Kelowna International Airport was packed with summer travellers Thursday, but many of them flying with Air Canada are facing major travel disruptions amid a labour dispute between the airline and its flight attendants.
“I’ve been a bit worried for I would say the last 48 to 72 hours,” said Air Canada passenger Mikail Khamissa. “I didn’t know if my flight would be cancelled or not.”
The disruptions are expected to be significant across the country.
In Kelowna, however, the potential impact is anticipated to be somewhat less as many of the airline’s flights in and out of the Okanagan’s largest airport are operated by Air Canada Jazz, one of the airline’s three divisions not part of the current labour dispute.
The labour strife impacts Air Canada’s Mainline and Rouge flights only.
“We’re connecting regionally into Calgary, into Edmonton, into Vancouver, for example,” said Sam Samaddar, the airport’s chief executive officer. “So those flights will remain going. They’re not affected by this labour action.”
Flying in and out of Kelowna, however, won’t be an entirely smooth ride with travellers warned of possible disruptions based on where they’re flying to and whether connecting flights are involved.
For instance, travellers flying Air Canada Jazz out of Kelowna who may have connecting flights with Air Canada Mainline or Rouge out of larger airports may be impacted.
And the potential disruptions don’t end there, as Rouge offers direct flights from Kelowna to both Toronto and Montreal.
“We have two daily flights, for example, into Toronto directly with Air Canada Rouge. Those will be impacted,” Samaddar said. “And then we have flights twice a week with Air Canada Rouge into Montreal and certainly those will be impacted.”
Air passengers are being advised to check with Air Canada on their flight status or any alternate travel options.
“It’s important to get onto the Air Canada website,” Samaddar said. “I’m told by Air Canada that they are responding to people’s itineraries and giving them the information they need.”