Air Canada has announced the gradual resumption of its flights after reaching a tentative agreement with the flight attendants’ union, ending an almost four-day strike. More than 10,000 members of CUPE walked off the job on Saturday, causing chaos in air travel and affecting more than half a million passengers. According to the BBC, flights began returning on Tuesday evening, though the airline’s management warned it would take several days to fully normalize operations, as aircraft and crews remain out of position.
The union described the strike as a “historic fight” for flight attendants’ rights, highlighting that the key victory was the elimination of unpaid ground duties. The previous practice, under which cabin crew were not compensated for boarding or waiting time at airports, should now become a thing of the past. According to CBC News, the proposed agreement includes an immediate pay increase of between 8 and 12 percent, as well as the introduction of compensation for at least one hour of ground duties before each flight, paid at 50 percent of the hourly rate, with annual increases of 5 percent.
On its official website, Air Canada stated that the strike had caused the most significant disruption to its network in the past four decades, with full restoration of operations expected to take several days. The airline urged passengers not to go to airports without confirmed bookings and to check flight status via its mobile app or website. By Tuesday afternoon, all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights had been cancelled, while Air Canada Express services operated by Jazz and PAL continued. The carrier also offered free changes and refunds, emphasizing it is working closely with partners, including bus operators, to help passengers find alternative travel options.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the agreement, stressing that he expects it to provide fair compensation for flight attendants while ending the disruption that has affected hundreds of thousands of families and visitors to Canada. Labour Minister Patty Hajdu added that her ministry will investigate the practice of unpaid work in the aviation sector.
Although the details of the agreement have not yet been publicly disclosed, and Air Canada declined to comment until members ratify it, the union stated the deal represents a “transformational change” for workers and the entire industry. Air Canada, the country’s largest airline, which under normal circumstances operates around 700 daily flights, is now entering a phase of recovery and schedule reorganization, with passengers advised to remain patient as aircraft and crews return to regular service.
