Latest news with #flightcancellations
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Air Canada, union clash despite government pleas for deal to avert Saturday strike
By Allison Lampert MONTREAL (Reuters) -Air Canada and its unionized flight attendants remained at odds on Friday, despite government pleas for both sides to return to bargaining to avert a strike that would upend travel for tens of thousands of passengers. Canada's largest carrier has said it expects to cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, ahead of the planned Saturday strike, leaving some 100,000 passengers scrambling for alternatives. Flightradar data showed Air Canada had cancelled 27 flights as of 10 p.m. EDT on Thursday (0200 GMT on Friday). The carrier's 10,000 flight attendants are gearing up to strike just before 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday over stalled contract talks on union demands for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work. A strike would hit Canada's tourism sector during the height of the summer travel season and test the ruling Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney, which has been asked by the carrier to intervene and impose arbitration. Air Canada and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge normally carry about 130,000 customers a day. Air Canada is also the non-U.S. carrier with the largest number of flights to the U.S., despite recent cutbacks in travel there from Canada due to trade tensions. Air Canada, which has also given notice that it will lock out its flight attendants, has ceased negotiating, said the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the cabin crew. Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has repeatedly urged both parties to negotiate. Air Canada's Chief Human Resources Officer Arielle Meloul-Wechsler said on Thursday the carrier was "available to bargain at any time on the condition that the negotiation has substance." On Thursday night, Air Canada and the union clashed over an agreement to avoid stranding thousands of passengers abroad when the strike is expected to begin on Saturday. The deal would have delayed the walkout for cabin crew who were away from their home base, until they returned with their passengers on Saturday. Air Canada said on X that an additional 25,000 passengers would be stranded after the union rejected that deal, adding that double the usual number of flight attendants did not report for work on Thursday night. But in a bulletin to members, the union said it supports the deal, which failed because Air Canada said it would not honor its members' collective agreements when they fly back on Saturday with their passengers. The flight attendants' contract ceases to apply when the strike begins on Saturday, the union said. The dispute hinges on the way airlines compensate flight attendants. Most have traditionally paid them only when planes are in motion. But in their latest contract negotiations, flight attendants in North America have sought compensation for hours worked, including for tasks such as boarding passengers and waiting around the airport before and between flights. (Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Air Canada, union clash despite government pleas for deal to avert Saturday strike
By Allison Lampert MONTREAL (Reuters) -Air Canada and its unionized flight attendants remained at odds on Friday, despite government pleas for both sides to return to bargaining to avert a strike that would upend travel for tens of thousands of passengers. Canada's largest carrier has said it expects to cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, ahead of the planned Saturday strike, leaving some 100,000 passengers scrambling for alternatives. Flightradar data showed Air Canada had cancelled 27 flights as of 10 p.m. EDT on Thursday (0200 GMT on Friday). The carrier's 10,000 flight attendants are gearing up to strike just before 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday over stalled contract talks on union demands for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work. A strike would hit Canada's tourism sector during the height of the summer travel season and test the ruling Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney, which has been asked by the carrier to intervene and impose arbitration. Air Canada and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge normally carry about 130,000 customers a day. Air Canada is also the non-U.S. carrier with the largest number of flights to the U.S., despite recent cutbacks in travel there from Canada due to trade tensions. Air Canada, which has also given notice that it will lock out its flight attendants, has ceased negotiating, said the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the cabin crew. Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has repeatedly urged both parties to negotiate. Air Canada's Chief Human Resources Officer Arielle Meloul-Wechsler said on Thursday the carrier was "available to bargain at any time on the condition that the negotiation has substance." On Thursday night, Air Canada and the union clashed over an agreement to avoid stranding thousands of passengers abroad when the strike is expected to begin on Saturday. The deal would have delayed the walkout for cabin crew who were away from their home base, until they returned with their passengers on Saturday. Air Canada said on X that an additional 25,000 passengers would be stranded after the union rejected that deal, adding that double the usual number of flight attendants did not report for work on Thursday night. But in a bulletin to members, the union said it supports the deal, which failed because Air Canada said it would not honor its members' collective agreements when they fly back on Saturday with their passengers. The flight attendants' contract ceases to apply when the strike begins on Saturday, the union said. The dispute hinges on the way airlines compensate flight attendants. Most have traditionally paid them only when planes are in motion. But in their latest contract negotiations, flight attendants in North America have sought compensation for hours worked, including for tasks such as boarding passengers and waiting around the airport before and between flights. (Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Sign in to access your portfolio
