Things looked normal near the WestJet departure terminal at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport on Friday afternoon, but there was anxiousness among some passengers over a possible strike. “Hearing that (a strike is possible) is a little disappointing cause I am looking forward to going home on time,” said D’Andrea White, who is travelling with WestJet to Toronto before flying to Jamaica. “I just hope there’s no delays and everything is good on their end.” The union representing more than 4,000 WestJet flight attendants filed a 72-hour strike notice on Thursday, which means if a tentative agreement isn’t found, the employees could be on the picket line Sunday. WestJet issued a 72-hour notice of a lockout after CUPE, which represents cabin crews, issued their strike notice. CUPE says employees should be paid for all work duties such as ground tasks. WestJet disputes the claim, saying crews are paid through a “credit hour system,” which the airline says is a standard pay model for cabin crews across North America. Both CUPE and WestJet, which is the second largest air career company in the country, continue to bargain to avoid the work disruption. Passengers on the ground in Halifax hope a deal can be found to avoid any disruption to travel during the busy summer season. “It could have an impact on the industry but for passengers as well with extra expenses,” said Paulette Cyr, who was flying from Halifax to Edmonton on Friday. “So I really hope that it gets resolved quickly.” The Halifax International Airport Authority says they are monitoring the situation closely. If a strike does play out, they say travel to and from the airport won’t be disrupted but they encourage travellers to arrive early for scheduled flights. “For folks specifically travelling with WestJet, we encourage them to check in directly with the airline and check the WestJet website for any travel advisories or updates,” said Mikela Sani Routledge, a communications and marketing advisor Halifax International Airport Authority. WestJet passengers can check their flight status on the company’s website.
