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Canada Games fans stranded in St. John's amid Air Canada strike
Canada Games fans were stranded in St. John's on Monday as the Air Canada flight attendant strike continued.
At St. John's International Airport, Sherisse Harder of Winnipeg said she was upset.
"Just very disappointed. A lot of us are just swearing off flying forever because of this."
Harder visited St. John's to watch the Canada Games. She said her flight back to Winnipeg was cancelled 12 hours before they were scheduled to board. On Monday, she wasn't sure when she'd get a new flight.
Rob Otterman from Ontario also visited the city to see his son play baseball at the Games. He said his son got home on Sunday, but his family did not.
Otterman said Air Canada staff at the airport were nice, but they were limited in what they could do to help. For a while he was on standby with the airline, but then he received a new booking for Saturday.
WATCH | 'Right now, the flights out of here are just crazy stupid and like very expensive,' says one traveller:
Some people are stuck in N.L. and don't know when they're getting out due to Air Canada strike
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It's peak tourism season, the 2025 Canada Summer Games is in full swing, and Air Canada flights are cancelled — and that has many people who have come to visit Newfoundland and Labrador wondering how they're getting back home. The CBC's Abby Cole reports.
"It's been very frustrating because now we have to find lodging [and a] car," he said. "Our athlete, our son, is actually back at home by himself."
For him and his family to stay in St. John's, Otterman figured he would have to pay thousands of dollars for accommodations and food.
"I think it would be nice to have a little bit more help and assistance as far as being proactive to help people that are stuck to try to make other arrangements," said Otterman.
Meanwhile, some families of Canada Games athletes won't be able to watch them compete in person.
Team Alberta soccer player Emma Colbert said her aunt and grandfather had their flight cancelled due to the strike.
"It's pretty sad that they're not able to come, but I know they're still supporting me from afar," Colbert said.
In a statement, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation spokesperson Adrienne Luther said the timing of the strike was concerning.
Luther said Air Canada handles 50 per cent of the province's air capacity.
"The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador hopes all sides can come to an agreement to prevent any further impacts to visitors and residents of the province," she wrote.
Attendants defy back-to-work order
Air Canada flight attendants went on strike Saturday, demanding better wages, and pay for work that's done when the plane is not moving.
By midday Saturday, the federal government invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to order binding arbitration between the airline and the union — and send flight attendants back to work.
But on Sunday, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said it was going to defy the order, calling it unconstitutional.
