The union representing Air Canada flight attendants has issued a 72-hour strike notice, potentially leading to a work stoppage on August 16, 2025. In response, Air Canada has announced a 72-hour lock-out notice for its flight attendants, preparing to suspend flights in anticipation of the strike. This situation marks the first complete shutdown of Air Canada due to labour disputes since a significant strike involving pilots in 1998.
The impact of a shutdown would be substantial, particularly during the height of the summer travel season. Air Canada and its subsidiary, Air Canada Rouge, typically carry approximately 130,000 passengers daily, with around 25,000 of these travellers returning to Canada from international destinations. Under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Rights, airlines must ensure fair treatment for passengers in the event of cancellations, which may include securing alternative travel arrangements. With limited capacity on other carriers during peak travel times, many travellers may face disrupted plans, leading to cancelled vacations or family gatherings. Air Canada has committed to offering refunds to those passengers for whom it cannot arrange alternative travel.
Negotiations between Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have been ongoing since March 2025 but have reached an impasse. Key issues include wages and working conditions, with CUPE emphasizing that the current salaries for junior flight attendants are significantly below the Canadian minimum wage. An analysis of collective agreement wage rates indicates that current wages would need to rise by approximately 32 to 34 percent to match the 2025 purchasing power of what flight attendants earned in 2014, after accounting for inflation.
Air Canada compensates flight attendants only for the time from when the aircraft’s brakes are released at departure until they are applied upon arrival. This policy leaves out any time spent on pre-flight and post-flight duties, with CUPE asserting that flight attendants perform around 35 hours of unpaid work monthly. Efforts to address this issue have included private member’s Bill C-415, introduced in October 2024 by NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo, which sought to amend the Canada Labour Code to ensure flight attendants are paid for all work performed.
Despite receiving First Reading in Parliament, Bill C-415 did not advance and expired at the end of the parliamentary session in January 2025. Nevertheless, support for legislation addressing unpaid work remains strong, as reflected in a letter sent by the Leader of the Opposition to the Minister of Labour on August 5, 2025. A February 2025 article in The Conversation Canada highlighted the ongoing efforts by organized labour to secure ground pay for flight attendants, underscoring the need for better working conditions and equitable pay structures.
Several airlines have begun to adopt pay models that compensate flight attendants beyond traditional “flight pay.” Delta Airlines was the first to implement such a system in 2022, followed by American Airlines in 2024. United Airlines has included similar provisions in a proposed contract awaiting ratification. In Canada, both Porter Airlines and Pascan Aviation compensate flight attendants for work performed during the boarding process.
The stakes in the negotiations are high for both CUPE and Air Canada. CUPE has been transparent about its goals, notably the need for wage increases to restore a living wage for junior flight attendants and the requirement for compensation for previously unpaid work. This position has been consistently supported by an overwhelming 99.7 percent vote in favour of a strike should negotiations fail.
Air Canada’s negotiation strategy has previously involved government intervention, as seen during its 2024 discussions with pilots. The airline ultimately conceded to many of the pilots’ demands late in the negotiation process. As the August 16 strike deadline approaches, it remains to be seen if Air Canada will adopt a similar strategy with its flight attendants.
Previous negotiations have included significant political overtones, an aspect that many industry observers thought had diminished over time. Should a strike occur, Air Canada could face substantial financial losses, estimated at between $50 million and $60 million per day, which would likely prompt the airline to return to the negotiation table swiftly.
John Gradek, an academic with no affiliations to any company or organization that would benefit from this article, emphasizes the importance of addressing these labour issues for the long-term sustainability of Air Canada’s operations.
