Air Canada will begin suspending flights on Thursday after the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 10,000 flight attendants, issued a 72-hour strike notice. The strike is set to begin Saturday at 01:00 EST (05:00 GMT) following failed contract talks over wages and unpaid work.
The airline responded with a lockout notice, accusing the union of demanding “exorbitant increases” and rejecting binding arbitration. Air Canada warns the disruption—during peak summer travel—could affect 130,000 daily passengers, including 25,000 Canadians. The first cancellations will occur Thursday, followed by more on Friday, with a full shutdown of mainline and Rouge flights on Saturday.
Air Canada Express flights, which serve about 20% of customers, will not be impacted. The carrier is repositioning planes and crews to speed post-strike recovery and is offering refunds and limited rebooking options through partner airlines, though alternatives may be delayed.
The airline operates in 64 countries with a fleet of 259 aircraft, making the strike one of the largest potential disruptions to Canadian air travel in years.
