August 18,2025
RED FM News Desk
Air Canada has suspended plans to restart flights on Monday as a strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants continues to paralyze operations. The airline urged passengers to only go to the airport if they hold a confirmed booking with another carrier and announced it is suspending both its third-quarter and full-year financial guidance.
Notably More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants began a strike on Saturday, which the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) declared illegal the following day. Employees were ordered to return to work by 2 p.m. Sunday.
Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu intervened under Section 107 of the Labour Code, sending both sides to binding arbitration. However, CUPE rejected the decision, filing a challenge in Federal Court and staging large demonstrations at airports in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and Vancouver.
CUPE President Mark Hancock pledged that the union will continue its campaign “on picket lines, in the courts, and in Parliament” until the issue of unpaid work is resolved.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed support for the attendants’ demand for fair compensation but voiced concern about the mounting costs to travelers and the Canadian economy. Ontario Premier Doug Ford echoed the call for fair wages, urging both sides to return to the bargaining table to protect air travel for Canadians.
The strike, which began on Saturday, has already disrupted thousands of travelers and threatens to deepen as the standoff enters the courts and the political arena.
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