Some Air Canada flights that were scheduled to take off today are being cancelled as the airline braces for a work stoppage this weekend.
The union that represents around 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants is poised to strike just before 1 a.m. on Saturday, as the airline also plans to lock out those workers.
Air Canada said it will begin cancelling flights Thursday, with more disruptions Friday. A complete stoppage would take effect Saturday if it doesn't reach a last-minute deal with the flight attendants' union.
It said customers whose flights are cancelled will be eligible for a full refund, and it has also made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide alternative travel options "to the extent possible."
The airline is expected to provide further details at a news conference with senior airline executives this morning in Toronto.
Air Canada has requested government-directed arbitration, however Ottawa has not indicated whether it will intervene in the dispute.
In a statement Thursday morning, federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu acknowledged Air Canada's request, adding she has asked the union to respond to it.
She urged both sides to return to the bargaining table.
"To be clear: deals that are made at the bargaining table are the best ones," said Hajdu.
"Federal mediators are willing and able to work with parties around the clock until they reach a deal."
Earlier this week, the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees rejected the airline's proposal to enter binding arbitration, saying it prefers to negotiate a deal that its members can then vote on.
The union said Wednesday evening that the airline had yet to return to the bargaining table after issuing its lockout notice.
"The union tabled its most recent proposal to Air Canada on (Tuesday) at 9 p.m. ET. The union has been at the bargaining table ever since, waiting for Air Canada to issue their counter-offer. The airline has yet to respond," CUPE's statement said.
"Needless to say, a negotiation requires two parties to be present, but Air Canada appears to be missing in action."
The union's main sticking points in negotiations have revolved around wages that have been outpaced by inflation during the course of its previous 10-year contract, along with unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air.
Its members voted 99.7 per cent in favour of a strike mandate last week. Talks later resumed before the two sides reached an impasse Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2025.
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Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press
