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

Travelers holding tickets with Air Canada between August 15 and 18 have been offered a travel waiver allowing them to reschedule their flights between August 21 and September 12 without paying fare differences. Passengers may also choose to cancel their bookings for travel credits covering unused segments of their itineraries.

For those who do not rebook proactively, Air Canada indicated it will attempt to arrange alternate flights with other airlines but cautioned that available seats are extremely limited and most tickets will likely be canceled. In these cases, customers will receive refunds once cancellations are processed.

United Airlines, which partners with Air Canada through Star Alliance codesharing agreements, also issued a travel waiver permitting customers traveling to Canada from August 15-18 to change reservations without fees for new travel dates up until August 27.

Both airlines noted that these waivers could be extended if the strike lasts longer than initially anticipated or if recovery takes additional time.

Passengers whose travel is disrupted are advised to consult their travel insurance or credit card benefits regarding coverage for extra expenses incurred due to delays or cancellations. Without such coverage, costs like hotel stays or meals will not be reimbursed by Air Canada. Canadian regulations specify that cancellations resulting from strikes are considered outside of an airline’s control; therefore, affected customers are not entitled to compensation under current rules (https://apnews.com/article/air-canada-flight-attendants-strike-0a2c6a08f5f26b34cf84b8d1e49b0fa3).

The situation remains fluid as negotiations continue between flight attendants and management.