Upcoming Air Canada Flight Attendant Strike

[scrappinginontario]

Is there anyone else who may be affected by what appears to be a strike beginning Saturday? I'm helping a friend who is sailing out of Port Canaveral with RCL on Sunday and she's scheduled to fly down with AC on Saturday.

Has anyone received notice that their flight is affected? Just trying to help her still get there and not really sure how to handle this situation.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[musika]

I'm not impacted but if it were me, I'd be looking to see if her flight could be switched to an earlier day (depending on what fare she booked). Or would be booking a backup flight on another airline. Pricy, but if the alternative is to miss her cruise... might be worth it.

 

[hdrolfe]

News reports are that they'll begin cancelling flights Thursday for the weekend, I imagine there will then be a rush of people trying to book on other airlines. Is there any way they can book with another carrier (perhaps one that will allow cancellations) just in case? Or try and change to a day earlier.
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Air Canada had said that any passengers booked to travel between Aug. 15 and Aug. 18 can change their flight if desired, provided that their ticket was purchased no later than Aug. 13. The airline was also going to allow these passengers to change their flights, for free, to another date between Aug. 21 and Sept. 12.

"If your flight is cancelled, we will do our very best to rebook you on the first available flight, exploring options with over 120 international and domestic carriers," the airline said on its website.

"As we are in peak summer travel season, we know that space will still be very limited. If your travel is disrupted, you can always choose a refund."

 

[scrappinginontario]

I'm not impacted but if it were me, I'd be looking to see if her flight could be switched to an earlier day (depending on what fare she booked). Or would be booking a backup flight on another airline. Pricy, but if the alternative is to miss her cruise... might be worth it.

thanks. Unfortunately only offering changing to flights Aug 21st or later and their ship sails Aug 17th.

News reports are that they'll begin cancelling flights Thursday for the weekend, I imagine there will then be a rush of people trying to book on other airlines. Is there any way they can book with another carrier (perhaps one that will allow cancellations) just in case? Or try and change to a day earlier.
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Air Canada had said that any passengers booked to travel between Aug. 15 and Aug. 18 can change their flight if desired, provided that their ticket was purchased no later than Aug. 13. The airline was also going to allow these passengers to change their flights, for free, to another date between Aug. 21 and Sept. 12.

"If your flight is cancelled, we will do our very best to rebook you on the first available flight, exploring options with over 120 international and domestic carriers," the airline said on its website.

"As we are in peak summer travel season, we know that space will still be very limited. If your travel is disrupted, you can always choose a refund."

The rush is already happening which is causing extra stress. It will likely cost them an additional $2,000 to book their family with another airline at this point.

Such a tough decision and only they know how far they can push their budget.

The challenge is, if AC does not go out or settles, they would lose the cost of the second flights as purchasing refundable tickets is through the roof or, you need to cancel within 24 hours and they may not know if they need to cancel within 24 hours.

UGH! Greatly appreciate both of you weighing in. Bottom line, this is a situation where there really isn't a good answer right now and so many unknowns.

 

[ellbell]

I've been following because I do have a flight in the next few weeks. I have bookmarked this article to know my rights as a passenger: https://airpassengerrights.ca/en/blog/air-canada-strike-2025-what-are-my-rights#overview

 

[hardcorestitch]

I feel bad that AC doesn’t want to pay their people fairly. So sad that it has to go to a point where tons of Canadians’ Disney dreams will become a Bibbidi Bobbidi Bust.

 

[scrappinginontario]

thank you so much @ellbell! Yes they have that and it's great information. Unfortunately the struggle right now is AC has not cancelled their Saturday flight yet so if they cancel they will only get $340 of their $2,000 back. But, other flights are selling out with other airlines.

Thankfully we have an option for them to fly out of Buffalo in our back pocket but it will mean extra work. I would drive them to the airport (as they have a return flight to Toronto with a different airline) but it means 6+ hours of driving for me after a different family road trip Friday involving 6+ hours of driving for me and, our own Disney trip is next week so I'll be driving the Buffalo again next week!

It can be done, just not our first choice.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I feel bad that AC doesn’t want to pay their people fairly. So sad that it has to go to a point where tons of Canadians’ Disney dreams will become a Bibbidi Bobbidi Bust.

I have never understood how an airline can ask their staff to be on duty for 60 mins prior and after a flight but not pay them. Makes no sense to me. Is it this way with all airlines?

 

[Genie+]

Assuming they don’t have some type of insurance that would cover extra expenses for alternatives (or even outright cancellation fully refunding all costs), then I’d start making a Plan B. In this situation they can be refunded the original flight cost, right?

Then I’d figure out if there was a way we could either:

drive down,

or drive a distance to an airport that doesn’t have crazy flight prices.

 

[scrappinginontario]

thank you everyone! They're sitting tight at the moment and we'll see what happens. Knowing we have Buffalo option does decrease the pressure a teeny, tiny bit.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I have never understood how an airline can ask their staff to be on duty for 60 mins prior and after a flight but not pay them. Makes no sense to me. Is it this way with all airlines?

Yes it’s normal, at least for the US. Pay during boarding time is something FAs in the US have been negotiating for as well in recent years. View From The Wing lays it out here link in a way that finally made sense to me. Essentially the senior FAs want higher hourly in-flight wages because they spend more time in-flight. Juniors FAs are likely to be working the short trips that have higher boarding times and less flight hours so they want boarding pay. At the end of the day money that goes towards boarding pay means that’s less money that can go towards in-flight pay. If the majors in the US DL led the way with boarding pay in ‘22, AA also ended up with boarding pay after their last round of negotiations. UA is still negotiating and does not have boarding pay currently.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks so much for your help everyone. She just booked a flight with another airline in order to get there. A big sum to pay possibly (if Air Canada does not cancel their flight) but, peace of mind to get to their cruise is worth it.

I appreciate everyone's help today!

 

[ottawamom]

The cruise is worth a lot more money than the flights down. Wise choice to rebook and make sure they get there on time. Good luck to all who are travelling with Air Canada in the next two weeks or so.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Update: Phew! Glad she called!! Porter offered her a flight, charged her credit card, showed her flight info on the app but, no confirmation email was received.

She called them after about 20 mins only to be told they had seats on her first flight but could not get seats for them on the second leg of their flight for 2 days!!! Nowhere on the app did it show their second flight was 2 DAYS later!!

Porter refunded her and we've just booked them with Southwest out of Buffalo Fri night. Her brother will take them to the airport as they need their car in Toronto for their return flight.

So stressful!!