CTV News
2 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
CTV National News: Here's what passengers should know if their flight is cancelled
Watch Adrian Ghobrial reports on what is legally required from Air Canada when it comes to handling cancelled flights if a strike is called.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Air Canada, union clash despite government pleas for deal to avert Saturday strike
MONTREAL, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Air Canada ( opens new tab and its unionized flight attendants remained at odds on Friday, despite government pleas for both sides to return to bargaining to avert a strike that would upend travel for tens of thousands of passengers. Canada's largest carrier has said it expects to cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, ahead of the planned Saturday strike, leaving some 100,000 passengers scrambling for alternatives. Flightradar data showed Air Canada had cancelled 27 flights as of 10 p.m. EDT on Thursday (0200 GMT on Friday). The carrier's 10,000 flight attendants are gearing up to strike just before 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday over stalled contract talks on union demands for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work. A strike would hit Canada's tourism sector during the height of the summer travel season and test the ruling Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney, which has been asked by the carrier to intervene and impose arbitration. Air Canada and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge normally carry about 130,000 customers a day. Air Canada is also the non-U.S. carrier with the largest number of flights to the U.S., despite recent cutbacks in travel there from Canada due to trade tensions. Air Canada, which has also given notice that it will lock out its flight attendants, has ceased negotiating, said the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the cabin crew. Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has repeatedly urged both parties to negotiate. Air Canada's Chief Human Resources Officer Arielle Meloul-Wechsler said on Thursday the carrier was "available to bargain at any time on the condition that the negotiation has substance." On Thursday night, Air Canada and the union clashed over an agreement to avoid stranding thousands of passengers abroad when the strike is expected to begin on Saturday. The deal would have delayed the walkout for cabin crew who were away from their home base, until they returned with their passengers on Saturday. Air Canada said on X that an additional 25,000 passengers would be stranded after the union rejected that deal, adding that double the usual number of flight attendants did not report for work on Thursday night. But in a bulletin to members, the union said it supports the deal, which failed because Air Canada said it would not honor its members' collective agreements when they fly back on Saturday with their passengers. The flight attendants' contract ceases to apply when the strike begins on Saturday, the union said. The dispute hinges on the way airlines compensate flight attendants. Most have traditionally paid them only when planes are in motion. But in their latest contract negotiations, flight attendants in North America have sought compensation for hours worked, including for tasks such as boarding passengers and waiting around the airport before and between flights.
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Air Canada begins flight cancellations as 10,000 flight attendants threaten weekend strike
MONTREAL, Aug 15 — Air Canada began cancelling flights on Thursday after receiving a strike notice from the flight attendants' union, warning all operations could be shut down by Saturday. The airline that transports about 130,000 passengers daily announced this week that negotiations on a new collective agreement with its 10,000 flight attendants had reached an 'impasse.' Chief operating officer Mark Nasr told reporters Thursday that the airline had begun 'a gradual suspension of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge operations.' Without a deal, 'all flights will be paused by Saturday early morning,' he said. In addition to demanding a wage increase, the union has argued flight attendants are not compensated for work on the ground, including during the boarding process. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has dismissed Air Canada's latest offer as 'below inflation (and) below market value.' CUPE issued a 72-hour strike notice at 12.01am (0401 GMT) Wednesday, meaning the labour action could begin one minute past midnight on Saturday. Air Canada maintains its offers have been fair. CUPE rejected a request to settle outstanding issues through arbitration. Air Canada's head of public affairs Arielle Meloul-Wechsler said the union's approach to recent negotiations has been 'superficial,' in a press conference interrupted by more than a dozen flight attendant protesters. Federal labour minister Patty Hajdu said the dispute was causing widespread 'anxiety' and urged both sides 'to come back to the bargaining table and get this done now.' Air Canada, the country's largest airline, flies to 65 countries and operates nonstop service to 180 cities. — AFP
