Things you need to know about possible strikes in Air Canada
Air Canada says it will begin cancelling flights and refunds immediately after the union representing 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants issues a strike notification overnight.
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- Air Canada flight attendants ground most flights, affecting thousands of passengers, and launched an indefinite strike.
- The strike comes from a breakdown of negotiations between the union and airline management over wages and compensation.
- As Air Canada is a popular connector for flights to Europe and Asia, it is estimated that around 27,000 US passengers will be affected daily.
Most Air Canada flights are grounded as carrier flight attendants begin an indefinite strike. According to FlightAware, 86% of Air Canada’s Saturday schedule has been cancelled, with 96% of Air Canada’s schedule being until 9:20am.
The airline began uninterrupting operations on Wednesday in preparation for the walk-off, warning in a statement that it expects around 130,000 passengers around the world to be affected by daily strikes.
The flight attendants left work after union negotiators reached a deadlock with the airline management over wages and compensation.
Air Canada offers exemptions to passengers whose flights may be affected, allowing travelers who book a flight by August 14 to travel between August 21st and September 12th without paying the difference in fares or fares. More information about the exemption is available on the Air Canada website.
AirAdvisor, the consumer airline’s refund website, suggests that as many as 27,000 US passengers could be affected per day.
Air Canada is not a major airline in the US, but it is an important cross-border link and a popular option for connecting flights to Europe and Asia for American travelers.
Airadvisor says Air Canada has up to 135 flights a day from the United States to the Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver hubs, with New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and Miami seeing the most service. The airline operates several flights from the US to other non-hub destinations in Canada.
Flights run by Air Canada’s regional partners Jazz and PAL will remain open during the strike, so some services booked through Air Canada will continue, but the airline said in a statement that their affiliates only operate around 20% of their services.
The airline has warned that it is trying to re-occupy passengers on other airlines, but that seat availability is limited.
“Customers whose flights have been cancelled will be notified and eligible for a full refund available online via www.aircanada.com or the Air Canada mobile app. The company has arranged with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide alternative travel options to its customers wherever possible,” an Air Canada statement said. “Customers will be notified of alternative travel options identified for them. However, given that other carriers are already very full due to the summer travel peak, ensuring that such capabilities will take time and often become impossible immediately.”
As a major United Airlines partner, thanks to both carriers’ Star Alliance membership, United Airlines may see the most overflow for rebooking between US carriers
What is Canada Air?
Air Canada is Canada’s flagship airline and largest airline. As a member of the Star Alliance, its partners include United Airlines, Lufthansa, All Japan Airlines and many other global carriers.
How big is Air Canada in the US?
Air Canada is the largest airline connecting the Canadian market to its US destinations, and is also a great option for anyone looking to connect from the US to Europe or Asia.
“It’s the timing and range that especially destroys this strike. We’re in the summer travel window where the planes are already running at 85-90% capacity and there are few last-minute alternatives,” Airadvisor founder Anton Radchenko said in a statement. “Air Canada is more than just an airline. It is a major connector between the US and Canada, dealing with thousands of passengers every day for leisure, business and essential travel. Once the network has acquired, the ripple effects touch all major US hubs, from JFK and LAX to Seattle and Miami.”
He said the airline’s hub in the Northern US is likely to increase traffic as Air Canada passengers to and from overseas destinations are rebooked through the US market. US passengers heading to Europe via Toronto or Montreal, or to Asia via Vancouver, could also encounter problems during the strike.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
Zach Wichter is a travel journalist and writes the USA Today Cruising Advanced Column. He is based in New York and can be contacted at zwichter@usatoday.com.
