Air Canada Flight Attendants Resume Talks After Weekend Strike

Air Canada and the union representing 10,000 flight attendants resumed talks late Monday with a mediator as a weekend strike disrupts summer travel.

Air Canada Flight Attendants Resume Talks After Weekend Strike

Air Canada and the union representing about 10,000 flight attendants met late Monday in Toronto with a mediator, the first formal talks since the weekend strike began. The walkout has disrupted travel during the peak summer season, and officials say about 130,000 travelers could be affected daily. The union has said the strike is illegal but will not end the strike while talks resume. The Canada Industrial Relations Board declared the stoppage illegal and ordered workers back to duty, a directive the union has said it will defy.

Air Canada warned that cancellations would extend into Tuesday afternoon as the dispute continues. The carrier operates about 700 flights per day and has faced a growing list of delays and cancellations across domestic and international routes. Cirium data tracked more than 2,500 canceled flights since last Thursday as the airline began scaling back operations. Passengers shared stories of missed jobs, delayed vacations, and long waits at airports, including a Montreal family stranded in Prague unable to return home on schedule.

The flare of this labor dispute shows how travel depends on a delicate balance between workers’ rights and company operations, and how governments intervene when disruption spirals. Arbitration tools used by authorities can push settlements, but they can also provoke pushback from unions that view such moves as coercive. The immediate risk is continued travel chaos and reputational damage for the airline, alongside political scrutiny over how the government handles essential services.

Looking ahead, the case could set a precedent for how Canada navigates strikes in vital sectors. A quick resolution would soothe travelers and help Air Canada stabilize operations, while a prolonged stalemate could intensify public frustration and invite more government involvement in labor bargaining.

Highlights

The next steps will test whether bargaining can restore service without eroding trust in Canada’s travel system.