TORONTO — Air Canada said Tuesday it will gradually restart operations after reaching a tentative deal with the union representing 10,000 flight attendants, effectively ending a strike that had disrupted travel for more than 130,000 passengers a day at the height of the summer season.
The breakthrough came late Monday after negotiations resumed for the first time since the strike began over the weekend. Air Canada confirmed that flights will begin resuming on Tuesday evening, although cancellations will continue during the phased recovery process.
Unpaid Ground Work Dispute Resolved
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing the flight attendants, said the agreement guarantees pay for duties performed while planes are on the ground. That issue — long described by the union as “poverty wages” and unpaid labor — had been a central sticking point in the dispute.
“Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power,” CUPE said in a statement. “When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back — and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.”
Airline Warns of Gradual Recovery
Air Canada chief executive Michael Rousseau said restarting operations across a global network is a complex process, noting that full restoration of the schedule may take up to 10 days.
“Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding over the coming days,” Rousseau said.
The airline added that the mediation process began only after the union committed to having members return to work immediately. It declined to further comment until the ratification vote is complete.
Government and Labor Board Intervention
The deal follows days of escalating tension between the union, the airline, and federal authorities. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) declared the strike illegal on Monday and ordered attendants back to work, a directive the union initially defied.
The government had tasked the CIRB with intervening after the work stoppage began, invoking legislation previously used to halt strikes at Canadian ports and railways. Labor leaders criticized the repeated reliance on such measures, calling it an erosion of workers’ bargaining rights.
“Your right to vote on your wages was preserved,” CUPE told members in an online update, highlighting that arbitration was avoided in favor of a negotiated settlement.
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Thousands of Flights Canceled
Before the agreement, Air Canada had already suspended hundreds of flights in anticipation of extended labor action. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that as of Monday afternoon, the carrier had canceled at least 1,219 domestic and 1,339 international flights since last Thursday.
Air Canada typically operates around 700 flights per day and had estimated that more than 500,000 passengers would be affected by cancellations.
Toronto’s Pearson International Airport announced that it will deploy additional staff to assist passengers as flights gradually resume.
Passenger Refunds and Options
Air Canada confirmed that passengers whose flights were canceled remain eligible for full refunds through its website or mobile app. The airline also continues to coordinate with partner carriers to provide limited rebooking options where possible.
