Air Canada strike could cause Montreal Airport chaos — Here's what passengers should do
Travellers flying out of Montreal-Trudeau Airport this weekend could face major disruptions as Air Canada begins a phased wind-down of its services ahead of a planned strike by flight attendants.
In a social media post earlier today, YUL (Montréal-Trudeau International Airport) confirmed its teams are closely monitoring the situation and warned that flight cancellations could start as soon as today.
They urged anyone booked on an Air Canada or Rouge flight to check flight status before heading to the airport. If your flight is cancelled, do not travel to the airport, and seek assistance at aircanada.com. YUL promises to share more updates as the situation develops.
Here's how things currently stand:
Strike looming and cancellations already underway
As we reported earlier this week, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 10,000 Air Canada and Rouge flight attendants, plans to begin strike action at 1 a.m. ET on Saturday, August 16. Air Canada has started cancelling flights, with around 500 flights cancelled by Friday, affecting more than 100,000 passengers. A full shutdown of all mainline and Rouge flights is expected by Saturday morning.
Regional carriers Jazz and PAL Airlines will continue operating but cover only about 20% of daily capacity, leaving many travellers stranded.
What Air Canada is offering passengers
According to an August 15 release from Air Canada, travellers booked between August 15 and 18 (with purchase or Aeroplan redemption done by August 14) can:
- Change flights for free to travel on August 15 or any date between August 21 and September 12.
- Cancel non-refundable fares to receive credit in their AC Wallet or Future Travel Credit.
- Receive refunds or rebooking assistance if their booking is cancelled.
Rebooking is possible with Air Canada or partner airlines, but limited due to high summer demand.
Why this strike is happening
The clash stems from stalled negotiations over low wages and unpaid time, such as pre-flight duties and safety checks that attendants perform off the clock. CUPE overwhelmingly voted (99.7%) in favor of a strike, rejecting Air Canada's proposal for binding arbitration and a 38% compensation increase over four years.
On August 12, CUPE president Wesley Lesosky said that flight attendants are still required to complete several hours of safety-related work for which they receive no pay. He added that Air Canada's most recent proposal would compensate only part of this time, and at roughly half of their usual hourly wage.
What Montreal travelers should do now
- Check your flight status online or via the Air Canada app before heading to the airport.
- If your flight is cancelled, do not go to the airport — use Air Canada's site or app to rebook or request a refund.
- Consider rescheduling if you're flying between August 15 - 18 (and booked by August 14) to dates after August 21.
- Expect longer wait times if you call. Air Canada will notify affected passengers by email.
This impending strike could impact thousands of travellers, including those returning to Canada. With rebooking options limited, advance action could save time and stress.
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