The shutdown of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge looms due to a possible strike by its flight attendants; and the airline has already begun a “phased wind down” of most of its operations, which are to be completed by Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Shutdown of Air Canada Looms Due to Possible Strike: August 2025 Travel Alert
If your travels include flights that were to be operated by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge between Friday, August 15, 2025 and Monday, August 18, 2025, you will most likely be affected by this labor action if no agreement is reached by then. You may choose from alternate travel arrangements by changing your flight at no charge if you purchased an Air Canada ticket or redeemed points for an Aeroplan flight reward no later than today, Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
If you are scheduled to travel during this period, you can retrieve your flight reservation to change your flight for free to another date between Thursday, August 21, 2025 and Friday, September 12, 2025
Notice of the intent to strike was received by the airline from the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents greater than 10,000 flight attendants of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge — 99.7 percent of whom voted in favor of the strike.
“The vote reflects the deep frustration of flight attendants after months of negotiations without result, due to the airline’s refusal to fairly negotiate on key issues like unpaid work, work rules, and poverty-level wages”, according to this article which was posted at the official Internet web site of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. “Since 2000, inflation has increased 169% and average full-time wages have increased 210% in Canada. But entry-level Air Canada flight attendants’ wages have increased only 10% – just $3 per hour – in the past 25 years.”
As a result, Air Canada has issued the aforementioned statutory notice 72 hours in advance of the strike, which is currently set to occur at 12:01 in the morning on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
If you purchased a non-refundable fare, you may cancel your itinerary and receive the value of your ticket in your AC Wallet or as a Future Travel Credit to use on your next Air Canada flight reservation.
Final Boarding Call
Consult the official Internet web site of Air Canada to review all of your options if you believe that you will be affected by the upcoming strike — which could always be averted at the last minute if at least a temporary agreement is reached between the two sides.
Photograph ©2022 by Brian Cohen.
