Air Canada Grounds All Flights as 10,000 Flight Attendants Go on Strike

Air Canada has suspended all operations after more than 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job early Saturday, plunging peak summer travel into chaos and affecting roughly 130,000 passengers a day.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents Air Canada’s cabin crew, confirmed the walkout in a statement shortly after midnight. “We are now officially on strike,” CUPE declared. The strike took effect at 12:58 am ET, grounding both Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights.

While flights operated by Air Canada Express through third-party carriers remain unaffected, the airline said the strike has forced it to halt the rest of its operations.

Passengers Advised to Stay Away from Airports

Air Canada has urged travelers not to head to airports unless they have confirmed bookings with other airlines. The carrier is directly notifying customers of cancelled flights and providing rebooking options, credits, or refunds under a new goodwill policy. More information is available at aircanada.com/action.

As of Friday evening, Air Canada had already cancelled 623 flights, disrupting travel plans for more than 100,000 passengers. The airline had been scaling back its daily schedule of around 700 flights since CUPE delivered a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday.

Union Demands and Sticking Points

The union’s demands include wage increases and recognition of uncompensated ground work, such as assistance provided during passenger boarding.

Rafael Gomez, director of the University of Toronto’s Center for Industrial Relations, explained the core of CUPE’s case: “An average passenger, not familiar with common industry practice, could think, ‘I’m waiting to board the plane and there’s a flight attendant helping me, but they’re technically not being paid for that work.’ That’s a very good issue to highlight.”

Air Canada revealed its latest offer on Thursday, stating that senior flight attendants could earn an average of CAN$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027. CUPE rejected the proposal, calling it “below inflation (and) below market value.” The union also turned down requests from both the federal government and Air Canada to resolve the dispute through independent arbitration.

High Stakes in Peak Travel Season

The strike comes during the busiest period of the year, amplifying its impact. Gomez noted that while the walkout could be brief, the timing raises the stakes for both sides. “This is peak season. The airline does not want to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue… They’re almost playing chicken with the flight attendants,” he told AFP.

With no resolution yet in sight, travelers across Canada and beyond face days of uncertainty as the airline and union remain locked in a standoff.