Air Canada cancels flights during peak season ahead of flight attendant strike

Source: The Guardian

Canada’s largest airline expects full shutdown as workers protests over claims of ‘poverty wages’ and unpaid labour

Leyland Cecco in Toronto
Wed 13 Aug 2025 12.02 EDT

Canada’s largest airline has started cancelling flights during the peak summer travel season ahead of a strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants over what they say are “poverty wages” and unpaid labour for work when planes are not in the air.

Air Canada said it would start suspending flights on Thursday ahead of full shutdown on Saturday after the flagship carrier and the union representing the flight attendants failed to resolve a months-long dispute over pay and working conditions.

About 130,000 customers a day could be affected by a disruption, according to the airline.

Air Canada and the Canadian union of public employees (Cupe) have been negotiating a new collective agreement for flight attendants since March. Among the unresolved issues are wages and compensation for work carried out on the ground. Flight attendants are currently not paid for any work before or after the plane takes off.


Air Canada planes at Toronto Pearson international airport on Wednesday. Photograph: Arlyn McAdorey/AP

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/13/air-canada-cancels-flights-strike