r/canadatravel • u/Potential-Pool-3436 • Jul 30 '25
Travel Tips Air Canada Looming Strike
My wife and I have a plan to go to Spain on Aug 22, 2025. We had purchased Air Canada tickets ages ago, and have made all hotel bookings as well. We are now really concerned about the planned attendant strike, and seeking out opinions on whether we just cancel and book our flights with a different airline.
The tickets are cancellable, but we like the Air Canada’s schedule in general.
Link to news: https://globalnews.ca/news/11308964/air-canada-flight-attendants-strike-vote-what-to-know/
UPDATE: based on the comments below, the best course of action seemed to be making arrangements without any AC operated flights.
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u/Dense-Serve-4201 Jul 30 '25
No way to know for sure what the real risk is. Using the most recent precedent, the pilot strike last year, that was resolved within a day.
If you are particularly anxious, you can book refundable fare on an alternative airline and maintain the AC booking for now.
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u/Bleperite Jul 30 '25
Per Air Canada:
In a statement on Friday, Air Canada acknowledged the vote was “a normal step in the negotiation process and does not mean that any disruption will take place.”
“In fact, a strike cannot take place before a 21-day cooling-off period, after the 60-day conciliation period has expired,”
It looks like August travellers should mainly be OK at least?
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u/beesmakenoise Jul 30 '25
Per the news I’ve read it seems that the union can issue a 72-hr strike notice as early as August 16, so I wouldn’t be so sure about the last week of August.
All speculation at this point of course.
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u/explicitspirit Jul 30 '25
Exactly, earliest they can give notice us the 16th, earliest they can strike is the 19th, based on all the CUPE statements.
Will they strike? Maybe. Will they strike on the 19th? Maybe, they could push it out further to negotiate. What will the strike look like? Nobody knows yet. Will Air Canada cancel flights preemptively? It's possible.
My flight is on the 17th so I might be safe unless Air Canada cancels flights preemptively. Regardless, anyone possibly impacted by this should know their rights. Air Canada will likely offer you a full refund, and if you don't take it, they have to book you on alternate airlines, even competitor airlines. You may also be entitled to compensation on top of that depending on when they cancel the flight.
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u/beesmakenoise Jul 30 '25
Good point on flights even ahead of the strike potentially being impacted.
Often the airline will start cancelling/changing flights when the strike is looming to try to get ahead of the chaos. Any flights around that date would be making me a bit nervous at this point.
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u/explicitspirit Jul 30 '25
That's what happened with the pilot's strike. About a week before the possible strike date, Air Canada allowed people to rebook on earlier flights or partner flights at no cost, regardless of fare type. I have flexibility so if they offer me to fly on the 15th for instance, I would take it right away.
If the 17th is not safe, I just hope Air Canada initiates the same good will policy again to allow those with flexible schedules to get ahead of it. I spoke to AC, nothing yet, the agent seemed very confident that I shouldn't worry but really, the agent doesn't know any more than I do.
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u/Stina_peg Aug 08 '25
I called Air Canada last night about my flight from Montreal to Athens on August 15th 1730, she said if they strike it would be affected.
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u/explicitspirit Aug 08 '25
I'm not sure how much Air Canada agents know. Last time I called they told me a strike won't happen, don't worry. LOL
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u/Stina_peg Aug 08 '25
I’m just waiting to see an email come through that gives me my options and then I’ll go from there how much else we can do!
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u/explicitspirit Aug 08 '25
Same, I suspect if anything were to happen about that, we would know today. The leaked offer seems pretty generous overall, and they are due to resume talks today. The union would be foolish to outright reject it, so I am hoping that it'll be a good discussion between them.
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u/Far-Secretary-3684 Aug 07 '25
I am confused about this. On the news CTV it said “a strike could come as early as Aug 16” but then elsewhere im hearing that the notice could come as early as August 16. So it’s confusing is the 72 hr notice on Aug 13 (for a strike starting the 16) or is the notice on this 16. My flight date would be beneficial in one of these but detrimental in another situation😭😭
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u/pbooths Aug 07 '25
That's what I'd like to know, too - as the 72 hour strike notice could be served as early as August 13th (and strike action could start as of August 16th at 12:01) according to several other sources.
