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OAN Staff Abril Elfi
9:52 AM – Saturday, August 16, 2025
Air Canada has suspended all operations after more than 10,000 of its flight attendants went on strike, stranding passengers worldwide.
Canadian Union of Public Employees spokesman Hugh Pouliot confirmed the strike began after a contract deadline passed without a deal on Saturday. Shortly after, the airline announced it would suspend all flights.
The standoff comes after a labor dispute between Canada’s largest airline and the union representing its flight attendants. On Friday, the union rejected Air Canada’s push for government-directed arbitration, which would have blocked the strike and handed contract terms to a third-party mediator.
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Flight attendants walked off the job around 1 a.m. Saturday, and Air Canada began locking them out of airports soon after.
Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, who met with both sides Friday night, urged them to resolve the dispute quickly.
“It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made. Canadians are counting on both parties to put forward their best efforts,” Hajdu said in a statement on social media.
Pouliot confirmed the union had met with Hajdu and airline officials earlier in the evening but said no agreement was reached.
The federal government previously intervened in a major labor dispute last year, forcing Canada’s two largest railways into arbitration during a strike. The rail workers’ union is now suing, arguing the move stripped unions of their bargaining power.
The Business Council of Canada has pressed Ottawa to take similar action with Air Canada.
“At a time when Canada is dealing with unprecedented pressures on our critical economic supply chains, the disruption of national air passenger travel and cargo transport services would cause immediate and extensive harm to all Canadians,” council CEO Goldy Hyder said.
The airline typically operates about 700 flights daily, carrying roughly 130,000 people. A total shutdown could leave an estimated 25,000 Canadians stranded abroad each day.
Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Mark Nasr has warned it could take up to a week to restart full operations once a deal is reached.
Passengers affected by cancellations are eligible for full refunds through Air Canada’s website or mobile app. The airline said it would also try to rebook customers on other carriers, but availability is limited because of peak summer demand.
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