Air Canada implements flexible rebooking policy ahead of possible strike

Air Canada has implemented a goodwill policy to give customers with imminent travel plans some flexibility as a possible pilot strike nears.

The move comes as federal conciliation in negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents Air Canada’s pilots, ends.

Starting today (Aug 27), customers who have purchased Air Canada flights for the period immediately preceding and after the end of the cooling off period on Sept. 17, 2024, can change any travel already purchased at no additional cost, reads a press release.

READ MORE: Air Canada pilots vote overwhelmingly to allow strike

Changes can be made online at www.aircanada.com, through the Air Canada mobile app, a travel advisor, or by calling an Air Canada Contact Centre. 

The policy allows customers holding bookings on any fare type with travel between September 15 and 23, 2024, to:

• Rebook to any other Air Canada flight(s) with the same origin and destination up to November 30, 2024.  Change fees and any other fees or fare difference will be waived, meaning such changes can be made at no cost for customers who choose to travel the same route in the same cabin.
• Cancel their flight and retain the residual value on a future travel credit. Refunds will be available as per fare rules for customers with refundable tickets; for customers with non-refundable tickets, refunds are not available as flights are scheduled to operate as normal.
• Cancel their flight and rebook travel for after November 30, in which case change fees will be waived but the customer will have to pay the fare difference, if any.

The policy applies to all Air Canada operated flights, including Air Canada mainline, Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL Airlines, and Air Canada Vacations (an additional fee may apply for hotels).

Air Canada Express flights, operated by Jazz or PAL Airlines, are not operated by Air Canada pilots and therefore will not be impacted by the end of the cooling-off period.

Additionally, certain special services will be temporarily unavailable, the airline says.

These include services such as the Unaccompanied Minor Program, special request baggage services for items such as bicycles and hunting equipment, and the Meet and Assist Program in Japan.

“Air Canada's intention remains to reach a negotiated settlement with its pilots, one that recognizes their professionalism and contributions to the airline,” the airline said in a statement. “During the talks, there has been significant progress and the three-week cooling off period gives the parties more than sufficient time to address any outstanding issues. Air Canada is fully committed to bargaining meaningfully throughout the period.”

Nationwide picket

The update comes as Air Canada’s pilots stage a nationwide informational picket today (August 27) across all Air Canada bases (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Winnipeg).

This is not a formal strike. Rather, the demonstrations are being held to inform the public. Air Canada planes will still be flying as pilots participating in the picket will be on their day off.

Air Canada pilots will be in a legal position to commence job action as early as mid-September if no agreement has been reached by the end of the cooling-off period. As PAX previously reported, the earliest possible job action would be Sept. 17.

Last week, Air Canada's pilots voted overwhelmingly in favour of authorizing union leaders to call a strike.

More details for customers are available here and for Air Canada Vacations customers here. For more information about Air Canada's contract negotiations with the ALPA, click here. 

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