Air Canada strike: Airline, flight attendants in negotiations, union says

Air Canada has announced it will suspend all flights through Tuesday afternoon after flight attendants still defy a federal back-to-work order.

The airline’s CEO told CTV News earlier in the day he hoped Air Canada would resume services Tuesday.

• Check your flight status here

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has not called off its strike, a move that Air Canada has called illegal.

“If it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it,” CUPE’s president said Monday.

While Air Canada says it would not negotiate with the union until flight attendants return to work, CUPE says the two sides were in discussions Monday night with a mediator.

Here’s everything that happened on Aug. 18, 2025.

9 p.m. EDT: Air Canada, flight attendant union negotiating with mediator

The union representing Air Canada’s flight attendants said they are currently in meetings with the airline.

In a Facebook post Monday evening, the Air Canada Component of CUPE wrote the airline reached out to them earlier in the day and the two sides “moved forward” in their attempts to reach a deal.

“The Union is currently in meetings with Air Canada, with the assistance of Mediator William Kaplan, in Toronto,” the post said.

“The strike is still on, and the talks have just commenced,” they added.

Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca Lead Afternoon Producer

7:25 p.m. EDT: Air Canada won’t negotiate with union until they return to work: Airline COO

Air Canada says flight attendants need to return to work before the airline can push on with negotiations, even as the union says it won’t end its now unlawful strike until a deal is reached at the bargaining table.

Air Canada chief operating officer Mark Nasr says the airline is ready to work on an industry-leading deal, but can’t do that while planes are grounded.

Nasr says the Canadian Union of Public Employees needs to direct flight attendants back to work because the Canada Industrial Relations Board has ruled the strike unlawful.

The Canadian Press

5:40 p.m. EDT: Unpaid work ‘unacceptable’: jobs minister

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu says, “nobody should be expected to work for free.”

In a social media post, the minister said the allegations of unfair work are “unacceptable,” which is why she ordered a probe into the airline sector to address the claim.

“If employers are exploiting loopholes in the Canada Labour Code, we’ll close them.”

Lynn Chaya, CTVNews.ca journalist

5 p.m. EDT: Petition demands removal of minister over labour dispute

More than 27,000 signatories are demanding for the removal of Jobs Minister Patty Hadju over her handling of the Air Canada labour dispute.

Tanisha Smith, an Air Canada flight attendant, started the petition on Saturday.

“Patty Hajdu has unilaterally robbed Air Canada flight attendants of our Charter right to strike,” the change.org petition reads.

“She has undermined the bargaining process by attempting to force flight attendants into binding arbitration, thus removing our ability to vote on our new contract. Her actions show a blatant disregard for democratic processes and the rights of workers.”

Lynn Chaya, CTVNews.ca journalist

4:45 p.m. EDT: Feds to probe unpaid airline work allegations: minister

The federal government will launch a probe into allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector that Air Canada flight attendants are citing as one of the key reasons for their strike, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu told The Canadian Press Monday.

Hajdu says in an interview that she finds those claims deeply disturbing and says the probe led by her department will close any such loopholes if they exist.

The Canadian Press

4:30 p.m. EDT: Air Canada shares plunge as strike continues

Air Canada stock plunged nearly three per cent Monday as a strike by flight attendants continued to ground flights and disrupt travel. The airline has also suspended its third-quarter and annual profit forecasts.

“Given the effects of the labour disruption and related impact on operations, Air Canada is suspending its guidance for third quarter and full-year 2025 operating results provided in its July 28, 2025 news release,” the airline said Monday.

Air Canada’s second quarter results showed operating revenues of $5.632 billion, an increase of two per cent compared to last year.

The airline has cancelled more than 1,700 flights since Saturday, and it estimates 500,000 customers will be disrupted as a result.

Tammy Ibrahimpour, CTVNews.ca National Digital Producer

4:15 p.m. EDT: Flights suspended through Tuesday afternoon: Air Canada

Air Canada said Monday all flights scheduled up until 4 p.m. on Tuesday through them and Air Canada Rouge have been suspended as the airline and the union representing flight attendants have not been able to reach a new deal.

The airline says customers whose flights are cancelled are being notified and will be offered options that include “a full refund, future travel credit or rebooking on another airline.”

Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca Lead Afternoon Producer

3 p.m. EDT: Out of medication, paying out of pocket

Emily Pringle of Oshawa, Ont., said she and her three friends were vacationing in Mexico on a “moms getaway” when they learned Saturday that their flight home was cancelled because of the strike.

