1000’s of passengers are caught within the crossfire as Air Canada flight attendants stay on strike regardless of a back-to-work order.
Air Canada mentioned on Monday that flights are cancelled as greater than 10,000 staff stay on picket traces.
“All Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights have been cancelled till additional discover,” the airline mentioned. It says passengers ought to to not go to the airport except they’ve a confirmed reserving on one other airline.
Right here’s what travellers must know:
What occurs if I settle for the refund Air Canada is providing me?
If a passenger accepts the refund from the airline, Air Canada says it won’t be liable for rebooking the passenger on a distinct flight.
Meaning prospects who take this selection may have cash of their pockets however are on their very own if they should make new journey plans.
What’s the airline’s rebooking coverage?
Air Canada has mentioned it should rebook passengers on the primary out there flight if their authentic flight is cancelled. Nonetheless, it has warned delays are anticipated amid the height summer time journey season.
Passengers which have journey booked between Aug. 15 and Aug. 22 can change these flights to new ones flying between Aug. 23 and Sept. 30, 2025 at no cost, Air Canada mentioned in a launch Monday.
For a non-refundable ticket, passengers can cancel forward of time and get a journey voucher for the long run, or request a full refund in the event that they have been presupposed to be travelling on Monday or Tuesday.
Passengers who transfer their flights into this new window can change their flight again to their authentic reserving if the labour disruption ends earlier than the journey.
Nonetheless, travellers usually are not eligible for compensation for delayed or cancelled flights, meals and resorts as a result of a labour disruption is taken into account exterior of the airline’s management, in line with the Airline Passenger Safety Rules.
Full particulars of the coverage can be found on the airline’s web site.
Air Canada couldn’t rebook my flight. What ought to I do?
The airline mentioned passengers can request a refund for the affected flight, or wait to be accommodated on a distinct airline, nevertheless it’s not assured and may take longer.
“Their obligation is to refund,” Richard Vanderlubbe, president of the journey company tripcentral.ca, mentioned. “After they’re rebooking, that’s a goodwill factor, particularly on different airways.”
Vanderlubbe mentioned his journey company has been counting on inventive choices, resembling flying folks into the USA and getting over the border through a distinct mode of transportation.
“We’ve seen folks ending up in New York Metropolis and having to Greyhound again, I imply, it’s a complete hodgepodge of various conditions, relying on how badly folks must get house,” he mentioned.
I’m stranded at my vacation spot/overseas. Will I be compensated for the additional prices I’m incurring?
Air Canada won’t cowl incidental bills, resembling resort stays, meals and rental automobiles, if passengers are caught on the vacation spot away from house.
“The prices are simply astronomical past simply the price of the tickets or the unused tickets,” mentioned Vanderlubbe. “It turns into the elevated value of a alternative flight, resorts, every thing else that’s happening, whereas any individual is making an attempt to get house.
“The airline is just not protecting any of that.”
If I need to complain, what’s the course of?
Getting maintain of an Air Canada buyer care consultant may be difficult.
Vanderlubbe mentioned he wasn’t in a position to attain buyer care in any respect Monday, whereas the maintain instances have averaged 4 hours over the previous days.
Air Canada provides a declare submission kind on its web site to file a criticism or concern. Passengers may also escalate their criticism with the Canadian Transportation Company or name the CTA for recommendation at 1-888-222-2592.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Aug. 18, 2025.
Firms on this story: (TSX: AC)
Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press
