Air Canada Strike Halts Flights Despite Government Order
Air Canada Strike Grounds Flights Despite Government Order to Resume Operations
MONTREAL – Air Canada has suspended plans to resume limited flights after its flight attendants’ union vowed to continue striking, despite a government order to end the walkout.
The strike, involving about 10,000 flight attendants from Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge, began early Saturday after workers rejected a new contract proposal. Within hours, Canada’s labor minister Patty Hajdu invoked emergency powers under the Canada Labour Code, ordering both sides into binding arbitration. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) also directed crew members to return to duty by 2 p.m. EDT on August 17.
Even so, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the workers, said Sunday its members will stay off the job. “Our members will not be returning to work until Air Canada comes back to the bargaining table,” CUPE President Mark Hancock said, urging passengers not to head to the airport if they hold tickets.
The strike has already forced the cancellation of more than 700 flights, affecting tens of thousands of travelers worldwide. Air Canada, which carries about 130,000 passengers daily to 180 destinations, warned that operations will only resume Monday evening if the strike ends.
CUPE is demanding higher wages and compensation for ground duties such as passenger boarding, saying Air Canada’s latest pay offer falls below inflation and market standards. The airline has said a senior flight attendant would earn an average of C$87,000 by 2027 under the proposed terms.
The union also blasted the government’s intervention, accusing it of siding with the airline. It further questioned the neutrality of CIRB Chairwoman Maryse Tremblay, who previously worked as legal counsel for Air Canada, calling her decision to end the strike a conflict of interest.
Business groups, meanwhile, warned that a prolonged strike could deepen economic strains already heightened by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
For now, Canada’s flag carrier remains grounded as the standoff intensifies, leaving thousands of passengers in limbo.
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