A strike by WestJet flight attendants led to flight cancellations at airports in Saskatoon and Regina on Sunday. “We are disappointed to share that due to labour disruption, WestJet flights have been suspended effective August 2, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. MDT. WestJet Encore flights continue to operate. We deeply regret the impact this is having on our guests’ travel plans. Our focus remains on reaching an agreement,” the airline said in a statement Sunday morning. At Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport, seven of 15 scheduled WestJet arrivals and seven of 15 scheduled WestJet departures were listed as cancelled Sunday morning. The Regina Airport also warned travellers about disruptions, sharing a statement from WestJet that said flights had been suspended because of the labour disruption. “Our proposal would set a new standard for cabin crew in Canada. Addressing the union’s priorities around compensation, by making WestJet the only airline in Canada to offer an hourly rate covering all time before and after flights, plus a double-digit wage increase in year one among other priorities the union raised,” the statement read. WestJet’s 4,400 flight attendants went on strike early Sunday morning. The airline halted flights after the carrier and union failed to reach a new contract before a strike deadline passed. Both CUPE, the union representing the workers, and the airline announced the work stoppage early Sunday. Adjacent to Saskatoon Airport, dozens of WestJet employees and those who support the strike were picketing on Sunday afternoon. “These are folks that worked as flight attendants and cabin crew for WestJet. There are many parts of their day, lots of hours a week, where they are working but not paid for it. That is the primary issue here, but we’re here to support them because we believe that all workers should be paid for the work that they do,” Kent Peterson, president of CUPE Saskatchewan, said. Peterson shared that the supportive honks from passing cars and conversations with those in the area have been a positive addition to the day for the picketers. “There’s lots of public support, with lots of horns honking and people stopping by to tell them that they’re on their side and support them. We hope that WestJet will get to the table with a serious offer so that this is a short strike, but an important one,” Peterson said. The CUPE Saskatchewan president added that the conversations he has had with members of the public have been supportive, and he is making the effort to ensure those who are unfamiliar with the circumstances surrounding the strike are able to learn more. “You don’t have to explain very long to people for them to realize that you should be paid for the work you do. It’s an easy issue to talk to people about, and it’s something that everyone can relate to. They wouldn’t want to have to go to their job and work hours extra each week and not be paid at all for it,” Peterson said. WestJet said employees are working to help affected customers and advised travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled were told not to travel to the airport unless they have received a confirmed updated itinerary.
