Air Canada remained in roots on Monday as flight attendants refused a government order to return to work, leading to the government’s declaration of a strike that was illegal.
“Members of the alliance’s bargaining department were directed to immediately resume the performance of their duties and not engage in illegal strikes,” the Associated Press reported.
Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge both closed operations on Saturday, with 10,000 flight attendants leaving their jobs. (AirCanada Express flights operated by Jazz Airlines and PAL Airlines are not expected to be affected.)
The Labor Commission had previously ordered the flight attendants to return to work by Sunday afternoon, but the Canadian Public Employees Union (CUPE) refused. Air Canada is initially ready to resume some operations later on Sunday and will restart until Monday.
However, it is not clear that the airline’s plan is not the government’s recourse as of Monday afternoon if the flight attendant still refuses to return to work. The union did not respond immediately, although union management could be arrested and union members could face fines, according to the guardian. The union previously characterized the government’s attempt to end the strike by imposing unconstitutional attempts to impose binding arbitration.
Even if the strike is resolved quickly, travelers should expect to see the impact last for days: Air Canada warns that once the flight resumes, it still “takes several days to return to normal.”
In a previous Reuters report, the airline’s chief operating officer said it could take a week to fully restart operations even after an agreement was reached.
“It’s not a system that we can start or stop by pressing the button,” Air Canada executive vice president and chief operating officer Mark Nasr said Thursday. “So, in order to end safely and in an orderly manner, we need to start now.”
According to airline data company Cirium, Air Canada typically operates more than 720 flights per day, including 200 flights per day between the United States and Canada. The airline has already begun to gradually end its business last week after CUPE issued a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday.
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“AirCanada deeply regrets the impact of the strike on customers,” the airline said in a statement.
The airline said the daily shutdown would affect up to 130,000 passengers. The strike is at the pinnacle of the summer travel season, and starts again as families prepare to start after a summer break.
The strike happened because the flight attendant and the airline failed to reach an agreement on compensation for the cabin crew. According to CTV News, whether flight attendants get a critical symptom when the plane is on the ground, such as during boarding and landing.
What Air Canada passengers need to know
There is little clear performance of the current situation and passengers should be prepared to cancel Air Canada flights.
Air Canada has issued a pre-emptive travel exemption that allows passengers to fly between August 15 and August 22, changing flights to another date between August 23 and September 30 without any fare differences. Travelers can also cancel their flights altogether and receive travel credits for any unused flights in their itinerary.
If you plan to travel on those dates without rebooking, Air Canada says it will attempt to rebook you on flights with other airlines; however, it warns that your ticket is extremely limited and that your ticket will likely be cancelled. The airline will refund once the flight is cancelled.
The airline says it will notify passengers if the flight is cancelled, but even if you are not notified, you will double-check your flight status before heading to the airport.
United Airlines has coded with Air Canada through the Star Alliance network and issued a travel waiver that allows customers flying to Canada from August 15 to 20 to rebook before August 27 without travel.
Please note that both exemptions can be extended based on the length of the strike and how long Air Canada will fully resume its operations after the shutdown is over.
If your trip is interrupted, be sure to check in with your travel insurance or credit card, which may cover some fees. If you don’t have insurance, Air Canada won’t cover things like hotels or dining. According to the Associated Press, Canadian regulations do not believe that the cancellation caused by the strike is due to airline control, which means customers are not entitled to compensation.
As the situation develops, stay tuned to TPG for more information about the strike.
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