Air Canada begins canceling flights ahead of potential strikes

Canada’s largest airline will start suspending flights on Thursday as unions issued a 72-hour strike notice on behalf of its pilots.

The carrier said Air Canada will gradually suspend flights during this period, warning that passengers who have not confirmed the flight should not go to the airport.

The Canadian Public Employees Union (CUPE) represented 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, and issued a strike notice earlier Wednesday after reaching a deadlock in contract talks.

The union said it was a sincere bargain, but Air Canada “refused to address” core issues such as advice on wages and unpaid jobs.

The airline said Tuesday night that it had obtained a union counterparty seeking a “high increase” and CUPE rejected a proposal to enter binding third-party arbitration.

The strike is scheduled to begin Saturday at around 01:00 EST (05:00 GMT).

The airline, which has 259 aircraft in 64 countries, said unplanned closures are a “main risk” for the company and its employees. During peak summer season, flight disruptions could affect 130,000 daily customers, including 25,000 Canadians.

“By best positioning the aircraft and crew before possible shutdowns, Air Canada will be able to provide the required routine maintenance and resume routine services faster,” the Montreal-based company said Wednesday.

Air Canada and Air Canada’s first flights will be cancelled Thursday, with additional flights expected to be rooted on Friday.

The airline said the “complete stop flight” will begin on Saturday. Air Canada Express flights carry 20% of Air Canada’s daily customers and will not be affected.

The airline said customers who cancel the flight will be notified and will receive a full refund. The company has also made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign airlines to provide customers with other travel options.

Customers will be notified of alternative options, but they may take time or may not be immediately available.

Toronto’s Pearson International Airport – Canada’s largest airport – said Wednesday on Wednesday that it is closely monitoring the situation and advised passengers to contact Air Canada directly for flight information.

In contract negotiations, the airline said it provided flight attendants with a total compensation of 38% for four years, up 25% in the first year. CUPE said the proposal is “below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage” and will still leave flight attendants free of charge during hours of work, including boarding and waiting at the airport before the flight.

The union asserted that it had bargained with airlines in good faith for more than eight months, but Air Canada sought government-guided arbitration.

“AirCanada did not come to the table sincerely when we stood together,” Cup said in a statement to its members. “Instead, they called on the federal government to step in and take those rights away.”

Earlier this month, 99.7% of employees represented by unions voted in favor of the strike.