Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline, announced on Thursday, August 14, 2025, that it will cancel several dozen flights today and approximately 500 flights by the end of Friday as a looming strike by its unionized flight attendants threatens to bring operations to a halt starting Saturday. This large-scale disruption comes amid stalled negotiations between Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents about 10,000 flight attendants.
Background and Strike Warning
The union issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier this week after an overwhelming 99.7% of its members voted in favor of striking. The strike is largely due to disagreements over wages and working conditions and poses a significant threat to Air Canada’s summer travel operations.
Impact and Flight Cancellations
Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s Chief Operations Officer, explained in a press conference that the staggered flight cancellations are necessary to ensure a safe and orderly wind-down of airline operations. Nasr emphasized the complexity of the airline’s network — with over 250 aircraft operating flights to more than 65 countries and serving roughly 130,000 passengers daily — which prevents sudden stoppages or quick restarts.
The cancellations will begin on Thursday night with a dozen or so long-haul international flights, escalating to around 500 total flights canceled by Friday evening. These flight cancellations will affect an estimated 100,000 passengers, including roughly 25,000 Canadians who return from international destinations daily and could be stranded without resolution.
Consequences for Travelers
A full suspension of flight services, including Air Canada’s low-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge, is expected to begin early Saturday morning. Even if a deal is reached quickly, the airline warns it may take up to a week to return to normal operations.
Affected customers will be offered full refunds or the option to rebook their flights without change fees. However, Air Canada cautioned that alternative travel options on other airlines will be scarce during the busy summer season. The airline also urged passengers not to travel to airports unless their flights are confirmed, promising to notify customers promptly via email or SMS if flights are canceled.
Wider Industry and Government Response
The strike poses a significant disruption not only for Air Canada and its passengers but also for Canada’s broader tourism sector during a peak travel period. The airline has called on the federal Liberal government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, to intervene and impose arbitration to resolve the dispute, although no resolution has been reported.
Tensions Between Management and Union
During the press conference announcing the cancellations, union representatives silently protested the airline’s stance, highlighting issues of low wages and unpaid work hours. Air Canada management expressed disappointment, emphasizing the inconvenience caused to hundreds of thousands of travelers.
Additional Considerations
Air Canada operates the largest number of flights from Canada to the United States among foreign carriers, expanding the potential impact beyond national borders. United Airlines, a Star Alliance partner of Air Canada, has issued waivers to assist disrupted passengers.
Conclusion
As of Thursday evening, Air Canada is on course to significantly disrupt its flight schedule with around 500 cancellations expected by Friday, culminating in a complete stoppage from Saturday due to an unresolved labor dispute. With around 130,000 daily passengers, the strike threatens to paralyze Canada’s national carrier for several days, potentially stranding many travelers during this busy travel season. Negotiations continue, but time is running out to prevent this large-scale shutdown.