Pringle said they scrambled to find accommodations and plans to get home. While Air Canada said the earliest flight available is Friday, she said they are now stuck and paying out-of-pocket for additional nights at the resort and one of her friends is out of her diabetes and blood pressure medication.

“I’m sure to many an extended stay in Mexico sounds lovely, but we all have families and obligations at home we need to get back to, and some of us are running out of our much needed medication,” she wrote in an email Saturday.

Christl Dabu, CTVNews.ca journalist. Read the full story here.

1:30 p.m. EDT: Air Canada CEO ‘disappointed’

The head of Air Canada says he’s “disappointed” with the decision from the union that represents the airline’s 10,000 flight attendants to continue striking despite a government order directing its end.

“(We’re) obviously disappointed; disappointed for our customers. Over half a million customers have been impacted by this illegal strike and we want to see an end to it,” Michael Rousseau, Air Canada’s CEO, told BNN Bloomberg in an interview.

Rousseau confirmed that Air Canada planes will not fly Monday, adding he hopes to resume service tomorrow, “but we’ll make that decision later today,” he said.

Between 500 and 600 flights were cancelled Monday, according to Rousseau.

Jordan Fleguel, BNNBloomberg.ca journalist.

1:07 p.m. EDT: Expert warns of repercussions for workers, government

Consequences for defying a back-to-work order have varied.

“We’ve had union leaders thrown in jail. We’ve had individual members and unions fined,” said Barry Eidlin, Associate Professor of Sociology at McGill University.

Noting a pattern in recent years of the labour minister invoking section 107 and referring matters to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, he considers it a slippery slope.

“If this continues as a pattern, the right to strike does not exist in any meaningful sense in Canada.”

In 2015, the Canadian Supreme Court declared that the right to strike is a fundamental charter protected right of all Canadians, going against that creates a broader concern.

“If governments keep showing such flagrant disregard for workers charter protected rights we shouldn’t be surprised if workers start showing more disregard for government back-to-work orders as we’ve seen with CUPE this time around,” said Eidlin.

Heather Butts, CTV News journalist

1 p.m. EDT: Strike to continue

CUPE will continue to strike, the union’s national president has clarified.

“We will not be returning to the skies this afternoon,” said national president Mark Hancock.

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist

12:49 p.m. EDT: CUPE apologizes to stranded Canadians

Mark Hancock, CUPE’s national president, has been asked what kind of repercussions the union is willing to accept as a result of defying the back-to-work order.

“There’s no limit,” he responded. “We’re going to stay strong.”

“If it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it,” he added.

He also offered an apology to Canadians who are stranded outside the country as a result of their cancelled flights, as well as those who are missing their vacations or other plans.

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist

12:45 p.m. EDT: CUPE: ‘These rights have to mean something’

Mark Hancock, CUPE’s national president, is now addressing reporters.

“We are here today because we are standing up for the rights of our members,” he said.

“These rights have to mean something.”

Despite refusing to comply with the back-to-work order, he says the union is committed to reaching a deal.

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist

12 p.m. EDT: Have unions defied an order like this before?

“We haven’t seen this type of defiance in quite a long time,” said employment and labour lawyer Sundeep Gokhale during an interview with CTV News Channel.

“There is precedent going back to the 70s when union leaders were jailed,” Gokhale added.

In 1972, three major public sector unions in Quebec formed a coalition called the Front Commun, or “Common Front” in English, to negotiate with the province together.

When talks broke down, the union called a 10-day strike. Union presidents urged their members to defy a back to work order and were put in jail as a result.

“I’m not sure we’re going to see that here,” said Gokhale.

After refusing to return to work, CP24 asked CUPE’s Air Canada Component President Wesley Lesosky if he’s willing to accept the ramifications – whatever they may be – of defying the order.

“Absolutely,” responded Lesosky, adding the striking workers have the support of the national chapter.

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist. With files from The Canadian Press.

11:05 a.m. EDT: ‘Keep the airlines moving:’ Ford

Speaking in Ottawa on Monday morning, Ontario Premier Doug Ford weighed in on the ongoing strike by Air Canada flight attendants, saying “everyone deserves a fair wage.”

“They ordered them back to work and I think it has to be in the best interest of the workers, the company, and most importantly, the people of Canada. So I’m glad they’ll be sitting down and talking but let’s keep the airlines moving,” Ford said.

When pressed about the chaotic situation unfolding for travellers, Ford said it is up to the federal government to ensure both sides “sit down at the table.”

“That always happens when you have labour issues. But they’ll work it out. It’s happened before and they’ll get things moving.”

