Air Canada has warned its customers that their travel over the next few days could be disrupted because of a planned strike by its unionized flight attendants.
The planned action comes after contract negotiations between the union representing Air Canada’s roughly 10,000 flight attendants, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and the air carrier have stalled. The union filed a notice on Wednesday that it planned to strike starting around 1 a.m. ET on Saturday, and the airline responded in kind, filing its own notice that said it would lock out flight attendants, blocking them from going into work.
Air Canada is Canada’s largest air carrier, running both domestic and international flights. The airline and its affiliate, Air Canada Rouge, typically serve about 130,000 customers a day, and a grounding of all flights run directly by Air Canada would leave those passengers scrambling to make alternative travel arrangements. Mark Nasr, Chief Operations Officer for Air Canada, was quoted as saying on Thursday that the impact of a total shutdown would be “profound.”
Here’s what to know about the planned strike and how it stands to impact travelers.
Why is the union representing Air Canada planning to go on strike?
Flight attendants are demanding better wages and compensation for unpaid work. Currently, Air Canada only compensates flight attendants for the time they are in the air, but its attendants are seeking pay for the work they do before take-off and after landing, too.
Many North American airlines only compensate flight attendants for the time spent in the air, but Delta Air Lines in 2022 agreed to pay for the work flight attendants do while passengers are boarding the plane. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines have since followed suit.
Both CUPE and the airline maintain that negotiations have reached an impasse.
Air Canada said it offered a 38% increase in total compensation—that includes wages, benefits, and pensions—over four years. CUPE, though, said the airline’s offer of an 8% raise in the first year wasn’t enough to make up for the impact of inflation.
CUPE directed TIME to a statement that cited new polling conducted by Abacus Data, which found that nearly 9 in 10 Canadians support union members’ fight for better wages. “Canadians clearly stand on the side of fairness—with flight attendants,” said Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE.
TIME has reached out to Air Canada for comment.
Meanwhile, Patty Hajdu, Canada’s Jobs Minister, has encouraged both parties to negotiate and reach an agreement.
“To the parties: I strongly urge you to come to an agreement—do not waste this precious time. Canadians are counting on you,” Hajdu said in a statement posted on X. “To Canadians: I understand this dispute is causing a great deal of frustration and anxiety. I am closely monitoring this evolving situation, and federal mediators are willing and able to work with both parties around the clock until they reach a deal.”
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Has Air Canada started canceling flights?
Yes, flights are already being impacted. On Thursday, Air Canada started an “operational wind down” because of the planned strike, canceling 34 flights that impacted nearly 8,000 people, according to an update the company shared via social media.
By noon on Friday, Air Canada had canceled a total of 294 flights, affecting more than 55,000 people, per an additional update from the airline.
Speaking on Thursday, Nasr predicted that by 1 a.m. on Saturday morning, Air Canada “will be completely grounded.”
What should travelers do if their Air Canada flight is canceled?
In a press release on Friday, Air Canada said that customers who have flights booked between Aug. 15 to 18 can change their flight free of charge if they bought the ticket on or before Aug. 14.
If a customer chooses not to change their travel arrangements, but their flight is later canceled because of the planned strike, Air Canada said it will try to rebook the customer on a different flight, including with other airlines.
However, the company warned: “Available capacity on our airline and on other carriers is limited due to the summer travel peak, meaning the possibility of rebooking you within an acceptable timeframe is low.” It added that a customer in that situation could instead opt to receive a refund.
The airline also advised on Friday that if a customer’s flight is canceled, they shouldn’t go to the airport unless they have received a confirmed new booking.
Air Canada said travelers can contact customer service with any questions, but noted that wait times will be longer than usual due to current circumstances.
The post What to Know About the Planned Air Canada Strike—and How Travelers Are Being Impacted appeared first on TIME.
