The possibility of a strike by Air Canada flight attendants could mean trouble for future travellers as experts say such a job action could mean thousands of cancelled flights.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)’s Air Canada component called for a strike vote on Friday, which began Δευτέρα and is set to conclude Aug. 5.
If it receives a strong mandate, the union could issue a 72-hour strike notice as early as Aug. 16 that would impact Air Canada mainline and Rouge flights.
What’s being asked?
According to the union, flight attendants are coming off a 10-year agreement with Air Canada.
During that time period, the union says its members have lost “significant purchasing power” and that it is negotiating for higher wages and an “end to the abuse of unpaid work.”
The union said that before, during and after their flights, flight attendants are required to perform “hours of unpaid mandatory” duties, including safety checks, boarding, deplaning and assisting passengers with special needs.
They want flight attendants to be paid from the moment pre-boarding duties begin.
Currently, they’re paid from the moment the boarding door closes to when it opens upon landing.
Air Canada said in a statement that the strike vote is a “normal step in the negotiation process” and the airline is focused on the bargaining process.
What would the impact of a strike be?
According to Air Canada, it averages more than 500 daily domestic flights, with 430 daily domestic flights to the U.S. and more than 170 daily flights internationally.
That’s a total of roughly 1,100 daily flights.
“It would be a huge disruption,” said Martin Firestone, president of Travel Secure Inc. “I think that week alone, or those few weeks, are big, big vacation stretches for people travelling. It would cause just mayhem, I guess is the best way of putting it.”
Firestone said people can take steps to try to prepare for the potential of a strike, including purchasing travel insurance.
“They can look into buying cancellation and interruption insurance and check with that insurer prior: is it too late because the strike is a known cause, or are you still able to purchase insurance in the event that there is a strike and you cannot travel that day?” Firestone said.
He said this is important because you could also lose out on a non-refundable Airbnb or even a cruise.
You can also buy a ticket on another airline as a backup.
“The typical insurance policy that you have to look at is get yourself a booking on an alternative airline on a refundable fare,” said John Gradek, supply networks and aviation professor at McGill University.
“You’re going to be out of pocket for that, to buy the fare, it’s not going to be cheap, but it’s an insurance policy that if you must travel and Air Canada does go on strike, at least you have a solid alternative.”
That refundable ticket can then be cancelled should a strike not occur and you’re able to board your originally planned flight.
Firestone recommends if you’re already at your destination, book a backup return flight as well, but cautions travellers may run into issue with insurance.
“So the key is to buy it prior to leaving the country, if you’ve already gone, you’re out of luck on that one,” he said.
Can I get my money back?
The Airline Passenger Protections Regulations (APPR) determine what you could receive if a cancellation or delay occurs.
Under the APPR, labour disputes within the carrier fall under a situation that is outside the airline’s control, meaning people could be rebooked or refunded.
The airline must rebook you on the next available flight leaving within 48 hours after your scheduled departure time either on one of their flights or an airline they have a commercial agreement with.
If the airline can’t provide a confirmed reservation within this 48-hour period, the APPR says they must, “at the passenger’s choice,” refund or rebook the traveller.
The airline must refund the unused portion of the ticket to the original payment method and issue it within 30 days.
Are other airlines preparing?
Global News has reached out to WestJet, Porter Airlines and Air Transat to inquire how these Canadian airlines are preparing if there is a strike at Air Canada.
Flair Airlines said in an email it’s “always actively monitoring demand trends” to provide Canadians with affordable and reliable air travel.
Gradek said there are many alternatives Canadians can turn to even if their flight gets cancelled, but noted there will be disruption.
“There’s not as if the skies in Canada would be free of aircraft, there’s a lot of aircraft flying around, so it’s not a dire situation,” he said. “Prices may not drop, but they’re expensive as they are now. But yes, there will be disruption in Canada.”