Air Canada prepares for impending pilot strike

Air Canada is planning to cancel dozens of flights in the coming days as it faces an impending pilot strike.

The airline plans to begin canceling core operations under its Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge brands as early as Sunday, September 15, gradually winding down operations over a three-day period. Pilots can give 72-hour notice to strike on Sunday, after the end of a 21-day “cooling off” period, allowing them to strike as early as Wednesday, September 18. The airline could also choose to lock out pilots at the same time.

Want more airline specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free bi-weekly Aviation newsletter.

Air Canada is offering flexible travel waivers for passengers scheduled to fly between September 15 and 23.

In a statement, Air Canada said negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association — which represents about 5,200 pilots at the airline — were “close to a stalemate” and described the possibility of a work stoppage as “increasingly likely.”

“We understand and apologise for the inconvenience this will cause our customers,” the airline said in a statement. “However, a managed closure is the only responsible solution we can take.”

“Air Canada believes there is still time to reach an agreement with our pilot group, provided ALPA reduces its wage demands to a level that is significantly higher than the average wage increase for Canadians,” the airline added in a statement.

The airline has accused the pilot union of being unreasonable in its demands, a sentiment it reiterated in its latest statement this week. The airline’s latest offer would raise pilot pay by 30% over three years, including a 20% increase effective immediately, Bloomberg reported last week.

Air Canada said Air Canada Express flights, operated by third-party regional carriers Jazz and PAL Airlines, will continue to operate as normal during the strike.

Flight delayed or canceled? Here are the best credit cards that offer cash back when your trip is delayed.

Passengers flying Air Canada next week can cancel or change their trips at their own discretion. Or, they can wait until the airline cancels their flights if there is a strike. Either way, customers are entitled to a refund for unused tickets.

It’s worth noting, however, that Canadian consumer protection laws consider strikes to be outside the airline’s control. This means that if someone has travel plans that they don’t cancel or change, the airline is not responsible for compensating the passenger for expenses like meals, hotels, alternative flights, or other incidentals.

In a statement on August 30, ALPA said it was seeking a labor contract in line with rival airlines.

“We want to reach an agreement with Air Canada to prevent a strike,” said first officer Charlene Hudy, president of Air Canada’s ALPA. “And while we have made some progress in the conciliation process, management continues to push us closer to a strike position by not listening to our most pressing demands at the bargaining table for fair compensation, respectable retirement benefits and improved quality of life.”

The union did not immediately respond to TPG’s request for further details.

US airline strikes still a long way off

Meanwhile, United Airlines flight attendants voted overwhelmingly in late August to authorize a strike as the union moves forward with its own contract negotiations. That follows recent moves toward strikes by flight attendants at Alaska Airlines and American Airlines.

Flight attendants at American are in the process of voting on a temporary agreement with the airline, while flight attendants at Alaska recently voted down their own temporary agreement.

However, an actual strike at any airline remains unlikely in the near future. The federal Railroad Labor Act sets out a strict process for transportation worker action, with multiple stages of negotiation and time outs before a strike can be authorized.

Still, a vote to authorize a strike is a significant move by airline workers, and there is always a chance the two sides won’t reach an agreement in time to avoid a strike. For now, however, there are no imminent disruptions to operations in the United States.

We’ll keep you updated on any travel disruptions you may have, so stay tuned to TPG.

Read more related: