Air Canada is set to gradually resume flights today following a “tentative agreement” with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 10,000 flight attendants, bringing an end to a strike that shut down much of its network.
Flight operations for Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary Rouge were fully suspended, while regional flights under Air Canada Express continued. The four-day strike led to the cancellation of thousands of flights and disrupted the travel plans of over half a million passengers after the airline began grounding services on 14 August.
Flight attendants walked off the job after negotiations broke down over critical issues, primarily compensation. The key demand is for higher wages and reimbursement for ground duties, including work during boarding, which they claim Air Canada has failed to resolve.
Air Canada now getting back in the air after the airline and the flight attendants’ union reached a tentative contract agreement this morning.
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) August 19, 2025
First flight out: https://t.co/zWSnxYAUYF pic.twitter.com/d5lb6NaVDx
The union members defied two orders from a regulatory tribunal to return to work, prompting Air Canada to cancel plans for a partial resumption of service. However, after restarting negotiations on Monday evening, the union announced it had reached a “tentative agreement” with the airline, which will now be presented to members for approval.
“When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back – and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on,” CUPE claimed.
According to CBC News, Air Canada is offering flight attendants immediate pay raises ranging from 8% to 12%. The proposed agreement still requires ratification by union members.
“Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power,” the union said in a statement, calling the outcome “transformational change for our industry.”
Air Canada's unionized flight attendants ended their strike after reaching an agreement with the airline, marking the first cabin crew walkout in 40 years that disrupted travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers https://t.co/W3ZBqDcpSc pic.twitter.com/muxMvyTvlc
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 19, 2025
Aviation analytics company Cirium reported that, as of Monday (18 August), the airline had cancelled at least 1,219 domestic and 1,339 international flights since last Thursday (14 August), when services were initially scaled back ahead of the strike.
Meanwhile, Air Canada acknowledged the logistical challenges of restoring operations and appealed for passengers’ patience. Officials anticipate that full recovery could take seven to ten days, with some cancellations expected until the schedule stabilises.
“Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding over the coming days,” Air Canada’s Chief Executive Michael Rousseau said in a statement.
(2/3) Please check your flight status before heading to the airport. Customers should only come to the airport if they hold a confirmed booking, and their flights show as operating. Flight status can be checked on https://t.co/j6Q9rcq8zw or on the Air Canada app.
— Air Canada (@AirCanada) August 20, 2025
Passengers affected by cancellations may be entitled to refunds, travel credits, or alternative travel options on other airlines.
“Customers will be notified of alternative travel options that are identified for them. However, given other carriers are already very full due to the summer travel peak, securing such capacity will take time and, in many cases, will not be immediately possible,” the airline said in a statement.
Those stranded in Canada or abroad can expect meals and accommodations where necessary, and customers are also eligible to request full refunds through the airline’s website or mobile app. Toronto Pearson International Airport will provide extra staff to support the restart of operations.
The airline has launched a recovery dashboard to help travellers track their flight updates. As it shows now, 76,560 customers are expected to travel today, 21,739 have already been rebooked, and current contact centre wait times are around 2 hours and 36 minutes.
