What Air Canada says to do as flights get cancelled ahead of possible strike
The looming Air Canada flight attendants’ strike has flyers scrambling to try to salvage their upcoming trips.
The airline issued a 72-hour lockout notice on Wednesday after the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, provided notice that members plan on walking off the job as early as 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Passengers flooded the carrier’s post on X, asking for more information, while others spent three hours on hold trying to get in touch with customer service.
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Air Canada begins cancelling some flights today and Friday, Aug. 15, with plans for a complete halt of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights on Aug. 16, in anticipation of a possible strike.
If you’re impacted by these cancellations, here’s what you should know about rebooking and refunds, as well as your air passenger rights.
Air Canada rebooking, refunds amid potential strike
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Air Canada says customers whose flights are cancelled in anticipation of a strike will be notified and will be eligible for a full refund. This can be obtained on the carrier’s website or through its mobile app.
The company says it has also made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide flyers with alternative travel options if possible.
“Customers will be notified of alternative travel options that are identified for them,” reads the airline’s notice. “However, given other carriers are already very full due to the summer travel peak, securing such capacity will take time and, in many cases, will not be immediately possible.”
Canadians who have a flight booked between Aug. 15 and 18 can change their flight for free if they bought an Air Canada ticket or redeemed points for an Aeroplan flight reward no later than Aug. 13. These passengers will be able to change their flight, for free, to another date between Aug. 21 and Sept. 12.
For those who purchased a non-refundable ticket, Air Canada says you can cancel your itinerary and receive the unused portion of your ticket in your AC Wallet as a Future Travel Credit to use on your next booking.
Travellers who booked their ticket with Air Canada Vacations will need to reach out to the airline directly for options.
If you decide to keep your current booking and your flight is cancelled due to a strike, the carrier says it will try to rebook you on another flight, including those run by other airlines.
“However, available capacity on our airline and on other carriers is limited due to the summer travel peak, meaning the possibility of rebooking you within an acceptable timeframe is low. If your travel is disrupted, you can always choose a refund,” reads an FAQ page.
What are your air passenger rights as a Canadian?
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Consumer advocacy group Air Passenger Rights (APR) shared a guide for Canadians affected by Air Canada’s preemptive strike-related flight cancellations.
Based on Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations, the APR says the airline must offer customers a choice between two options.
The first is to continue your travels with assistance and compensation for the inconvenience. This includes free rebooking on the next available flight operated by any carrier, on any reasonable air route from the airport where you’re located, or another airport within a reasonable distance.
If you have to wait for your alternate flight, the airline must also provide meals and overnight accommodation. Customers are also entitled to compensation of up to $1,000 per passenger, depending on the length of the delay you experienced arriving at your final destination compared to the scheduled arrival.
Additionally, if your new flight is from an airport other than your current airport, transportation to that airport should be compensated.
The second option is a refund and return to your point of origin, plus compensation for the inconvenience. This includes a refund in the original form of payment within 30 days of the booking that was not used, compensation of $400 per passenger for inconvenience, and transportation to your point of origin for free, if you’re not at your original location.
“If the airline refuses to rebook you on a competitor airline in accordance with Option 1, then you may want to buy a ticket on a competitor airline on your own, and then hold Air Canada liable for the extra expense,” explained the APR.
The group advises passengers not to agree to the second option if they want to continue travelling, as it “allows the airline to wash its hands of further responsibility for your travel.”
For more detailed information on your rights, check out the APR’s guide.