Codi Wilson, CP24.com journalist

10:32 a.m. EDT: Carney calls for quick resolution

Prime Minister Mark Carney says it’s important that Air Canada flight attendants are compensated “equitably at all times, fairly at all times,” he told reporters on his way into the House of Commons.

He says it’s disappointing that the union and Air Canada have yet to reach an agreement.

“We are in a situation where, literally, hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to our country are being disrupted by this action. I urge both parties to resolve this as quickly as possible.”

He adds that Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hadju will “have more to say,” but didn’t specify when.

Lynn Chaya, CTVNews.ca journalist. Read the full story here.

9:30 a.m. EDT: Board declares strike illegal, says Air Canada

Air Canada says the Canada Industrial Relations Board has declared the strike by the company’s 10,000 flight attendants illegal and has ordered the union’s leadership to direct its members to return to work.

The decision comes after a hearing on Sunday.

Air Canada says the board has ordered the union leadership, which authorized the strike, to tell its members to end the work stoppage that has grounded flights.

It says the board also directed individual members of the union to stop all unlawful activities and return to work.

Air Canada’s flight attendants went on strike on Saturday but were ordered back to work after federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu invoked Section 107 of the Labour Code to ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board to send the two sides to binding arbitration and order an end to the job action.

However, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the flight attendants, has ignored the edict and challenged the CIRB order in Federal Court.

The Canadian Press

9:05 a.m. EDT: ‘I want to get home’ says traveller

One Prince Edward Island mother at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport told CP24 that she is doing what she can to get home to her son after her Air Canada flight was cancelled.

“My parents are looking after him so I just feel stressed. I want to get home to see my little boy,” she said.

“Also, just a little bit nervous because we are going to have to fork out a lot of money to pay for our own way home and then just hope that they will reimburse us for it, but we don’t really have any confirmation that will happen.”

Codi Wilson, CP24.com journalist

8:30 a.m. EDT: Air Canada suspends profit forecast

On Monday morning, Air Canada suspended its financial guidance for the third quarter and its full year due to the labour disruption.

In its outlook in July, the airline had said it expected to increase capacity for the third quarter between 3.25 per cent and 3.75 per cent compared with the same quarter last year, while it forecast adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization between $3.2 billion to $3.6 billion for its full year.

The suspension of its guidance puts that forecast by the airline on hold.

The Canadian Press. Read the full story here.

SUNDAY: CUPE ‘will continue to fight’

“This is not over,” CUPE National President Mark Hancock said in a Sunday statement. “We will continue to fight on the picket lines, on the streets, at the bargaining table, in the courts, and in Parliament, until the injustice of unpaid work is done for good. Workers will win – despite the best effort of the Liberal government and their corporate friends.”

The Canada Industrial Relations Board that said more than 10,000 flight attendants had to return to work as of 2 p.m. EDT that afternoon. CUPE says it filed a challenge in Federal Court on Sunday.

Jobsand Families Minister Patty Hajdu sent both parties to binding arbitration on Saturday, saying she was intervening in the dispute because of its impact on Canadians and the economy.

On Sunday, CUPE held demonstrations at major airports in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver, accusing Hajdu of caving to Air Canada’s demands

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist. With files from The Canadian Press.

SUNDAY: Traveller’s honeymoon affected

At the Calgary International Airport, Air Canada passengers struggled to make alternative travel plans on short notice Sunday.

Emma Demers and her new husband Quinn were all set to go on a honeymoon in Cape Cod and New York City, with flights booked in and out of Boston.

Demers got a text at 3 a.m. on Sunday saying her flight had been cancelled.

“I think with wedding planning, I’ve learned that things change, and to be okay with that,” Demers said, “but just something you look forward to, and then things change--and like, non-refundable hotels, we had a concert booked and things like that.”

Elsewhere in the airport, a group of six who were booked to go to Cancun explained their expanded new itinerary.

“We actually were the lucky ones,” said Isaac Kazeil, one of the six travellers. “We got re-directed. But we’re flying to Edmonton first, and we have two hours there, and we’re flying to Denver, two hours there, then San Francisco, two hours there -- and then San Francisco to Cancun.

“And we’re looking at the flight time, and it’s actually like the same flight time from San Francisco to Cancun as Calgary to Cancun, so we have our regular flight, plus, like, all of these other layovers. So it’s like almost 20 hours of flying to go to place like five hours away, right?”

He said Air Canada picked up the cost of redirecting their flights, which turned out to be around $22,000.

Stephen Hunt, CTVNewsCalgary.ca journalist. Read the full story here.