Has your Air Canada flight been cancelled? We want to hear from you

Air Canada customers across the country are waking up to news that the airline has grounded all flights following failed talks at the bargaining table (CTV file photo).

Air Canada flight attendants are on strike after talks with the airline failed, grounding flights nationwide and leaving tens of thousands of passengers scrambling.

The strike began at 12:58 a.m. ET Saturday, following a breakdown in negotiations between Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

The airline says all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights are suspended, disrupting travel for an estimated 130,000 people each day.

At Pearson Airport and across the country, hundreds of protestors have already begun to gather, calling for fair compensation. It comes as experts warn travellers should know their rights before accepting refunds or rebooking options.

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:

What we know

On Wednesday, the union issued a 72-hour strike notice. In response, Air Canada served its own lockout notice, saying attendants would be barred from working by Saturday if no deal was reached.

Earlier this week, the airline had already begun cancelling around 500 flights in anticipation of a work stoppage.

Picket lines are now in place in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Richmond, B.C., Halifax, Winnipeg, and Ottawa.

Union polling released Friday suggests public opinion is firmly behind the workers, as 88 per cent of Canadians said flight attendants should be paid for all work-related duties, and 80 per cent supported wage increases to match the rising cost of living.

Air Canada maintains that “customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and they will be eligible for a full refund,” according to a press release published earlier this week.

Chaos at Pearson Airport

Hundreds of picketers have gathered outside Pearson’s Terminal 1 departures level as airport staff confirm they are “on site to assist passengers and help maintain the flow of traffic.”

What are your rights?

Passenger rights advocates tell CTV News that travellers should not to take refunds too quickly.

• READ MORE: If your flight gets cancelled, don’t accept a refund from Air Canada: expert

“A refund can be one way for an airline to wash their hands of their obligation to rebook you on another flight,” said Gabor Lukacs, president of Air Passenger Rights.

Under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations, if a strike disrupts operations, airlines must rebook passengers on the next available flight, even if that means using a competing carrier.

“Any carrier means any airline, including, but not limited to, the airline’s competitors,” Lukacs said, adding that Air Canada must cover the cost.

We want to hear from you

Has your Air Canada flight been cancelled? Are you stuck abroad waiting to get home? How has the strike disrupted your travel plans?

Share your story by emailing us at [e-mail] with your name, general location, and phone number in case we want to follow up.

Your comments may be used in a future story.

With files from CTVNews.ca Staff and CTV’s Adrian Ghobrial