation, and federal mediators are willing and able to work with both parties around the clock until they reach a deal.' Read More: The Safest Place to Sit on a Plane, According to Experts Has Air Canada started canceling flights? Yes, flights are already being impacted. On Thursday, Air Canada started an 'operational wind down' because of the planned strike, canceling 34 flights that impacted nearly 8,000 people, according to an update the company shared via social media. By noon on Friday, Air Canada had canceled a total of 294 flights, affecting more than 55,000 people, per an additional update from the airline. Speaking on Thursday, Nasr predicted that by 1 a.m. on Saturday morning, Air Canada 'will be completely grounded.' What should travelers do if their Air Canada flight is canceled? In a press release on Friday, Air Canada said that customers who have flights booked between Aug. 15 to 18 can change their flight free of charge if they bought the ticket on or before Aug. 14. If a customer chooses not to change their travel arrangements, but their flight is later canceled because of the planned strike, Air Canada said it will try to rebook the customer on a different flight, including with other airlines. However, the company warned: 'Available capacity on our airline and on other carriers is limited due to the summer travel peak, meaning the possibility of rebooking you within an acceptable timeframe is low.' It added that a customer in that situation could instead opt to receive a refund. The airline also advised on Friday that if a customer's flight is canceled, they shouldn't go to the airport unless they have received a confirmed new booking. Air Canada said travelers can contact customer service with any questions, but noted that wait times will be longer than usual due to current circumstances.
San Francisco Chronicle
14 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Air Canada could shut down completely unless the airline and its flight attendants reach a deal
TORONTO (AP) — A complete shutdown of Air Canada is looming if the union representing the flight attendants of the country's dominant air carrier and the airline fail to reach an agreement by early Saturday. More than 10,000 flight attendants are poised to walk off the job around 1 a.m. EST on Saturday, followed by a company-imposed lockout. It threatens to impact about 130,000 travelers a day. The Canadian carrier said it expects to call off 500 flights by the end of Friday ahead of the deadline. It already started canceling flights on Thursday in expectation of the massive work stoppage that could impact hundreds of thousands of travelers. A full grounding could affect some 25,000 Canadians a day abroad who may become stranded. "We strongly urge the parties to work with federal mediators and get a deal done. Time is precious and Canadians are counting on you," Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said in a statement Friday. By midday Friday, Air Canada had called off 87 domestic flights and 176 international flights that were scheduled to depart on Friday and Saturday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. On Thursday, when the airline said it was beginning it's 'phased wind down' of most operations, 18 domestic flights and four international flights were canceled. Canadian Union of Public Employees, or CUPE, which represents the flight attendants, refused to voluntarily submit to arbitration. 'The appropriate course of action is for Air Canada to return to the table and resume good faith bargaining,' it said in a statement. The union, which represents about 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, and the airline say disagreements over key issues, including pay raises, have brought contract talks to a standstill. How long the planes will be grounded remains to be seen. Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Mark Nasr said the decision to lock out the union members even if it meant halting flights would help facilitate an orderly restart, 'which under the best circumstances will take a full week to complete.' Air Canada and CUPE have been in contract talks for about eight months, but they have yet to reach a tentative deal. The union put it to a vote at the end of July and 99.7% approved a strike. On Wednesday, it gave Air Canada a 72-hour strike notice. The airline responded with a so-called lockout notice, saying it would prevent the flight attendants from working on Saturday. The union said it rejected a proposal from the airline to enter a binding arbitration process that would have prevented flight attendants from walking off the job, saying it prefers to negotiate a deal that its members can then vote on.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Air Canada strike update: Airline cancels flights and issues lookout notice as 130,000 may face daily disruptions
Air Canada is bracing for a major disruption as tensions with its flight attendants escalate. The airline has already begun canceling flights in case of a possible work stoppage that could leave thousands of people stuck. Given the current standoff between both sides, the next 72 hours could determine whether Canada's largest airline completely ceases operations. What effect will the strike have on travelers? Air Canada has started to cancel flights ahead of time after its flight attendants gave a 72-hour strike notice, which could mean that all of the airline's operations will be grounded across the country. The airline says that the stop could affect about 130,000 passengers every day, and by the end of Friday, hundreds of flights had already been canceled. All Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights should be stopped by early Saturday morning, as quoted in a report by KCRA 3. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo ALSO READ: Orca attack mystery: What really happened to marine trainer Jessica Radcliffe Mark Nasr, the Chief Operations Officer, said that the decision to slowly stop flights will make it easier to start them up again if an agreement is reached. Live Events He said, "which under the best circumstances will take a full week to complete." Several long-haul international routes have already seen the first wave of cancellations, and about 25,000 Canadians could be stuck overseas every day, as quoted in a report by KCRA 3. Long-haul international flights that were scheduled to depart Thursday night will be impacted by the first round of cancellations, he said, which involved several dozen flights. "By tomorrow evening we expect to have cancelled flights affecting over 100,000 customers,' Nasr said. 'By the time we get to 1 a.m. on Saturday morning, we will be completely grounded.' By the end of Friday, 500 flights are anticipated to be canceled, as quoted in a report by KCRA 3. ALSO READ: Tesla abruptly ends Dojo supercomputer as Musk shifts focus to next-gen AI chips - what went wrong with the project? What are the union's main requests? The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which speaks for about 10,000 flight attendants, says that the disagreement is mostly about low pay and not getting paid for time spent on the ground. Some of the attendants held up signs at a press conference that said "Unpaid work won't fly" and "Poverty wages = UnCanadian," showing how angry they were. Air Canada recently offered a 38% raise in total pay, which includes wages, pensions, and benefits, over four years. But the union says this still doesn't cover all of their worries. Natasha Stea, a spokesperson for the union, said that management might be counting on the federal government to step in instead of having real talks. She said, "There's still time to reach an agreement if we sit down and talk." ALSO READ: Apple's iPhone 17 color lineup leaks: Stunning new hues spark frenzy online Can the government step in to stop the shutdown? The airline suggested binding arbitration, but the union turned it down and insisted on direct negotiations that all members can vote on. Patty Hajdu, the federal jobs minister, has told both sides to reach an agreement at the table, but she hasn't ruled out government action if things get worse. This strike is coming up almost a year after Air Canada narrowly avoided a similar problem with its pilots, who reached a contract deal before a strike notice was sent out. The pilots' union has spoken out in support of the flight attendants and asked that their right to negotiate as a group be respected without government interference. Air Canada is currently offering full refunds to passengers whose flights have been canceled. The airline is also working with other airlines to find other ways for people to travel when possible. But as the deadline gets closer, the future of Canada's busiest airline is still up in the air, and the effect on travelers could be huge. FAQs How many people might the strike affect? The strike could potentially impact approximately 130,000 individuals daily. What is the main cause of the disagreement? Concerns about remuneration and unpaid work hours are the primary causes of this disagreement.
