Air Canada Cancels Flights as Flight Attendant Strike Looms Aug. 16
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Air Canada is winding down service after receiving a 72-hour strike notice from CUPE, which represents more than 10,000 flight attendants. Cancellations start today and scale through Friday, with the carrier warning of a near-total shutdown by 1:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 16. The airline says affected customers will be offered refunds or reaccommodation on partner carriers, but peak-season demand means options may be tight and queues longer than usual.
Talks collapsed over wages and unpaid duties on the ground—boarding, delays, and turnaround tasks that crews argue should count as paid time. Air Canada pitched a package worth roughly a 38% total compensation increase over four years (including a large first-year bump) and partial pay for ground time; the union balked, citing inflation and a 99.7% strike mandate. The company sought binding arbitration; CUPE rejected it and the airline issued a lockout notice, hardening the standoff.
Travelers should verify flight status before heading to the airport, avoid checked bags if rebooked, and check credit-card or travel-insurance coverage for delay and cancellation benefits. Disruption will ripple across major hubs (Toronto Pearson, Montréal-Trudeau, Vancouver) and long-haul routes, and could push fares higher on rivals if the stoppage drags. Ottawa hasn’t intervened so far, but pressure will rise if the shutdown stretches past the weekend.
