Air Canada cancels hundreds of flights ahead of planned flight attendant strike

Air Canada announced that customers with tickets or Aeroplan reward bookings made on or before August 14 for travel between August 15 and August 18 can change their flights free of charge. Rebooking options include travel on August 15 or selecting new dates between August 21 and September 12.

Mark Nasser, Chief Operating Officer at Air Canada, said during an August 14 press conference that resuming full operations could take up to a week after the strike concludes due to the complexity of winding down and restarting the airline’s network. "It's simply not the kind of system that we can start or stop at the push of a button,” he stated.

The union representing flight attendants has expressed dissatisfaction with Air Canada's proposed wage increases and rejected arbitration as a solution. Flight attendants are seeking higher pay as well as compensation for ground duties that currently go unpaid.

On August 14, Air Canada presented CUPE with an offer including a total compensation increase of 38% over four years. The proposal would raise hourly rates up to $94 in the first year through combined wage hikes and changes in ground pay formulas. By 2027, senior flight attendants could average $87,000 annually, with some earning $90,000 or more.

Additional improvements offered by Air Canada include enhanced health benefits and pension plans—the only defined benefit pension for flight attendants in Canada—alongside increased paid vacation time, better rest periods, and reduced workloads. The company says these changes would make its flight attendants the highest compensated in Canada compared to domestic competitors.

The core issue remains how airlines compensate flight attendants; traditionally they are paid only while aircraft are moving rather than during boarding or while waiting at airports between flights.

Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Chief Human Resources Officer at Air Canada, commented Thursday that negotiations could continue “provided the negotiations are meaningful,” according to Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/air-canada-cancels-flights-ahead-strike-by-flight-attendants-2025-08-15/). Her remarks were delivered during an executive press conference that ended abruptly when union members entered carrying placards.

Flight attendants continue to seek pay for all duties performed while boarding passengers and during airport wait times before and between flights.