Air Canada has begun cancelling flights in advance of a looming work stoppage set for Saturday, marking the start of an “orderly shutdown” of its operations. By the weekend, all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights are expected to be halted amid an escalating labour standoff with the airline’s flight attendants.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing about 10,000 flight attendants, issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier this week, warning members could walk off the job at 12:58 a.m. ET Saturday if no new collective agreement is reached. While the union says some progress has been made at the bargaining table, several major issues remain unresolved.
Following the strike notice, Air Canada issued its own lockout notice, intensifying the threat of a complete shutdown. The airline says talks have hit an impasse, with both sides still far apart on contract terms.
The company argues that starting cancellations early will help reduce disruption for passengers and allow for a controlled wind-down of operations if the strike goes ahead. Negotiations are still ongoing, with more updates expected in the coming days.