Air Canada Suspends Flight Resumption Amid Ongoing Flight Attendant Strike
Air Canada announced on Sunday that it is postponing its plan to resume flights due to an ongoing strike by approximately 10,000 flight attendants. This labor action has effectively grounded the airline, disrupting summer travel for thousands of passengers globally.
Despite the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordering an immediate end to the strike and directing Air Canada and its subsidiary Air Canada Rouge to resume operations by 2 p.m. EDT on August 17, 2025, the union representing the flight attendants chose to continue their strike, forcing the airline to delay flight operations.
“Air Canada has suspended its plan to resume limited flying after the union decided to extend the strike despite the government directive,” the airline stated. The company expects to restart flights by Sunday evening.
The strike began early Saturday when cabin crew rejected a new contract proposal from Air Canada. In response, Canada’s labor minister, Patty Hajdu, invoked a legal provision under the Canada Labour Code to halt the strike and mandated binding arbitration to resolve the dispute. This move followed the cancellation of more than 700 flights due to the work stoppage.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing the flight attendants, is demanding wage increases and compensation for additional ground duties, including boarding assistance. CUPE made it clear that their members will not return to work until the government forces Air Canada back to the negotiating table to reach an agreement that workers can vote on.
CUPE President Mark Hancock emphasized, “We will not have our rights and protections removed.” The union also urged passengers holding tickets for Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights to avoid going to the airport until the dispute is resolved.
CUPE criticized the government’s intervention, arguing it unfairly benefits Air Canada by compelling workers back to the job without addressing their concerns. The union highlighted a potential conflict of interest, noting that CIRB Chairwoman Maryse Tremblay previously served as legal counsel for Air Canada, describing her ruling as “an almost unthinkable display of conflict-of-interest.”
Earlier this week, Air Canada revealed contract terms offering senior flight attendants an average salary of CAD 87,000 (approximately USD 65,000) by 2027. CUPE dismissed these offers as “below inflation and below market value.”
The strike’s timing adds to economic pressures on Canada’s airline industry, which already faces challenges from U.S. tariffs under former President Donald Trump’s policies. Air Canada serves around 130,000 passengers daily, connecting 180 cities worldwide, making the strike a significant disruption in global air travel.
As negotiations continue under government-mandated arbitration, the future of Air Canada’s flight schedules remains uncertain, leaving travelers and industry watchers closely monitoring developments.