Air Canada resumes flights after flight attendants end their first strike in 40 years, reaching a tentative deal that impacts operations for over 130,000 daily passengers.
Air Canada announced Tuesday that it will gradually resume service after unionized flight attendants ended their first strike in four decades.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 10,400 cabin crew members, confirmed they reached a tentative agreement with the carrier following nearly four days of disruption.
The strike forced Air Canada to withdraw its third-quarter and full-year earnings guidance, underscoring its financial toll. The airline, which serves about 130,000 passengers daily, said it could take a week or more before operations are fully stabilized.
- Flight cancellations: Some flights will remain canceled for the next 7–10 days.
- Customer options: Travelers can choose between a refund, travel credit, or rebooking on another airline.
The dispute centered on unpaid work, with flight attendants demanding pay for tasks such as boarding passengers. CUPE declared in a statement: “The Strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you.”
The union continued striking even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board deemed the action unlawful. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu intervened, urging mediation while pledging to investigate allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector.
Flight attendants’ push for fair compensation mirrors recent gains at U.S. carriers like American Airlines. The strike underscores growing global pressure on airlines to address unpaid labor in cabin crew contracts.
Air Canada, part of the Star Alliance, will now work toward restoring passenger confidence and operational stability. While travelers remain inconvenienced, the union insists “unpaid work is over,” marking a turning point for labor rights in Canada’s aviation sector.