Air Canada has begun cancelling a significant number of flights, including those to and from Australia, amidst potential industrial action. The airline’s recent cancellations affect several long-haul flights from Canada, including the service from Vancouver to Sydney, which was set to depart last night, and the return flight scheduled for tomorrow.
The airline’s actions follow a 72-hour strike notice issued by the union representing around 10,000 flight attendants. In retaliation, Air Canada has announced a lockout. Chief Operations Officer Mark Nasr has indicated that the airline is gradually suspending operations, with all flights expected to be halted by early Saturday. This decision aims to facilitate an orderly restart of services, which could take a week to complete.
The grounding of flights is anticipated to leave around 25,000 Canadians stranded overseas daily, with estimates suggesting that about 500 flights could be cancelled by the end of Friday. Passengers whose flights are affected will be eligible for complete refunds, and the airline is working with both Canadian and international airlines to provide alternative travel arrangements where possible.
The union’s key concerns include what they describe as “poverty wages” and issues related to unpaid work during times when aircraft are not in operation. During a recent news conference, some flight attendants highlighted their grievances by displaying signs denouncing their current pay and unpaid shifts, stating that such conditions are unbefitting for a Canadian airline.