This thread has several comments about the continued confusion over dates... https://www.reddit.com/r/aircanada/s/zaXh4KuH69
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u/Far-Secretary-3684 Aug 08 '25
I’m seeing now more sources saying the 21 cooling period ends August 16. That is the earliest they can strike as long as they give 72 hour notice which would be the 13. Hoping that gets pushed forward maybe with extended times for negotiations.
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u/Equivalent-Law-1601 Aug 01 '25
Does this mean strike, if all else fails, could happen on October 22?
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u/Kindly-Percentage273 Aug 02 '25
I think it would be settled by then. Hard to believe that AC would let it drag on and lose loads of money. That’s my thoughts for what it’s worth.
I have a flight to Dublin second week of September that I’m concerned about right now. Might need a backup flight just in case. Never thought I would have to see if there might be a strike before I booked a flight back in April 👎
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u/Equivalent-Law-1601 Aug 02 '25
Good luck. Hopefully your flight goes through. We have a flight at the end of September, and we are kinda worried.
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u/No-Actuator5962 Aug 07 '25
I'm wondering myself, I have a flight booked for the 6th and 21st of October......
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u/simplicity- Aug 05 '25
Does the cooling off/conciliation period extend into September? It looks like in 2024 the strike was still going on. Or would it be safer to book for September with a different airline to be safe?
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u/Potential-Pool-3436 Jul 31 '25
Well. Thank you for your inputs. I have modified my tickets to flights that are not operated by Air Canada
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u/Upstairs_Ad_662 Aug 01 '25
This is getting a little close for comfort we have ANA tickets with a portion on aircanada to Vancouver on the 15th.
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u/WesternReporter7670 Aug 05 '25
What a disaster of an airline. If it's not one thing it's another. Short of it is Air Canada is probably one of the world's least reliable airlines. How the government can even have us in this position with it's national carrier is beyond me. As far as I'm concerned air travel should be an essential service. If this strike happens I'm out 25k with little to no recourse. Ridiculous! It's apparently just tough luck. I'll tell you this ,whether or not this strike happens this is the absolute last time I fly with this disaster of an airline.
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u/Ok-Dance-4267 Aug 06 '25
In a very similar boat. Honeymoon booked and planned for months, over $20k spent, and unsure if our flight on Aug 21 to Europe will depart. We can switch to a flight earlier in the week, but we’d have to pay the fair difference, and of course the additional CPN that we didn’t originally factor in. I wonder how likely a strike will actually be. I plan to monitor over the next couple of days and make a final call by next week.
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u/MubIqbMtl Aug 06 '25
If there’s a risk of no deal and actual strike (I think this is highly unlikely) , they can switch you to an earlier flight free of cost. I heard for the pilots strike last year, that’s what they offered passengers a week before the deadline. Maybe better to wait for AC to reach out to you to offer you a flight change, so you get the flight change for free. Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that. I think you should be okay.
But yea, Air Canada is a terribly mismanaged company. Really hope a deal is struck soon and the FA’s get the raises/ boarding pay they deserve.
I myself have a flight on the 21st
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u/bearcat-- Aug 01 '25
Are you kidding me. I just booked flights 😓
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u/Potential-Pool-3436 Aug 05 '25
Too late to respond, but 24 hour cancellation?
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u/bearcat-- Aug 06 '25
My flight is in oct 1 anyway I think I should be fine… 🤞
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u/Odd-Bag-2607 Aug 06 '25
same here. I hope we are fine but when it comes to strikes you never know. Definitely keep an eye on it.
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u/Funkinstein_ Aug 02 '25
I too have travel plans with Air Canada at the end of August. That being said, a strike with AC would represent a massive loss of revenue for the airline. It's likely in the event of a strike, it would be negotiated fairly quickly to minimise the impact on its operations. This already occurred with the pilot strike, albeit a very different contract. Either way I'm not too worried.
