Air Canada Grounded: Historic flight attendant strike strands over 250,00 travellers worldwide

Canada: A major cabin crew strike has left Air Canada, the country’s largest airline, on the brink of a complete shutdown, with over 10,000 flight attendants walking out in a dispute over increased pay. The strike has left Air Canada out of service, impacting more than one hundred thirty thousand people a day with over 500 flights cancelled. 

According to the information, the strike is expected to start as early as August 16, 2025, at 1 a.m. ET, following a 99.7% strike mandate vote from CUPE members.

The contract dispute between Air Canada and its flight attendants which is being represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reportedly revolves around wages as well as working conditions. At the negotiation table, Air Canada allegedly offered a 38% increase in compensation over four years but the union deemed the offer inadequate, drawing a counter offer of over 100% increase to which Air Canada refused. 

Notably, CUPE is pushing for better pay while citing that full-time entry-level flight attendants presently earn around $1,951.30 per month, which according to them is unsustainable. The union also highlights that flight attendants perform an estimated 35 hours of unpaid labor monthly which clearly includes critical safety-related tasks.

While expressing support towards the protest, CUPE Ontario took to X and said, “We stand in solidarity with Air Canada flight attendants who are done with unpaid work and poverty wages! Fair pay. Dignity on the job. No more excuses!”

We stand in solidarity with Air Canada flight attendants who are done with unpaid work and poverty wages!
📢 Fair pay. Dignity on the job. No more excuses!
Read more → https://t.co/YqVQEwTbpC#aircanadastrike

— CUPE Ontario (@CUPEOntario) August 12, 2025

According to the reports, on August 13, Wednesday, the flight attendants undertook the strike after the union representing over 10,000 Canada Air flight attendants issued a 72-hour-strike after not being able to come to an agreement with the airline over the increase of wages.  

After shutting down signaling operations, the airline issued a lockout notice, alerting all passengers that if an agreement isn't reached on time, the airline will shut down.

By Thursday night gradual flight wind down commenced and by Friday reportedly more than 500 flights were cancelled. 

Chief Operations Officer for Air Canada, Mark Nasr, expressed that all Canada Air flights outside of Canada will be fully suspended by early Saturday morning which could impact about 10,000 customers, leaving more than  250,000 Canadians stranded across the world. 

Reportedly, all affected customers are set to receive full refunds from the airlines or get alternate booking with other carriers according to their availability as it is summer peak travel hours. 

Whilst the ongoing compensation strike continues, Patty Hajdu, Federal Jobs Minister has urged both parties to return to the negotiation table and review the requests once again as the strike is impacting not only Canadians but many travellers at large. 

Air Canada has expressed their willingness to return at the negotiations table but the union is yet to respond as of now thousands remain stranded due to cancellation.