Flight attendants at Air Canada could be on the verge of a strike. The Canadian flag carrier announced today that its contract talks with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, have officially reached an impasse.
Unless a deal is reached, the union could issue a 72-hour strike notice as early as 12:01a on August 13, which could lead to flights being grounded as early as August 16.
Air Canada and Flight Attendants Union Argue Over Wage Increases
This fight centers around wage increases with the airline stating that CUPE is demanding “unsustainable” raises, beyond earlier proposals, and has rejected the airline’s offer for binding third-party arbitration.
In its latest offer, Air Canada proposed a 38% total compensation increase over four years, including 25% in year one, with improvements to pensions, benefits, and crew rest. The airline claims this would make its flight attendants the highest paid in Canada. Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Air Canada’s Chief Human Resources Officer, had this to say about the breakdown in negotiations:
“Air Canada has been negotiating with CUPE for eight months and although we have settled many items, none of which required concessions, we remain far apart on key issues. We are disappointed our proposal to resolve the outstanding items fairly through arbitration has been rejected by the union and it is instead insisting on unsustainable wage increases. We are now at an impasse in talks, with the union in a position to issue a strike notice at midnight tonight, creating tremendous uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of travellers and companies shipping critical, time-sensitive goods. Air Canada is now looking at all remaining options, including a request for government-directed arbitration, to prevent a disruption or at least remove this intolerable uncertainty for our customers.”
If a strike does occur, the vast majority of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights could be affected. Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz and PAL Airlines would continue as normal but they only account for about 20% of daily passengers.
What Happens Next?
Air Canada says it’s exploring all remaining options, including asking the federal government to step in and order binding arbitration under the Canada Labor Code. This has happened in the past with major transportation disputes in the country.
Under Canada’s Airline Passenger Protection Regulations, travelers aren’t entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations caused by labor disruptions. However, Air Canada says it will still meet its regulatory obligations for rebooking and passenger rights notifications.
If you have travel booked with the airline in the coming days and weeks, Air Canada is urging customers to do the following:
- Check flight status at aircanada.com before heading to the airport.
- Avoid airports unless your flight is confirmed and operating.
- Use online or app-based self-service tools, as call center wait times will be high.
Summary
Air Canada’s talks with the union representing its 10,000+ flight attendants have broken down. The carrier has advised that strike action could occur as soon as midnight with flights being affected as of August 16, 2025. Air Canada is encouraging passengers traveling over the next few weeks to check the status of their flights before going to the airport.