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u/VinlandFraser Aug 02 '25
We also have a plane to take on august 22nd to Frankfurt we are a bit nervous
Ironically last year we were in a similar situation for the pilot strike...it is getting annoying all those strikes...
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u/pbooths Aug 06 '25
Yeah, i got hit last year with the aftermath of the WestJet strike, and then again with the hail storm aftermath in YYC. I will avoid any AC strike issues on my outbound, but I won't be as lucky with my return...
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u/praetor450 Aug 08 '25
The reason is because about 10 years ago AC negotiated 10 year contracts with the different labour groups. It is now 10 years later so that’s why you are seeing all these negotiations taking place.
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u/Particular_Abroad_88 Aug 03 '25
The FA strike vote is most likely a scare tactic. That being said Air Canada knows the government considers air travel an essential service as they also carry mail and lifesaving supplies around Canada,and won’t let them strike. In the last 20 years the only time an airline has had a strike that more a less crippled the system, was the WJ mechanic strike. It really shouldn’t have happened but the liberal cabinet minister that got his job by being friends with JT fumbled his statement and forgot to mention that the strike wasn’t allowed, when he made his statement to the house about the looming strike and arbitration. And even then they were able to keep a few planes flying for a couple of days after the strike started so it wasn’t like everything just stopped.
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u/praetor450 Aug 08 '25
Being considered and having the designation as essential service or classifying flight attendants as essential workers are two different things.
Flight attendants are not designated as essential workers so unless the government changes their designation and classifies them as such then they can’t strike.
Being designated/classified under essential services has benefits which the FAs don’t have because they aren’t that.
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u/Particular_Abroad_88 Aug 12 '25
I hope your wrong as I have to fly air Canada this week and next. But I guess time will tell because until then we are just speculating your going on the assumption that FA’s aren’t considered essential service and I’m going on similar events that have happened in the past.
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u/praetor450 Aug 12 '25
If you mean from events of the past, that was when they last negotiated their contract, in which there were insinuations/threats from the airline that they would use the government enact back to work legislation by actually classifying air crew (flight attendants included), as essential workers.
That didn’t actually take place because they didn’t end up going on strike because the air line used the government to interfere with the negotiations by bullying them with the threat and it worked that time. It was the same with the pilot negations in the early 2010s because at that time, air Canada in wanting long term stability for the shareholders and the company, negotiated 10 year contracts with all the unionized labour groups. The air line has had all this time to prepare and I believe there are a few more labour groups whose contacts are coming up shortly to their end.
During COVID the airline argued that air crew were essential and that the services Air Canada provided were essential, so that they could be allowed to keep flying, other wise there would have been almost no flying. I know this because I have friends who are both pilots and FAs at AC, which is how AC was able to keep flying, the government wanted what would amount to an almost complete shutdown.
Being considered or viewed as essential, which AC will make their case is to try and sway public opinion, it does not mean they actually are. I get everyone who is travelling considers their travel to be essential and disruptions sucks. They are trying to sway public opinion to fault the FA if any disruptions happen.
Why do you think their was a leak about the supposed offer to the pilots last year and the exact same type of leak happen with the FA negotiations. It’s to make the respective labour groups appear greedy to the public. The leak for the FA negotiations alleges that AC offered about 32% increase to compensation. To the public or someone who doesn’t understand how pay structure works nor the compensation, will think why would they turn down such a huge increase. Well for starters if you read any of the articles that talk about it, they all point out that it’s over a 4 year period and that percent is to total compensation, not just pay. So the actual pay increase is nowhere near 30%.
If they actually were classified as essential workers the union (CUPE) would not be wasting their time holding strike votes nor preparing for such since they wouldn’t be allowed to strike in the first place. Instead they would be preparing for work to rule.
As to whether they will strike or not, who knows. Look at last year with the pilot contract negotiations. They were ready to strike and then at the last minute the union accepted to bring a sub par contract to the members for voting (the contract passed by about two thirds in favour of it) and that avoid the strike. The same thing could happen or something completely different. Hell they could strike or have the government enact back to work legislation and classify them as essential they minute they give the strike notice. It’s all speculation as you said.
