A press conference earlier was disrupted by angry workers of Air Canada. Whats happening there?
Air Canada has suspended all its flights after more than 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job early Saturday in a strike that is set to disrupt the travel plans of an estimated 130,000 passengers daily.
The strike, which began at 00:58 ET (04:58 GMT), forced Canada’s largest airline to ground around 500 flights per day, affecting routes to 180 cities worldwide. By Friday night, the carrier had already cancelled 623 flights, stranding over 100,000 passengers as part of a controlled shutdown of its operations.
Picket lines quickly formed outside major airports, where frustrated travellers scrambled to rebook flights with rival airlines. Air Canada urged customers not to head to the airport unless flying with a different carrier, stressing that operations under its budget arm Air Canada Rouge were also suspended. However, flights operated by Air Canada Jazz, PAL Airlines, and Air Canada Express remain unaffected.
“Air Canada deeply regrets the effect the strike is having on customers,” the airline said in a statement, adding that it had “suspended all operations” until further notice.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the flight attendants, said the walkout was triggered by failed contract negotiations. The union is demanding higher wages and compensation for work done on the ground, such as during boarding or pre-flight waiting times, which they argue remains unpaid.
Air Canada said it had tabled a package offering a 38 percent increase in overall compensation over four years, including a 25 percent raise in the first year. CUPE dismissed the offer as inadequate.
“The airline’s proposal is below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage,” CUPE leaders said, insisting that flight attendants deserve fair pay that reflects the realities of their work.
The dispute has quickly escalated into a public standoff, with both sides accusing the other of failing to show genuine commitment to reaching an agreement.
For now, the strike has brought Canada’s flagship airline to a standstill, raising fears of prolonged travel chaos if negotiations do not resume quickly.
