Air Canada flight attendants serve 72-hour strike notice

Air Canada flight attendants hold a silent protest at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

The union representing Air Canada’s flight attendants gave the company a 72-hour strike notice after the two sides could not agree to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) confirmed to CTVNews.ca it served its first strike notice to both Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge early Wednesday morning, meaning flight attendants can walk off the job Saturday morning at 12:58 a.m. ET.

According to CUPE, Air Canada issued a lockout notice to the union at 1:30 a.m. ET.

Air Canada said on Tuesday afternoon it reached an “impasse” in negotiations with the union, which on Tuesday said it declined a proposal from the airline to enter a binding arbitration process.

The airline said in the event of a stoppage, it would notify customers whose flights are potentially cancelled and they will be eligible for a full refund, which could be obtained through its website or the Air Canada mobile app.

Earlier Tuesday, CUPE said in an update to members that the company has “decided they no longer want to negotiate.” The union attached a letter that it received from Air Canada, dated Monday, in which the airline proposed going the arbitration route to secure a new contract.

That would have suspended the union’s right to strike, as well as Air Canada’s right to lock out union members, the letter noted.

Last week, the flight attendants voted 99.7 per cent in favour of giving their union a strike mandate, which is effective for 60 days.

With files from The Canadian Press