Pilot strike: Air Canada says it hasn’t started cancelling flights just yet

This article was updated on Friday, September 13 at 4:42 p.m. EST

Air Canada was expected to begin cancelling some flights today (Friday, Sept. 13) ahead of this Sunday’s strike deadline involving its pilots.

As shared in a contingency plan released by the airline earlier this week, a 72-hour strike or lockout notice could be issued on Sunday, Sept. 15, at which point the airline would begin a three-day wind down plan of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge.

It was also noted that disruptions could start as early as today (Friday, September 13), including the cancellation of some holiday packages.

Air Canada, however, confirmed with PAX early Friday that it has not cancelled any flights yet due to a potential strike.

“In the event there are [cancellations], customers will be notified if there are any changes to their travel,” wrote airline spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick in an email. 

Fitzpatrick called it an “evolving situation,” saying that Air Canada is in the process of adjusting its planning accordingly to minimize disruptions.

Air Canada Cargo, however, has stopped accepting certain items, such as live animals or perishables, to prepare for possible labour action. 

“We have also changed the routing assignments of certain aircraft to ensure they are properly positioned for such things as planned maintenance in event of a disruption,” Fitzpatrick said.

There have been a small number of cancellations at Air Canada today. But these are unrelated to the pilot negotiations and are due to other issues, such as maintenance, Fitzpatrick noted.

Unless an agreement is reached, Air Canada pilots will be in legal strike position on Sept. 18.

“Canada cannot afford another major disruption”

Yesterday, Canadian business leaders convened in Ottawa to call on federal government to get involved and prevent a strike from happening. 

“Canada cannot afford another major disruption to its transportation network. A labour disruption at Air Canada would ripple through our economy, from tourism to critical supply chains. The federal government must be prepared to intervene if necessary," said Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada.

The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA) is also calling for a fast action.

“We are urging Air Canada, the [Air Line Pilots Association] union and federal government to work hard together and come to a resolution,” said Wendy Paradis, ACTA's president, addressing some 500 travel advisors at the Toronto Congress Centre yesterday at the association’s travel industry Summit. “Our message is to negotiate and come to a resolution as soon as possible.”

The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) added its voice to the conversation on Friday. 

“We urge the federal government to consider the importance of timely arbitration to ensure that travellers can continue to plan and enjoy their journeys without uncertainty. The tourism sector is a vital component of Canada's economy, and it is essential that we work together to maintain its integrity and support the needs of all stakeholders involved,” wrote Jean Hébert, CATO’s executive director, in a statement.

Feds should be “be prepared to intervene," says CEO 

Air Canada’s CEO Michael Rousseau shared an update on the situation yesterday afternoon – and it wasn’t positive news.

He said that while Air Canada remains committed to reaching a settlement with ALPA, the federal government should “be prepared to intervene” if talks fail before any travel disruption starts.

According to an Air Canada press release, a tentative agreement has been reached on just 70 per cent of the more than 1,000 proposed changes suggested by ALPA.

Air Canada says it has offered “unprecedented wage increases” – increases of up to 30 per cent – which the union has refused, citing U.S.-based wage levels.

“We are taking all measures to mitigate any impact, but the reality is even a short work stoppage at Air Canada could, given the complexity of our business operating on a global scale, cause prolonged disruption for customers,” Rousseau said.

A pilot strike at Air Canada would impact thousands of travellers.

Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge operate close to 670 daily flights (on average) and carry more than 110,000 passengers within Canada and internationally.

John Gradek, an aviation analyst and lecturer at McGill University, told CBC News that Air Canada customers will likely face disruptions as soon as this weekend,

"You're looking at…a significant number of Air Canada flights being cancelled. Air Canada cannot operate its mainline fleet," said Gradek, who believes some sort of impact will be felt as the airline's pilots move closer to a possible strike. 

Gradek said the tension dates back about a decade, when Air Canada signed a deal with the ALPA. 

That agreement has now expired, and the union, which represents about 5,200 pilots, is fighting for wages that compare with pilots across North America. 

Trudeau is staying out of it

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it's up to Air Canada and the pilots’ union to reach a deal to avoid a strike or lockout — and not on the federal government.

“Every time there’s a strike, people say, ‘Oh, you’ll get the government to come in and fix it.’ We’re not going to do that,” Trudeau said, speaking to reporters in Montreal on Friday, as reported by Global News.

“I’m not going to put my thumb on the scale on either side. It is up to Air Canada and the pilots union to do the work to figure out how to make sure that they are not hurting millions of Canadians who rely on air travel, thousands and thousands of businesses across this country who will be hurt if they can’t get the work done at the bargaining table,” he said.

Trudeau said the government will instead put “pressure” on Air Canada and the ALPA to reach a deal at the negotiating table.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.