Air Canada began relaunching flights on Tuesday after reaching a mediated settlement with its flight attendants’ union, ending a strike that grounded the carrier for three days and disrupted travel worldwide.
The airline confirmed it had struck a deal with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) through a mediation process overseen by arbitrator William Kaplan. The agreement commits more than 10,000 cabin crew to return to work immediately, allowing the country’s largest airline to restart operations.
“The suspension of our service is extremely difficult for our customers. We deeply regret and apologise for the impact on them of this labour disruption,” said Michael Rousseau, Air Canada’s president and chief executive. “Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding over the coming days.”
First flights back in the air
The airline said its first departures on Tuesday included AC009 from Toronto to Tokyo-Narita, AC556 from Vancouver to Los Angeles, and AC489 from Montreal to Toronto. In total, 155 flights were scheduled to depart from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, with international, transborder and domestic services gradually resuming.
Mark Nasr, executive vice president and chief operations officer, acknowledged the scale of the task.
“Restoring global operations will take up to ten days, as aircraft and crew are out of position. Additionally, mandatory maintenance checks are required, as aircraft have been on the ground for more than three days,” he said.
Continued disruption expected
Air Canada warned that some flights will continue to be cancelled over the next week while schedules are stabilised. Only passengers with confirmed bookings for operating services are advised to go to the airport. Travellers can check flight status on the airline’s website or mobile app.
Those affected by cancellations are being offered refunds, travel credits or rebooking on other carriers, though alternative capacity remains tight due to the peak summer season. Air Canada has assigned 5,000 agents to help passengers find alternatives.
The airline also pledged an “exceptional disruption policy,” effective from Wednesday, to cover transportation expenses incurred by stranded travellers. A new online dashboard has been launched to allow customers to track the recovery process in real time.
Flights between Dubai and Toronto, a key route for the airline, were among those cancelled during the strike, which began on 16 August. The disruption left passengers across the Gulf and around the world scrambling for alternatives during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
While Air Canada Rouge and mainline flights were grounded, services operated by Air Canada Express partners Jazz and PAL Airlines continued as scheduled.
No further strikes expected
The company stressed that during the ratification process of the mediated settlement, or under binding arbitration if required, neither strikes nor lockouts are permitted. “Customers can plan, book and travel with Air Canada with certainty,” the airline said in a statement.
Air Canada carries about 130,000 passengers daily across its global network of more than 180 airports. The carrier has a Skytrax four-star ranking and is a founding member of the Star Alliance network.
