Air Canada could begin strike: What to do if your flight is affected?

The rising cost of living has led workers in a number of industries to take to the picket lines to demand higher wages. Such is the possibility of the same happening for pilots of Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge in the coming days.

In preparation for the impasse between negotiators from the pilot union and the airline not getting resolved, steps are being taken to wind down operations over a three-day period, which could start as soon as Sunday, September 15. Canada’s largest carrier and its subsidiary operate almost 670 flight per day carrying around 110,000 passengers.

Air Canada could begin strike: What to do if your flight is affected?

In advance of a potential lockout or strike, Air Canada is already allowing customers who have a flight scheduled between September 15 and 23 to make changes to their booking at no cost. Customers also have the option of canceling their booking in which case they will receive a credit for future travel.

In the event that a lockout or strike notice is issued, and a ticketholder’s flight is canceled, those customers will be notified, and they can claim a full refund, which can be obtained online at www.aircanada.com or through the Air Canada mobile app. However, under Canada’s existing Airline Passenger Protection Regulations they cannot claim any further compensation.

Over the required 72-hour notice period, flights will begin to be cancelled across the system. A total shutdown could come as early as 12:01 ET September 18 after which it will take seven to ten days for normal operations to resume once it is lifted.

“Air Canada Express flights will continue to operate, as third-party carriers Jazz and PAL Airlines provide these services,” the airline noted in a press release. Additionally, the carrier “has also been arranging with other carriers to secure space for customers in the event of Air Canada flight cancellations.”