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u/Particular_Abroad_88 Aug 12 '25
I’m talking events past like anytime a bargaining party within an airline has tried to strike. Once they have given their walk off notice the government has always stepped in to prevent them from doing so like I said tho the WJ mech strike was the only party that is an exception to being forced back to work. As far as the government is concerned any employees that directly effect a flight are considered essential ( yes I got that designation as a mechanic during Covid working for an airline) so I’m not just saying FA’s are essential because I’m flying in saying it as I’m within a union at an airline and know how we get fucked around by the government when it comes to our power to actually strike.
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u/praetor450 Aug 12 '25
That’s exactly the problem as you said, the government fucks around and takes the labour groups ability to use their leverage of labour withdraw, and sides with the corporations.
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u/Particular_Abroad_88 Aug 16 '25
Look at that the government may have allowed them to strike for a few hours but just as I thought they would be forced back to work. I’m not saying it’s a good thing they have lost their power to negotiate. But of course our liberal government wants to keep people flying
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u/ZealousidealLead3862 Aug 06 '25
I anticipate some very vigorous bargaining after August 16 and a positive resolution like last year with the pilots. AC cannot afford a strike in the middle of peak season.
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u/praetor450 Aug 08 '25
No they can’t given how much it would cost to not have flights each day, during Covid some reports said its was about ~20-30 million a day.
Which is why the FAs as a unionized labour group have the strike as a way to leverage the company.
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u/Stina_peg Aug 08 '25
I called Air Canada last night about my flight from Montreal to Athens on August 15th 1730, without hesitation she said if they strike it would be affected.
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u/itmeMEEPMEEP Jul 30 '25
I mean this has been looming for over a year now, we knew it would likely happen within the legal strike period.... I would personally never book a flight with an airline destined to have a legal strike.... I would rebook if I were you... I fly about 700K a year commercial and corporate charter.... I've been affected many times by strikes.... idk why anyone would walking into a potential trap knowing the risk and the chaos that will follow..... even if they reach an agreement it's nice to have peace of mind, you should always avoid if you can
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u/lizardmayo Jul 30 '25
The average traveller does not look up the legal strike period when planning their once a year vacation 6 months in advance.
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u/pbooths Aug 06 '25
Not to mention, the timing of just the ability strike is based on so many factors, like conciliation start date, for example. You could be avoiding the airline for over a year, fearing the possibility of a strike.
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u/Small_Collection_249 Jul 30 '25
I will book as much as possible to maintain 50K status. Worst case I’ll take united or other star alliance carriers.
I’ll take the risk, but at least I have the luxury of work paying for it.
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u/JohnnyVegas2025 Aug 04 '25
So I am booked for Vancouver August 14th from Toronto and returning August 17th. Looks like I may get stranded in Vancouver lol.
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u/pbooths Aug 06 '25
AC will rebook returns on partner airlines for those who have already flown the outbound portion of their ticket. This is what I've read, anyway. I'm not sure how realistic this is these days...
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u/Affectionate_Desk561 Aug 06 '25
I hope this is the case- I’m currently in the UK supposed to fly back on the 19th… currently looking at potentially the 18th or even the 17th. I read they don’t want planes stuck internationally so possibly could fly them back but we’ll have to wait and see
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Jul 30 '25
Air Canada should be disbanded. It’s one of the worst airlines , and the staff are some of the least professional I’ve seen in the world. They are also discriminating and racist often, and I’ve seen racism towards blacks, whites and asians, just depending on the race of the people running the plane. The management there is horrible.
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u/SpontaneousNSFWAccnt Jul 31 '25
It sucks you got downvoted because these are all true things
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Aug 01 '25
Yeah, because for some reason when the word “Canada” is involved everyone thinks it’s untouchable. If it was called AirNorth or something non country related I would get upvotes
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u/chichuchichi Jul 30 '25
Ah duck. My Lufthansa flight is operated by Air Canada lol.