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Air Canada customers are about to face canceled flights this week amid a possible strike by the airline’s flight attendants. Employees are striking against a wage dispute with the company after the Air Canada sector of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced that more than 99 percent of its members voted in favor of a strike.
“To address ongoing labour uncertainty following strike notice by CUPE, Air Canada’s flight attendant union, a lock out notice was issued to CUPE today, effective August 16,” Air Canada announced in a public statement on Wednesday, August 13. “We will begin implementing our contingency plan to gradually begin an orderly wind down of operations.”
Below, get updates on the Air Canada strike and when flight operations will resume.
To address ongoing labour uncertainty following strike notice by CUPE, Air Canada’s flight attendant union, a lock out notice was issued to CUPE today, effective Aug. 16. We will begin implementing our contingency plan to gradually begin an orderly wind down of operations.
— Air Canada (@AirCanada) August 13, 2025
Why Did Air Canada Cancel Flights?
Air Canada is canceling flights because of the potential flight attendant strike. According to multiple outlets, the airline began canceling some flights on Thursday, August 14.
As the company stated, a complete halt of operations will begin on Saturday, August 16.
Why Air Canada Flight Attendants Are Going on Strike
Air Canada employees, specifically flight attendants, are threatening a strike due to a pay dispute. According to a statement from the president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, Wesley Lesosky, the union claimed they “put forward solid, data-driven proposals on wages and unpaid work, all rooted in fairness and industry standards’ over the past nine months.
“Air Canada’s response to our proposals makes one thing clear: they are not interested in resolving these critical issues,” Lesosky added, according to CNN.
A demonstration by Air Canada flight attendants is currently taking place at Mississauga’s #PearsonAirport. @TorontoPearson
CUPE’s Air Canada component states that since 2000, inflation has risen 169%, and average full-time wages in Canada have increased 210%. However,… pic.twitter.com/0FUTloXwpy
— 905HUB (@905hub_) August 11, 2025
How Long Will Air Canada Flight Cancelations Last?
If the strike goes forward, then flight cancelations will likely last until Air Canada and the labor union come to an agreement over wages.
When Will the Air Canada Strike End?
It’s unclear when the potential strike by airline employees could end since it hasn’t official begun yet. President and Chief Executive of Air Canada Michael Rousseau weighed in on the situation, noting that the company “regret[s] the impact a disruption will have on our customers, our stakeholders and the communities we serve.”
Rousseau elaborated on the potential strike, describing the “conduct” of CUPE’s negotiators and the union “disappointing.”
“However, the disappointing conduct of CUPE’s negotiators and the union’s stated intention to launch a strike puts us in a position where our only responsible course of action is to provide certainty by implementing an orderly suspension of Air Canada’s and Air Canada Rouge’s operations through a lockout,” Rousseau said in a statement. “As we have seen elsewhere in our industry with other labour disruptions, unplanned or uncontrolled shutdowns, such as we are now at risk of through a strike, can create chaos for travelers that is far, far worse.”
