Air Canada pilots may strike soon and here’s what it means for your travel plans

If you’re planning on flying with Air Canada this month, your vacation plans might be in for a bumpy ride.

On Monday, the airline said it's getting ready to suspend most of its flights unless an agreement can be made with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents over 5,200 pilots.

If they don’t sort things out by Sunday, September 15, either party could issue a 72-hour strike or lock-out notice, triggering Air Canada’s three-day shutdown plan.

Michael Rousseau, president and CEO of Air Canada, said he believes there is still time to reach an agreement with the pilot group, but they're preparing all the same.

“Canadians have recently seen the chaos abrupt airline shutdowns cause for travellers, which obliges us to do everything we can to protect our customers from an increasingly likely work stoppage," Rousseau said in a statement.

"This includes the extremely difficult decision to begin an orderly shutdown of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge once a 72-hour strike or lock-out notice is given, possibly as early as this Sunday.”

According to the ALPA, 98 per cent of its members voted in favour of a strike last month, to achieve "a new contractual agreement with Air Canada.” Negotiations with Air Canada have been ongoing since June 2023.

Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge operate roughly 670 flights per day on average, carrying more than 110,000 travellers.

According to the airline, Air Canada Express flights will continue to operate, with third-party carriers Jazz and PAL Airlines providing these services.

What does this mean for travellers?

If your Air Canada flight gets cancelled by a labour disruption, the airline says you will be notified and eligible for a full refund.

Since August 27, Air Canada has been offering a "goodwill policy" for anyone with bookings from September 15 to 23, 2024. Travellers can change their plans without extra fees or get credit for future travel until Nov. 30, 2024. The airline might extend this policy if needed.

Air Canada says it is also teaming up with other airlines to find backup flights for anyone travelling between September 15 and 23 that are affected by cancellations.

If they can hook you up with a different flight, either Air Canada or your travel agency will give you the heads-up. However, due to high demand, seats on other carriers may be limited, and customers might only have the choice of a refund, future travel credit, or rescheduling with Air Canada.

Air Canada is encouraging travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. If your flight is cancelled due to a labour disruption, the airline strongly advises against showing up without a confirmed booking for a new flight.

"We understand and apologize for the inconvenience this would cause our customers. However, a managed shutdown is the only responsible course available to us," Rosseau said.

"We are publicizing our plans to give the more than 110,000 people who travel with us each day greater certainty and the opportunity to reduce the risk of being stranded by using our goodwill policy to change or defer imminent travel at no cost."