Air Canada Cancels Flights Ahead of 10,000 Flight Attendants’ Weekend Strike

Air Canada began cancelling flights worldwide after about 10,000 unionized flight attendants launched a strike on the evening of August 15, 2025, defying a federal back-to-work order and triggering days of major disruption. After government intervention and three days of picket lines, the airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reached a mediated tentative agreement on August 18, 2025, under mediator William Kaplan, clearing the way for a slow restart and a broader debate over strike rights and essential services in Canada 🇨🇦.

The union instructed cabin crew to return to work immediately, and Air Canada—along with Air Canada Rouge—began a gradual resumption of operations the evening of August 19. The carrier said it expected to run near a full schedule by Friday, August 22, 2025, while warning that the complex task of repositioning planes and crews would mean some delays and cancellations would linger for several days.

CUPE members are now voting on the tentative agreement during a 10-day period starting August 27, 2025; the result will determine ratification of a new contract or the risk of fresh labor action in early September.

Scale of the disruption

The scope of the disruption was stark:

• Air Canada cancelled more than 3,000 flights.
• Up to 130,000 passengers affected daily at the peak.
• The airline estimated 500,000 customers saw their trips cancelled since the strike began.
• At Vancouver International Airport alone, 124 flights were cancelled in a single 24-hour period.
• Analysts estimated daily losses of about $43 million per day for the carrier during the stoppage.

Government intervention and legal context

Government officials moved quickly after CUPE refused to comply with the initial back-to-work order, invoking Section 107 of the Labour Code to force binding arbitration.

CUPE’s national president, Mark Hancock, said the order violated the right to strike, adding, “If it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it.”

This rare public defiance—after Ottawa used similar measures eight times since June 2024—sharpened attention on the limits of labor power in transport and the public interest when essential travel grinds to a halt. Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests the showdown will likely fuel debate over how far back-to-work laws should reach in the airline sector and what safeguards passengers need when service collapses.

Airline response and customer support measures

Air Canada’s chief executive, Michael Rousseau, apologized for the turmoil and said teams were focused on stabilizing the schedule and helping stranded travelers. The carrier expanded support policies to blunt the financial hit on families, workers, and students who were stuck away from home.

Key measures included:

• A flexible rebooking policy for travel from August 20 to September 30, 2025, allowing free changes.
• Customers whose flights were cancelled between August 15 and 23 could:
  • Cancel for a full refund,
  • Opt for an AC Wallet credit, or
  • Choose a future travel credit — regardless of fare type.
• An exceptional goodwill policy promising to reimburse “reasonable” accommodation, meals, ground transport, and other out-of-pocket expenses linked to the disruption.
  • Claims require receipts and a brief explanation.
  • Submit claims through Air Canada’s Reimbursement Assistance – Labour Disruption portal on aircanada.com/action.
• For flight status, booking changes, or refunds, travelers are urged to use aircanada.com or contact their travel agent, as call centers remained busy.

Important: Customers should keep all documentation and file claims as soon as possible.

For media queries, Air Canada directed reporters to [email protected]. The airline asked customers to avoid airport lines unless they have confirmed rebookings or urgent travel, noting that on-the-spot help may be limited while operations recover.

Service restoration and passenger advice

While most routes were scheduled to return by August 22, Air Canada cautioned that some irregular operations would continue into the final days of August due to crew and aircraft repositioning.

Advice for affected passengers:

1. Check your booking and flight status often, as schedules can update multiple times per day.
2. Use free change options for travel through September 30, 2025.
3. If your flight was cancelled between August 15–23, consider a refund or credit.
4. Submit reimbursement claims with receipts via aircanada.com/action.
5. If rebooked travel no longer meets your needs, explore alternative dates or routing options online before heading to the airport.

Context, bargaining and finances

The strike followed eight months of tough bargaining over working conditions and ground duty pay—time on the job that cabin crew said was unpaid but essential. Earlier in August, CUPE’s flight attendants voted 99.7% in favor of striking, a resounding signal of frustration.

The tentative agreement reportedly includes gains on the wage structure—especially ground duty pay—though exact terms will not be public until members complete their vote.

Union and industry perspectives:

• Other unions across Canada backed the job action and framed it as a broader fight over wages and conditions in commercial aviation.
• Airline analysts highlighted the wide-ranging costs of a multiday, systemwide shutdown, including:
  • Missed connections and hotel nights,
  • Relaunch operations and crew overtime,
  • Long-term brand damage and customer loss.

For many customers, the human cost was plain—missed family events, stranded business travelers, and students struggling to return to campuses before fall term.

Legal and policy implications

The federal response—compelling arbitration under Section 107—illustrates Ottawa’s attempt to balance the public’s need for essential connectivity with workers’ right to strike.

VisaVerge.com reports lawmakers may soon revisit tools like back-to-work orders in the airline sector, given Canada’s network size and cross-border ripple effects that reach the United States 🇺🇸 and beyond.

Any review will face an old tension: keeping the country moving while recognizing that labor disputes do not pause just because planes need to fly.

For passengers weighing next steps, consumer rules are another reference point. The Canadian Transportation Agency’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations explain rights around flight delays, cancellations, and refunds. These are separate from Air Canada’s goodwill measures and can help travelers compare what the law requires with what the airline is offering during this disruption.

What comes next

As the 10-day vote starting August 27 proceeds, both sides aim to avoid a relapse:

• Air Canada wants to lock in a contract and steady operations before the heavy fall travel period.
• CUPE seeks durable gains addressing pay and working time concerns.

Possible outcomes:

• If members ratify the tentative agreement, Air Canada can pivot from crisis response to rebuilding trust.
• If they reject it, the dispute could return to the legal arena and cause more turbulence for customers.

For now, Air Canada says it is close to pre-strike schedules and working to clear backlogs. The union continues to press its case for fair compensation and safer workloads. Travelers, bruised by days of uncertainty, will watch closely whether this settlement holds—hoping the next time flight attendants make news it’s for service at 35,000 feet rather than another standoff on the ground.