Air Canada to Operate Almost 100% of Flights Over Next 24 Hours

(CANADA) Almost all Air Canada flights are expected to run over the next 24 hours as the carrier completes its recovery from the August 2025 labour disruption that halted service across its network. As of Friday, August 22, Air Canada says it has restored nearly its entire schedule, returned the full fleet to service, and put wide customer support policies in place after a week of cancellations and stranded travelers.

The airline reports that it carried 127,000 customers on Thursday, August 21, and has 142,019 customers scheduled to travel today as operations stabilize across major hubs and regional stations. Air Canada’s operations team says it is “ready to welcome you back on board,” with its public dashboard showing that almost 100% of flights should operate in the next 24 hours.

What happened and how the restart unfolded

The strike that grounded flights began on August 16, 2025, when Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge suspended all operations due to a walkout by flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered both sides to resume operations and extend the expired collective agreement while a neutral arbitrator settles key points in a binding process.

A mediated agreement on August 19 allowed flight attendants to return to work, and the airline started a phased restart. Air Canada told customers that rebuilding a global system would take 7–10 days, given the need to reposition aircraft and crews and complete required maintenance checks on planes that sat for days.

By August 21, the airline expected to deliver “close to its full network schedule by Friday, August 22,” and those projections have largely held. Vancouver (YVR) and Toronto (YYZ) are reported to be fully operational, with only isolated issues as aircraft and crews settle back into normal rotations.

Operational recovery: fleet, crews and support

Air Canada says the full fleet is back in service and the Full Network is largely operating. To speed up the restart, the carrier:

• Moved aircraft and crews into position over several days
• Cleared mandatory maintenance checks after the multi-day grounding
• Phased flights back into the schedule as resources became available

The scale of the customer service effort has been notable:

• 5,000 agents deployed to help customers
• 137,000 calls handled during the disruption week
• More than 157,000 travelers rebooked

Agents continue working through remaining cases while the schedule returns to normal.

Customer policies, claims and rebooking options

Recognizing the size of the disruption, Air Canada introduced an Exceptional Disruption Policy expanding its usual goodwill measures for travel affected between August 15 and 23, 2025. The policy covers:

• Reasonable accommodation and meals
• Out-of-pocket expenses tied to the stoppage
• Rebooking on other airlines, rail, or ground transport when possible

Customers can submit reimbursement claims and check the live operations dashboard at the airline’s portal: www.aircanada.com/action.

Air Canada confirmed customers whose flights were cancelled can choose:

• Full refund
• Travel credit
• Rebooking on Star Alliance partners or other airlines when seats are available

Capacity constraints may apply on busy routes and peak times. Many travelers were rebooked automatically; the airline urges those who still need help to use the app, the website, or contact centers rather than coming to the airport without a confirmed itinerary.

Practical guidance for travellers

• Check your flight status online or in the Air Canada app before traveling.
• Arrive no earlier than 3 hours before departure to limit terminal congestion.
• If booked through Air Canada Vacations or a travel agency, contact those channels directly.

The public dashboard at www.aircanada.com/action is the core tool for updates, rebooking options, and claims processing.

Leadership comments and operational realities

Mark Nasr, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, praised front-line staff and operations teams for restoring service ahead of early estimates. He highlighted the long hours and coordination required to manage a complex restart while rebooking hundreds of thousands of people.

Michael Rousseau, President and CEO, apologized for the disruption, described how challenging it is to restart a major airline after a complete stop, and asked for continued patience as residual delays are resolved.

Behind the scenes, restarting the fleet required:

• Maintenance teams to perform checks on planes grounded for days
• Repositioning crews to the right cities while respecting duty-time rules
• Airport partners (baggage handlers, caterers, etc.) to re-sequence plans

Experts say the airline’s 7–10 day recovery timeline was sensible given the scale of the operation and the depth of the shutdown.

What travellers should expect next

• Fewer last-minute changes as flights return to regular rotations, but some residual cancellations or delays may still occur.
• Passengers on tight connections or to smaller stations should monitor itineraries closely.
• The Exceptional Disruption Policy applies to trips disrupted between August 15 and 23; keep receipts for hotels, meals, and necessary purchases tied to the stoppage.

Air Canada continues to re-accommodate customers on partner airlines where space allows and encourages use of the online claim portal to speed processing and free up airport agents for operational tasks.

For federal rights under Canadian rules, travellers can review the Air Passenger Protection Regulations at:
https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/air-passenger-protection-regulations

The airline’s Exceptional Disruption Policy is separate and intended to cover out-of-pocket expenses tied specifically to this event and timeframe. Customers whose situations also fall under federal standards can rely on both the airline portal and federal guidance.

Labour timeline and regulatory context

• Strike began on August 16 when CUPE (representing roughly 10,000 flight attendants) withdrew services.
• The stoppage grounded flights, displaced crews, and stranded customers domestically and internationally.
• The CIRB ordered operations to resume and the expired collective agreement to be extended while binding arbitration decides unresolved points.
• CUPE initially resisted the order, prolonging the disruption, but a mediated settlement on August 19 allowed attendants to return and a phased resumption to begin.

Under the extended agreement, flight attendants returned while an arbitrator prepares the final terms. The arbitration decision, expected in the coming weeks, will set the final collective agreement and affect future bargaining.

Impact and broader implications

• For employees: return to normal schedules, pay, and benefits under the extended agreement.
• For managers/planners: binding arbitration reduces short-term uncertainty and allows planning for autumn travel.
• For customers: flights are back and customer support has clear priorities to close open claims.

Policy experts note the CIRB’s order and use of binding arbitration will likely influence future bargaining in Canada’s aviation sector. Such government intervention, while rare, aims to protect the traveling public and stabilize a system that affects the whole country.

Contacts and next steps for affected customers

• To submit receipts, claims, or view the live operations dashboard: www.aircanada.com/action
• To manage rebookings and refunds: use the Air Canada app or website
• If booked through Air Canada Vacations or a travel agency: contact those channels directly
• Media and general updates: aircanada.com/media or email [email protected]

Key reminders:

• The Exceptional Disruption Policy applies to trips affected from August 15–23, 2025.
• Keep receipts for hotels, meals, and necessary purchases linked to the stoppage.
• If moved to another airline, check that carrier’s rules for baggage and check-in.
• If you no longer need to travel, request a refund or travel credit through the app or website.

Final status and outlook

This weekend, Air Canada expects to run at or near 100% of its schedule, though a small number of adjustments may still occur as the network balances aircraft and crews. Possible residual changes include:

• Some flights swapping aircraft types (may affect seat assignments)
• Connections moved to later departures to protect on-time performance
• Occasional flight combinations if demand warrants

The airline will notify customers of changes and continue offering options for refunds or rebooking.

Air Canada’s leaders reiterated lessons learned: the complexity of restarting a major carrier, the importance of coordination across maintenance, flight operations, airports, and customer service, and the need for transparent public reporting. The company says it will keep sharing performance data publicly and work with partners to reduce the risk of similar wide disruptions.

The message to travellers is simple: planes are flying, phones are staffed, and the focus is on getting every traveler home—or on to their next stop. If you remain stranded or have a disrupted itinerary from earlier in the week, file a claim and request a new plan at www.aircanada.com/action. That portal remains the fastest path to refunds, travel credits, and reimbursement for reasonable expenses during the covered dates.