Strike watch: Air Transat begins cancelling Europe & South America flights

EDITOR'S NOTE: Air Transat reached a tentative agreement with the ALPA on Tuesday night (Dec. 9), averting a strike. Click here for details.

Air Transat has cancelled more flights as it continues to find common ground with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union that represents its some 750 pilots.

In an update shared Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 9), the airline said “improved offers” have been submitted in the past few hours, “along with significant concessions.”  

However, in the absence of a deal, the airline has no choice but to proceed with more flight cancellations, through to Dec. 10.

A move that initially disrupted sun service to Cancun and Punta Cana now impacts flights to South America (to destinations like Lima) and Europe (to places like Paris, Manchester, Málaga and Lisbon).

The complete list of cancelled flights (as of Dec. 9, 1:45 p.m. EST), is as follows:

December 9

•          TS986 YYZ-PUJ

•          TS987 PUJ-YYZ

•          TS426 YYZ-CUN

•          TS427 CUN-YYZ

•          TS498 YUL-PUJ

•          TS499 PUJ-YUL

•          TS206 YYZ-MAN

•          TS252 YUL-AGP

•          TS480 YYZ-LIS

•          TS110 YUL-CDG

•          TS122 YYZ-LGW

•          TS150 YUL-LIM

December 10

•  TS207 MAN-YYZ

•  TS253 AGP-YUL

•  TS481 LIS-YYZ

•  TS111 CDG-YUL

•  TS123 LGW-YYZ

•  TS151 LIM-YUL

Air Transat says impacted passengers have been notified by email.

The list of affected flights is published and regularly updated on the company’s website.

Repatriation strategy

Air Transat says it remains at the bargaining table, hoping to reach an agreement with its pilots today in order to minimize further disruptions.

“Our priority remains the same: bringing our travellers back home,” the airline said.

READ MORE: Air Transat strike Q&A: Everything travel advisors need to know

Despite reports of an earlier shutdown, all Air Transat flights that were planned for December 7 and 8 operated as scheduled, the airline said.

On Monday (Dec. 8), the company implemented a program aimed at repatriating as many travellers as possible through the deployment of additional flights and increased capacity on certain routes.

As a result, four extra flights were operated on December 8, the company said, and this morning, three new flights to southern destinations were deployed using larger aircraft.

“Unfortunately, three southbound flights scheduled later in the day had to be cancelled, and one flight was moved up in anticipation of the orderly shutdown of our operations,” the company said Tuesday.

Passengers originally booked on these flights who still wished to travel were accommodated on the additional morning flights.

“We are communicating directly with impacted passengers to provide all necessary information and facilitate their return,” the airline said.

Divided over pay

According to CBC News, Air Transat’s talks with the ALPA pilots have moved forward, but the two sides remain divided over pay.

In a statement Sunday, the airline said its latest proposal to the union includes a 59 per cent wage increase spread over five years, along with what it called significant improvements to working conditions.

However, the union disputes that characterization, with ALPA Canada president Capt. Tim Perry calling the company’s wage figure “completely inaccurate.”

"If we had 59 per cent on the table from the company, we would be taking it to our members. It would be irresponsible not to," said Perry during an interview with CBC on Monday.

Air Transat, however, is defending the figure, according to Dave Bourdages, the airline’s vice-president of flight operations.

In an interview with CBC, he noted that the 59 per cent increase represents an average.

"When inside the pay scale, of course, you can have some pilots that are a little bit lower than the 59 per cent, some are a little bit higher than that," said Bourdages. "We also recognize previous years of experience. But overall, the 59 per cent average does stand."

Meanwhile, Air Canada’s 5,200 pilots recently secured a contract that includes pay increases of 42 per cent over four years.

A 72-hour strike notice was announced on December 7, which means a strike could formally begin on December 10 at 3 a.m EST. 

Operations will be disrupted until an agreement is reached.

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